Names on the war memorial at



November.2018

There are 73 names on the war memorial at Church of St. John the Evangelist, Walton on the Hill.

Unfortunately, we have no original records of the dead. We believe that anyone could put forward a name of a loved one to be included on the memorial when it was commissioned. We have since researched the fallen and the men below we cannot locate. Please forgive us for any inaccuracies. If you know further details of any man listed, please advise us.

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Alfred Burrows Herman Metcalf

George Frederick Cooper James Morrison

William Phillip Davies John Moorcroft

Thomas Gore Thomas Richardson

Spencer Robert Jones James Slade

William Leyland Thomas Henry Stevens

John McArthur George Robert Turner

James McLean Arthur Warren

Thomas Aitchison

Thomas died aged 40 on 28 June 1915. He was serving as a 4th Engineer in the merchant navy on the SS Armenian, when it was torpedoed by German submarine U-24 off Cornwall. His body was recovered and he was buried in St Endellion Churchyard, in Cornwall. Thomas left a wife, Sarah. They had lived in 16 Grace Road, off Walton Vale, Liverpool 9. The ship was delivering 1,422 mules from USA to the war effort. Of the 175 men on board, 29, mainly Americans lost their lives that day. Thomas’s parents and several of his siblings had previously emigrated to Canada, although some family remained in Liverpool. The loss of the Armenian and, just prior, of the Lusitania helped fuel the anti-German feeling in the USA and pushed them into joining the war.

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| Joseph Bennett |

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|Joseph served in the Royal Warwickshire regiment and the Royal Artillery, joining at the outbreak of war. He was killed in|

|action on the Tigris on 25 January 1917 aged 38. Tigris is situated in the present day Iraq and the British were fighting |

|the Turks. Prior to the war he was employed by Mr John Rist, as a coal salesman and was well known in the Aintree and |

|Fazakerley districts. He listed his next of kin as Charles and Annie Leatherbarrow who in 1911 were living at 18 |

|Coerton Road, Aintree. |

|He is buried at the Amara War Cemetery. Amara was occupied by the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force on 3 June 1915 and it |

|immediately became a hospital Centre. The accommodation for medical units on both banks of the Tigris was greatly increased|

|during 1916 and in April 1917, seven general hospitals and some smaller units were stationed there. Amara War Cemetery |

|contains 4,621 burials of the First World War, more than 3,000 of which were brought into the cemetery after the Armistice.|

|925 of the graves are unidentified. In 1933, all of the headstones were removed from this cemetery when it was discovered |

|that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. Instead a screen wall was erected with the names of those buried |

|in the cemetery engraved upon it. Plot XXV is a Collective Grave, the individual burial places within this are not known. |

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Thomas Beesley

Thomas died aged 42 on 25 January 1917 on the HMS Laurentic. The Laurentic left Liverpool heading to Halifax, Canada and carried some 479 passengers, mostly naval officers, ratings, and Naval Volunteer Reserves, as well as a secret cargo of gold which was to be used for the purchase of war munitions from Canada and the United States. On 25 January the ship made an unscheduled stop at the naval base in Buncrana, Ireland, to allow four passengers with yellow fever symptoms to disembark. The ship lifted anchor around sunset, moving toward Fanad Head, where she was to meet with a destroyer escort. The weather was bitterly cold and a blizzard affected visibility, but the Captain gave the order to proceed without the escort, despite reports that a German U-boat had been spotted in the area earlier. Less than an hour after leaving Buncrana, the ship struck two mines laid by the German mine-laying submarine U-80 off Lough Swilly. One of the mines exploded near the engine-room, which left the ship without power and caused it to list 20 degrees; the combination of the darkness and list made it difficult to lower the lifeboats, and made it impossible for the ship to issue a distress call. Without power the main pumps were inoperable and the ship sank within an hour.

Those who made it onto lifeboats faced extreme cold, as low as −13 °C. Survivors rowed towards Fanad Lighthouse, and some were rescued by local fishing trawlers. In the morning, many were found frozen to death in their lifeboats, with their hands still gripping the oars. The official count lists 475 passengers on board at the time of sinking, meaning that only 121 survived, and 354 were lost in the disaster. It was the largest loss of life by a mine.

The ship was carrying 43 tonnes of gold at the time and 20 bars have not been recovered from the wreck. Thomas was serving as a Steward. His widow, Sarah and 5 children, Nancy, John, Lilly, Thomas and Robert, all lived at 10 Warbreck Road, Orrell Park. Sarah never remarried.

Arthur Bather

Arthur lived in Kingswood Ave, Aintree with his parents and 4 siblings. He was killed in action aged 19 at Ypres, Belgium on 8 May 1915 whilst serving with the Kings Own (Royal Lancs) Regiment. Arthur was previously a student at Longmoor Lane School. By the time of his death, his widowed mother lived at 29 Endbourne Road.

