John Buckley Brierley was born on the 18th July 1912 in the Saddleworth district, West Riding of Yorkshire.

He graduated from Cambridge University where he was in the OTC and joined the Worcestershire Regiment at Crown Hill Barracks, Plymouth.

He was commissioned to the Worcestershire Regiment from Cambridge on 2nd February 1934, and was posted to the 1st Battalion at Crown Hill, Plymouth. After 2 years as a Platoon Commander, he was appointed Signal Officer in the 1st Battalion, which appointment he held at Aldershot, in Palestine in 1938, and in the Sudan in 1939-40.

In 1940 he went to France but did not actually join the 7th Battalion until that Battalion also returned from France to the U.K. in June, 1940. On joining the 7th Battalion at Dewsbury, Yorkshire, on 23rd June 1940, he was successively Intelligence Officer, O.C. "A" Company, O.C. "D" Company, and 2/I.C. He sailed for India with the 7th Battalion, reaching Bombay on 5th June 1942, and was stationed at Poona, Secunderabad and Ahmednagar, until he entrained with the 7th Battalion for Burma in April 1944. He fought at the battle of Kohima, taking over command of the 7th Battalion during the battle, which appointment he held until the opening of the Imphal Road in July of that year. He was awarded the M.C. for gallantry during the Kohima action.

Lieut.-Colonel J. B. Brierley

On 24th December 1944, he was posted to 1st Battalion the Royal Berkshire Regiment, which was another Battalion in the 2nd Infantry Division, as its Commanding Officer, with which Regiment he remained until the fall of Rangoon. He again returned to the 7th Battalion, now stationed in India, as Commanding Officer.

After the war he returned home and was appointed D.A.A.G., H.Q. Western Command. He graduated at the Staff College, Camberley, in 1947, following which he was appointed D.A.A.G., Central Malayan Sub District, Sereban—where he was awarded the M.B.E.

In 1951 he came home to Command the Regimental Depot, which now re-opened again as the recruit training centre for the Regiment. In 1953 he was posted to the 1st Battalion at Bulford Camp, Wiltshire, as 2/I.C. (for the 9th time during his military service!)

In January, 1955, he left the 1st Battalion on being appointed Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion, the King's African Rifles at Nanyuki, Kenya. For the next 2 years he commanded this Battalion in the Mau Mau operations. At the conclusion of his command he returned to England, where he assumed the appointment, for the next 4 years, of Army Recruiting Officer for Worcestershire.

Colonel John Brierley retired from the Regular Army after 28 years' service with the Regiment on 1st June, 1962.

Colonel John Brierley died suddenly on the 22nd August 1984 (age 72) at Christchurch, Dorset.