The Second Battle of Ypres began in April 1915 when the Germans released poison gas into the Allied lines north of Ypres. This was the first time gas had been used by either side, the violence of the attack forced an Allied withdrawal and a shortening of the line of defense. His name is listed on The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. The Menin Gate, bears the names of more than 54,000 soldiers who died before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave.

Between October 1914 and September 1918 hundreds of thousands of servicemen of the British Empire marched through the town of Ypres's Menin Gate on their way to the battlefields. The memorial now stands as a reminder of those who died who have no known grave and is perhaps one of the most well-known war memorials in the world.

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Charles Edwin Browne

Charles lived with his parents and 4 brothers at 41a Walton Vale. He died aged 22 years on 21 March 1918 following a German offensive in the spring of 1918 in France whilst serving in the Machine Gun Corps, previously served in the North Lancashire Regiment.

He has no grave, but his name is listed at the Faubourg-d’Amiens Cemetery near the town of Arras. There are 2,610 individual graves and the names of 35,000 others with no known grave, at the site.

Arthur William Beattie

Arthur was born in Walton and christened at St Mary’s Walton Church on 10 May 1890. He was a student of St Lawrence C of E School. Arthur lived in Roxburgh Street and was a Shipping Clerk with the Cunard Ship Company. He died of his wounds on 7 November 1917 aged 27 whilst serving as a Gunner with the Royal Horse and Field Artillery in France. Probably injured during the 3rd Battle of Ypres, Belgium. He is buried with his own gravestone at Wimereau Communal Cemetery, France with 3,037 others. This is 2 miles from Boulogne, France and the major field hospital centre sited there, used this cemetery for burials. He is also remembered on the Cunard Ship Company’s “Plaque of the Fallen”. Arthur’s headstone reads “Until the day dawns and the shadows pass away”.

John Birkenhead

John died of his wounds aged 19 on 20 December 1917 in Flanders. He is buried at The Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium. His headstone reads “He died that we may live”. John served in the King’s Own (Liverpool) Regiment. His father, John, who was a Prison Officer, and mother Jean, lived at 34 Hornby Road. His only other sibling, James, had enlisted 3 months previously aged only 17. James survived the war and died in 1980 whilst living in Goodacre Road, Aintree.

James Robert Brown

Sub-Lieut-Engineer James R Brown was among the victims of the RMS Laurentic disaster. In storm force winds and snow, the Laurentic struck 2 mines off the coast of County Donegal, Ireland on 25 January 1917, and sank within the hour.

Of the 475 men on board, 354 died, many of exposure in life rafts. According to the Liverpool Post & Echo, “Bootle lost one of its most promising sons”. The young officer, he was only 30, was the only surviving son of Mr Samuel Muir Brown of 75 Balliol Road. James was married and left a widow, Mary Ellen, and daughter who lived at 63 Kingfield Road, Orrell Park.

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Ronald Henry Bloore

Ronald was killed in action on 28 April 1918 in Belgium aged 25, as Acting Captain in the Kings (Liverpool) Regiment. He had been christened at St Mary’s (Walton Church) on 31 July 1892. His home was 10 Grey Road, Walton. Ronald is buried at the Voormezeele Enclosure at West-Vlaanderen, in Belgium with 1,005 other graves. His headstone reads “Thy will be done”. Son of the late Captain Charles G and Mrs Amy Bloore. His estate was left to his brother Alan, who was serving in the Medical Corps.

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Harold Launcelot Bretland

Harold was an elementary school teacher born in Salford working in Aintree and lived at 465 Rice Lane. He died in action on 9 December 1916 aged 33 in France whilst serving with the King’s Own (Liverpool) Regiment, leaving a widow, Minnie and a 3 year old son, Ronald. Harold is buried Bertrancourt Military Cemetery in the Somme, France along with 415 others. His widow, Minnie, never remarried and died in Crosby in 1977. He is also remembered on the Liverpool University memorial. Harold’s headstone reads “My Beloved”.

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James Henry Barratt

James died aged 33 on 15 August 1917 whilst serving with the 10 Battalion Alberta Regiment. His parents, Mr and Mrs Alec Barratt lived in 27 Firdale Road, Fazakerley. James had emigrated to Canada with his wife, and brother and family in June 1915 and previously worked as a Joiner. He left a widow, Mary, living in Revelstoke, British Columbia Canada. His name is commemorated at the Vimy Memorial, France. Located north of Arras in France, the Vimy Memorial is Canada’s largest overseas National Memorial. It commemorates more than 11,000 men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force killed during the First World War in France and who have no known grave.

William Henry Comerford

William was originally from Limerick in Ireland. He drowned aged 42 on 19 November 1917 on the SS Clangula after an enemy submarine attack. The SS Clangula had just rescued the crew of the French ship the Amiral Zede and landed them at Milford Haven. When departing from Milford Haven that same day, the Clangula in her turn, was also torpedoed by the same submarine and 15 of her crew were lost. William was a Cook and one of those lost. Married to Mary, the family was living at Taft St, Liverpool.

William’s name is listed on the Tower Hill Memorial, which stands on the south side of the gardens of Trinity Square, London, close to the Tower of London. It commemorates the men of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who have no grave but the sea.

More than 50,700 Commonwealth merchant seamen lost their lives in the two world wars. The Tower Hill Memorial commemorates more than 35,800 casualties who have no known grave.

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Wilfred Cunningham

Wilf was a Rifleman in The King’s Liverpool Regiment (“B” company 1st/5th Battalion) when he died aged 21 on 31 July 1917. He was the eldest child of Wilfred and Mary Cunningham and had lived at 52 Endborne Road, Orrell Park. Prior to joining the army, he worked at a Grocers Assistant. He was one of 6 children, and his parents were living in Newton Heath, at the time of his birth and christening but moved to Orrell Park prior to 1911.

The day Wilfred died, 31 July 1917, later became known as the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres", also known as Passchendaele. The battle around the Pilkem Ridge became notorious for conditions that transformed the terrain of shell holes and trenches into a quagmire of mud.

Wilf has no known grave and he is commemorated at the Menin Gate Memorial in West-Vlannderen, Belgium. Wilf’s mother, Mary was badly affected by his death and refused to go to the cenotaph at St John’s church because it upset her too much. Wilf’s sister Lillian would become tearful when talking to their nephew about him, even in the 1980’s. The family never forgot Wilf.

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Hugh George Victor Clayton

Hugh was born in 1898 lived in Buckingham Road, off Walton Vale. He died in action on 29 April 1918 aged 20 in France whilst serving with the18th Battalion of the King’s Own (Liverpool) Regiment, having previously served with the Lancashire Hussars.

Hugh’s name is listed on the Tyne Cot ‘Memorial to the Missing’ at Zonnebeke, Belgium - 5 miles from Ypres. It bears the names of some 35,000 men of the British and New Zealand forces who have no known grave, nearly all of whom died between August 1917 and November 1918. This area on the Western Front was the scene of the Third Battle of Ypres. Also known as the Battle of Passchendaele, it was one of the major battles of the First World War.

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John Dandy

John was aged 19 years, a General Labourer, when he signed up to the Kings (Liverpool) Regiment on 11 August 1914. His parents, John and Mary Ellen Dandy lived at 28 Beaver Grove, off Walton Vale. He was a former student of Northcote Road School.

John was killed in action on 19 December 1917 in France and Flanders aged 21 years old. Buried where he fell. His commanding officer wrote in the Roll of Honour “He was the most gallant solider, and was killed by a trench- mortar bomb, whilst holding his post in a most advanced position at the front. He died instantaneously. He was a great favourite with all. He has left a gap in the ranks that cannot be filled.”

John’s name is listed on the Tyne Cot ‘Memorial to the Missing’ at Zonnebeke, Belgium - 5 miles from Ypres. It bears the names of some 35,000 men of the British and New Zealand forces who have no known grave, nearly all of whom died between August 1917 and November 1918. This area on the Western Front was the scene of the Third Battle of Ypres. Also known as the Battle of Passchendaele, it was one of the major battles of the First World War.

Henry Devlin

Henry was lost on the infamous SS Lusitania on 7 May 1915 off the coast of Ireland. Husband of Isobella, he was a Merchant Seaman Fireman aged 38 when the ship was torpedoed. Within 18 minutes, the ship broke up. Due to the severe list, only 6 lifeboats were able to be launched. Of the 1,962 crew and passengers, 1,191 lost their lives. The sinking caused an international outcry, as the ship was using neutral flags. His widow, step daughter and son, also Henry, lived at 15 Dallas Grove, off Walton Vale.

Henry’s name is listed on the Tower Hill Memorial, which stands on the south side of the gardens of Trinity Square, London, close to the Tower of London. It commemorates the men of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who have no grave but the sea.

More than 50,700 Commonwealth merchant seamen lost their lives in the two world wars. The Tower Hill Memorial commemorates more than 35,800 casualties who have no known grave.

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William Darlington

William was the eldest son of William and Margaret Darlington of 11 Burwen Drive, Orrell Park. He was serving with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment when he was killed in action on 28 June 1918 aged 19 years. William had attended St John the Evangelist School. He is now buried in the Merville Communal Cemetery in France, were he had been moved from his battlefield grave site shortly after the end of the war. His inscription reads “ In a foreign county, in a silent grave, lies my son that my heart grieves for to-day.”

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Frederick Foulkes

Fred died from his wounds aged 22 on 8 August 1916. He had served as a Rifleman in France with The King’s Liverpool Regiment since February 1915. His parents lived at 133 Chatsworth Avenue, Orrell Park, his father was a Railway Goods Guard. Fred had been a student at Longmoor Lane School and then had worked as a Clerk at J Beaurire & Co, a shipping company, prior to joining up on 4 May 1914. He was also a member of the Aintree Wesleyan Church, and the first to fall from their congregation.

Fred is buried in his own grave at La Neuville British Cemetery, at Corbie, Somme in Frances. In April 1916, No.21 Casualty Clearing Station came to La Neuville and remained there throughout the 1916 Battles of the Somme, until March 1917. La Neuville British Cemetery was opened early in July 1916. Most of the 866 burials date from this period.

His gravestone reads “He gave his life, that we may live”.

Edward Francis

Edward died in England as a result of his wounds on 31 October 1917. He served in the King’s Own (Liverpool) regiment. His name is listed on the Kirkdale Cemetary War Memorial.

William Gill

William died of his wounds on 1 November 1915 aged 22. He was serving with The King’s Liverpool Regiment as a Lance Corporal. At the time of his death, William’s father, Charles was living at 47 Trevor Road, Orrell Park. William was an Insurance Collector prior to enlisting, living with his father in Burscough. However, William had a difficult childhood. He was the eldest child of William and Elizabeth but by the time William was 8 years old, his parents has separated. His mother left the family home and each parent went on to have more children with new partners. His parents could not divorce, so his mother emigrated to Canada with her new partner and children in 1904.

William is buried in his own grave at the Bois-Guillaune Muncipal Cemetery in Seine-Maritime, France.

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Joseph Hartley

Joseph died on 13 March 1918 “at home” presumably of wounds. He is buried in Kirkdale Cemetery. He served as a Sapper in the Special Brigade of the Royal Engineers, which was tasked to deliver poisonous gas.

George Hunt

George served under the name of Eric Roberts, but his real name was George Hunt and he went to Longmoor Lane School. It could be that George used an alias to join up before he was able to, but many records were lost during the blitz of WW2. His parents, Robert Walter and Mary Hunt lived at 60 Trevor Road, his father was a telephone engineer and George was the eldest of 8 children. George’s father enlisted in March 1916 aged 43, but he does not list George on his papers, indicating he is already gone from the family home. His father survived the war.

George served with the 20th Battalion in the Lancashire Fusiliers and died on 15 April 1917 aged 18. The Battle of Arras had just finished. He is buried under his real name at the Bellicourt British Cemetery in France with 1,203 other graves. George’s gravestone read, “Sleep on Dear Son, til the Great Day dawns”.

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This photo is taken in March 1917 (a month before George’s death). It is some of the Lancashire Fusiliers being served hot stew from a container in a front line trench in France.

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William Halton

William lived at 114 Everton Road, was married to Janet and had 2 children, Dorothy and William. He was a book-keeper in a Glass merchants. His parents were Thomas and Mary Halton.

William died of wounds aged 38 on 2 April 1918 whilst serving as a Lance Corporal with the Royal Irish Rifles, previously served in the King’s Own Liverpool Regiment. He died in Germany – and is buried at the Cologne Cemetery. His inscription reads “Thy will be done”.

Allied Soldiers of War were buried there during the war or moved from other gravesites within Germany in 1922.

German forces captured almost 300,000 Commonwealth servicemen on the Western Front. Approximately one third of these prisoners were held in German occupied territory in France and Belgium, but most were transported to camps located throughout Germany. Germany was poorly equipped to house, feed and clothe large numbers of enemy troops, but prisoners of war had been granted certain rights under international agreements established at Geneva in 1864 and at The Hague in 1899 and 1907. The Red Cross also monitored conditions in the camps and ensured that food, clothing, and personal correspondence sent from Britain was safely delivered to prisoners. In June 1917, and again in July 1918, the British and German governments agreed to exchange prisoners who were too badly wounded to fight again, and hundreds of prisoners were repatriated through the Netherlands. Despite these various checks on the mistreatment of prisoners, conditions in German camps varied widely and as many as 12,000 Commonwealth servicemen died in captivity. Some of these men were badly wounded when taken prisoner and died shortly after arriving in Germany.

John Hannah

John was born in Edinburgh and previously a Joiner with Cunard in Liverpool. John was married to Sarah and a father of 4 - Sydney, Hilda Joy and Lilly, when he died aged 43 on 22 January 1917 whilst serving with the 12th Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment in France.

He is buried in the Combles Cemetery extension, in the Somme region of France.

His widow, Sarah never remarried and died aged 84.

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Richard Spence Jary

Richard was originally from Sunderland and was a Prison Officer prior to enlisting. He was a married man from 46 Trevor Road. Richard died of his wounds, whilst serving as a Gunner with the 254th Siege Battery in the Royal Artillery on 5 November 1918 aged 36 – Just 6 days before the ceasefire. He left a widow, Elizabeth and 5 year old son, also called Richard.

Richard is buried in the St Andre-les-Lille cemetery, which was close to the No11 Casualty Clearing station near Lille, France. His gravestone reads, “Thy purpose, Lord we cannot see but all is well that’s done by Thee“

His widow, Elizabeth, lived at Trevor Road for many years, but eventually moved back to the North East and died aged 70 - she had not remarried.

Albert Ernest Jones

Albert was a Private in the 17th Battalion in the Kings (Liverpool) Regiment. He died aged 23 on 12 October 1916. He has no known grave, but his name is listed on the Thiepval Memorial. His parents lived in Chevin Road, Aintree.

Thiepval bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

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Harold Jones

Harold was killed in action on 14 May 1918 aged 24. He was serving with F Company 10th Battalion, The Kings Liverpool Regiment as a Private. He is buried with his own gravestone at the Houchin British Cemetery, in France with 734 others. His widowed father had been bring up 3 other siblings and they lived at 10 Redvers Drive, Orrell Park. Harold had been a Railway Clerk prior to enlisting.

William Jennions

Younger brother of Alfred (below), born 1882. His parents were Thomas and Ann Jennions and they live in Moffatt Road, off Greenwich Road, Aintree. William was a Railway Labourer and living at Weightman Grove, off Walton vale with his wife, Ethel and 3 sons Francis, John and Harold and 1 daughter Edna. He enlisted on 11 July 1915 aged 32 into the Royal Division Artillery. Army papers indicate he was discharged from the Army in April 1919. He died in 1922, and it may be as a result of injuries sustained during the war.

Alfred Jennions

Older brother to William (above) born 1880. Lived at 23 Greenwich Road and worked as a Gardener. Alfred was a Lance Corporal when he died aged 36 on 7 October 1916 during the first Battle of the Somme. His name is listed at the Thiepval Memorial in France –but he is incorrectly named as Alfred Jennings. Thiepval bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

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Henry Oswald Mason

Henry was born in 1889 and christened at St Mary’s (Walton Church). His parents, William and Jessie lived at 193 Warbreck Moor in 1917. He died in South Africa, in Natal whilst serving in the South African Medical Corps on 11 November 1917 aged 28.

He is buried in the Pietermaritzburg Commercial Road Cemetery with 14 other WW1 burials.

Charles Oddy

Charles was born in 1895 and lived in Buckingham Road, off Walton Vale. He was killed in action on 9 August 1916 aged 21 in France whilst serving with the King’s Own (Liverpool) Regiment during the first Battle of the Somme. Neighbour and possible friend of Hugh Clayton (also on the Memorial). His name is listed at the Thiepval Memorial in France. Thiepval bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

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Frederick Francis Seiffert

Fred was born in Boston USA in 1887, by 1911 he was living with his parents at 314 Rice Lane (next to current day Dentists opposite McDonalds). His father, Otto, was born in Germany and a Foreign Correspondence Clerk – but a nationalised British citizen. Fred enlisted on 31 August 1914. He died on 1 July 1916 aged 29 whilst a Lance Corporal in the King’s Own (Liverpool) during the First Battle of the Somme.

His name is listed at the Thiepval Memorial in France. Thiepval bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

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Robert Henry Tomlinson

Robert died in the 8 General Hospital, Rouen, France, of wounds sustained from the First Battle of the Somme on 19 July 1916 whilst serving as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 18th Battalion of the Kings Regiment, aged 30. Son of John (a Police Superintendent) and Mary, living at 39 Moss Lane. Previously served about 10 years in the 5th Kings Liverpool Territorials. Robert had been a Ledger Clerk with the Borough of Liverpool and left an estate of over £200 to his father.

Robert is buried at Saint Sever Cemetery, Rouen with 3,081 others and his gravestone states “He saved others, himself he could not save”.

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Evan Ormerod

Evan was the son of Schofield and Winifred Ormerod. He married Sarah in 1909 at Emmanuel Church Fazakerley, and by the time of this death his address was 24 Hartley’s Village. He worked at Hartley’s factory as a Case Maker prior to enlisting.

Evan was killed in action aged 30 on 4 November 1917. He served under service number 174983 with the 76th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. He is buried at the Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

His gravestone reads, “Beloved husband of S Ormerod, “always faithful”, his wife, also Win and Jess”.

Sarah was left with 2 daughters. She did not remarry and died aged 49 in 1930 still living at 24 Hartley’s Village.

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Hartley’s jam factory

James Kellie

James died of his wounds on 3 November 1917 aged 21 in France whilst serving as a Lance Corporal with the King’s Own (Liverpool) regiment. He lived with his 7 brothers and sisters, in the family homes in Anglesey Road prior to enlisting and was a Grocer’s Assistant. He is buried the Dozinghem Military Cemetery, in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, with another 3,308 men.

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Thomas Knowles

Tom was born in Liverpool in 1890. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Knowles who lived at 8 Burwen Drive, Orrell Park. Tom went to France in 1917 and he wrote many postcards home, many hand embroidered. Dated from 1917, just short and simple messages to his parents and brother and sister. On 17 June 1917 Tom wrote, Dear Ma, arrived in France, quite safe and well today, Tom xx. Another on 6th August 1917 – To Dad, with best wishes from France, your affectionately son, Tom.

Tom died of his wounds aged 27 on 5 October 1917 whilst serving as a Gunner with the Royal Horse and Field Artillery during the long rain soaked struggle known as the Third Battle of Ypres. He is buried at the Mendingham Military Cemetery 10 miles from Ypres, Belgium. The cemetery contains 2,391 Allied soldiers, as there were several clearing hospitals close by.

His inscription reads “Forget him, No I never will, as years roll on I love him still.”

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Robert Alfred Kinder

Robert was killed in action on 28 February 1917 whilst in France serving with the King’s Own (Liverpool) Regiment. He was 36 years old. Previously lived in Parkinson Road, off Rice Lane. His father, Joseph, lived at 36 Cedardale Road, Fazakerley. Robert is buried at the Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France. His stone reads “One of the Best”.

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Henry Large

Henry was originally from Bickerstaffe, but moved to Liverpool after his first marriage. He was a School Teacher, having obtained a first class degree at Chester. He had 4 Children with his first wife, and after she died, he married again. In 1907 he married Annie Dunkerley at St John the Evangelist and had another daughter, Doris in 1911. They lived at 1 Lilford Avenue. Henry was an elementary school teacher in the Boys Department of Christ Church School, Bootle.

Henry was killed in action on 21 August 1917 aged 42 years. It was reported in the Liverpool Echo, that his dug-out was hit by a gas shell. “Gunner Large who showed some signs of life, unfortunately died in spite of strenuous efforts made to restore animation.”

The headmaster of Christ Church described Henry as his first assistant and faithful friend and his commanding officer spoke of him being a splendid soldier and gentleman. He left a widow and 5 children, the eldest who was a chemist by profession was also serving at the front at the same time, whilst another was serving with the Navy. Henry is buried at the Brandhoek New Military Cemetery Number 3 in Belgium.

James Moran

James was sailing on the Canadian Pacific ship the SS Missanabie, travelling from Liverpool to New York carrying ballast under a British Flag. She was returning to Canada, where she had effected many crossings carrying troops to the Western Front.

On Monday 9 September 1918, she was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine 50 miles from Cobh, Ireland, with the loss of 45 lives. Steward James Moran died aged 38 years. Husband of Ellen and father to Elsie, James and Evelyn, he lived at 69 Endbourne Road, Liverpool 9.

James’ name is listed on the Tower Hill Memorial, which stands on the south side of the gardens of Trinity Square, London, close to the Tower of London is the Tower Hill Memorial. It commemorates the men of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who have no grave but the sea.

More than 50,700 Commonwealth merchant seamen lost their lives in the two world wars. The Tower Hill Memorial commemorates more than 35,800 casualties who have no known grave.

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Knowles McKnight

Knowles was named after his mother’s maiden name, born in Bootle in 1882. He was a Railway Clerk. He married in Birkenhead in 1911 to Annie and was living with a son, Ralph at 48 Selby Road, Orrell Park when he enlisted.

Knowles was a Sapper serving with the Royal Engineers when he died of his wounds aged 37 on 25 February 1919, after the war had finished. He is buried at the Saint Pol British Cemetery, at St Pol-sur-Ternoise, France where the no 12 Stationery Hospital was sited from June 1916 to June 1919. The cemetery contains 257 other graves from WW1.

His headstone reads “Thy will be done”.

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Charles Francis Nelson

Charles served with the Lancashire Fusiliers. He died aged 20 on 30 November 1918 – shortly after the war ended, of pneumonia. He is buried in Kirkdale Cemetery. His parents, Charles and Philomena lived at 38 Regina Road, Aintree – he was an only child.

James Kellie

James died of his wounds on 3 November 1917 aged 21 in France whilst serving as a Lance Corporal with the King’s Own (Liverpool) regiment. He lived with his 7 brothers and sisters, in the family homes in Anglesey Road prior to enlisting and was a Grocer’s Assistant. He is buried the Dozinghem Military Cemetery, in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, with another 3,308 men.

Thomas Shepherd Ord

Thomas was born in 1877 but in 1887 his father died and his mother remarried. So at the time of 1891 census Thomas was a boarding pupil at the Bluecoat School.

In 1906 Thomas married Alice. They had two children, Alice born 1908 and Thomas Harold born 1914. Thomas worked as a shipping clerk and the family lived at 63 Selby Road. Thomas had enlisted twice, first time admitting his true age 38 and was presumably rejected. He enlisted again on 16 November 1915, claiming to be aged 30.

Thomas was killed in action on 3 October 1917 aged 39 years. He was an acting Bombardier, previously a gunner, with the 256th siege battery Royal Garrison Artillery. The Third Battle of Ypres was raging in the area during October 1917. He was buried (with his own grave) in Buffs Road Cemetery close to Ypres in Belgium. The cemetery was made and used by fighting units (in particular the Royal Artillery) between July 1917 and March 1918. There are now 289 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. Alice never remarried and died in 1938. His daughter died in 1992 still living at Cornett Road, Aintree, having never married.

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Photo kindly donated by Jen Anderson (family)

Percy Sydney Pass

Percy was born on 10 October 1892 in Liverpool. When he was 17 years old he joined the Territorial Army, 3rd Lancashire Fusiliers and served from 1909 to 1914. However, Percy was medically discharged due to being hard of hearing so unable to hear commands. He was described as 5ft 6¼, weighing 9 stone with blue eyes and brown hair.

Aged 23 Percy joined the Royal Navy – although prior to this he also worked as a labourer.

|He was serving as a Seaman on the HMS Black Prince, and was part of the Battle of Jutland. The Battle of Jutland took |

|place between the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet, 31st May - 1st June 1916, in the North Sea, off |

|Jutland, Denmark. |

HMS Black Prince had separated from the rest of the fleet as it was acting as a forward scout. In the dark, it came upon the German ships. As it turned to run, 5 German ships, from only 1000 yards bombarded the Black Prince and it sunk within 15 minutes. All 857 men were lost.

|The Battle of Jutland was the only major naval battle of World War One and the largest sea battle in history in terms of |

|the vessels involved. |

|Of the 151 combat ships of the British Navy 14 were completely destroyed and 25 were damaged. They faced 99 combat ships of|

|the German Navy of which 11 were lost and 31 were damaged. |

|The British casualties amounted to; 6,094 killed, 674 wounded and 177 captured compared to German losses of 2,551 killed |

|and 507 wounded |

Percy was 24 years old when he died on 31 May 1916. His body was the only one from the Black Prince to be recovered and is buried in Tonsberg Churchyard, Norway. His parents were living at 54 Hanford Road, Orrell Park at the time of his death.

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William Ernest Peters

William died of his wounds aged 20 – son of Frederick (originally German) and Ellen Peters. Prior to the war he lived with his parents and younger siblings in Walton Lane, Walton. He died on 3 May 1918 and is buried at Aire-sur-la-lys, near Calais in France.

The cemetery contains 894 commonwealth war graves from WW1 and was very close by a casualty clearing station. William was a Lance Corporal with the 2nd/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire (Princess Charlotte of Wales) Regiment, but previously with the King’s Own Liverpool.

Will was probably injured during the Battle of Lys which raged around Ypres in Belgium between 7 and 21 April 1918.

His inscription reads “Gone but not forgotten by Father, Mother, Sisters and Brothers, Our precious Will”

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Albert Myers Redfern

Albert died, aged 39, on first day of the 3rd Battle of Ypres on 31 July 1917 in France and Flanders whilst serving with the King’s Own Liverpool Regiment. He was single, a Carter prior to enlisting and boarded at 95 Sandy Lane with the Hesketh family.

Albert has his own grave, along with 1094 others, at the Huts Cemetery at Ypres in Belgium. His widowed mother, Jane, lived at 2 Haddon Avenue, Orrell Park.

His inscription reads “Ever remembered”.

Eric William Stephenson

Eric was born in 1899. He lived with his parents Charles and Florence at 479 Rice Lane prior to enlisting. His father ran a Picture Framing and Tabacconist Shop, directly opposite St John the Evangelist church.

Eric died of his wounds on 18 August 1918 aged 19. He is buried at the Longuenese Souvenier Cemetery, Saint Omer (28 miles from Calais), along with 3,550 others. He was serving with the Royal Fusiliers and was transferred from the front line to one of the casualty field hospitals close to Saint Omer after being wounded.

His inscription reads “In the constant memory of Father, Mother, brothers and sisters, Our Hero”

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Ernest Trene Stevenson

Ernest was born in Cheltenham. Before enlisting he lived with his widowed mother, Eliza, at 39 Burwen Drive and was a pawnbroker’s assistant. He died aged 25, presumably on 29 June 1917 whilst serving with the King’s Own Regiment. He is buried at Pont-du-hem Military Cemetery, La Gorge France. There are over 1,500 commonwealth graves at Pont-du-hem, with less than half identified.

His mother, Eliza, actually placed an advertisement in the Liverpool Echo on 13 October 1917 asking if anyone knew of his whereabouts, as he had not been seen since 29 June after failing to return from a raid on the German trenches. Eliza also had 2 others sons serving in France and another son who had been recovered, alive, from the SMS Laurentic sinking. Ernest was a nephew of the late Mr James Grierson Gledhill, MD, barrister—in-law, a famous football player and association pioneer in the north of England in the 1880’s.

This inscription reads “As we loved him, so we miss him, sadly do we feel the loss, sad and sudden was the call”

Francis William Stainthorpe

Francis was born in 1896 and was living in 44 Endbourne Road when enlisted. He died on 13 November 1918 aged 22, after the ceasefire, of his wounds. He was serving as a Gunner with the Royal Horse and Field Artillery. He was buried at Saint Sever Military Cemetery – in the extension as the original part was full, which is on edges of Rouen, Normandy, France. There were several large hospitals close by during the whole war. Francis’ parents were Francis and Mary are they lived at 38 Selby Road, Aintree.

His inscription reads “For us he always did his best, God gives him now eternal rest.”

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William Shaw

Private W G Shaw died of his wounds on 2 November 1917 aged 34. William was married to Edith and they lived at 20 Muriel Street, Walton. William was the son of William and Mary Shaw. He served in The Kings Liverpool Regiment before being transferred to the 85th Company Labour Corps. He is buried in his own plot at Dozinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium along with another 3174 other commonwealth graves.

Richard Snodgrass

Richard enlisted in February 1915 into the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment whilst living at 10 Beaver Grove, off Walton Vale with his wife, Elizabeth and 5 children. Previously a Labourer working for Bibby’s in Great Howard Street. Dick was a corporal aged 29 when he died, on 8 August 1916 during the first Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave, but his name is listed at the Thiepval Memorial in France. His name is also listed on the J Bibby and Sons Ltd memorial. Thiepval bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

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Thomas Harold Spencer

Killed in action on 9 September 1916 aged 20 in France during the first Battle of the Somme whilst serving with the 6th Battalion of the King’s Own Liverpool Regiment. His parents lived on Moss Lane. He has no grave but his name is listed on the Thiepval Memorial in France, which bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

Walter Shore

Walter enlisted on 1 September 1914 and was from Coerton Road, Aintree. He was a previous student at Longmoor Lane School. He was killed in action aged 22 on 3 September 1916 in France whilst serving as a rifleman in the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own).

His name is listed on the Thiepval Memorial, as he has no known grave. Thiepval bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

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Victor Scott

Born on 28 March 1894 in Liverpool, as Frank Victor Scott to Frank and Mary Scott. Aged just 20 when he enlisted on 10 November 1914, and calling himself Victor. Prior to enlisting in the King’s Own Regiment, he lived at 42 Warbreck Road with his parents and 3 sisters and was a Shipping Clerk. He was a Private, and was sent to France on 12 February 1915. He was killed in action at Hill 60, on 11 March 1915 – just 4 weeks later – during the fighting around Ypres. Hill 60 was only 3 miles from the town of Ypres and was not a natural feature, but spoil from the nearby railway. There was extensive tunnelling, mining and trenches and the hill changed sides several times during fierce fighting. Victor was buried at Zillebeke, Belgium. His name was listed in the de Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour.

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John Percy Turnbull

John born in October 1890 – one of 12 children to John and Jane Turnbull living at 29 Handfield Road, Waterloo. John was a married man with a 2 year old son, when he died on 9 November 1918 aged 28 whilst serving in France with the Royal Army Service Corps. This was only 3 days prior to the end of the war. Prior to the war he was a bakery van driver. He is buried at the St Sever Cemetery extension in Rouen, France. His widow, Alice who was 23 at the time of John’s death, did not remarry and died aged 89.

Albert Ernest Thomas

Albert lived with his parents, Albert and Zoe Thomas at 34 Regina Road prior to enlisting. He died of his wounds aged 18 years on 5 February 1916 in Liverpool. Albert had been serving in France with the 7th Battalion King’s Own (Liverpool) Regiment.

Albert is buried at Kirkdale Cemetery. He had previously been a student at both Bedford Road and St Mary’s C of E Schools. Albert was named after his father, who was a butcher by trade and he also had one other younger brother, Harold, who was spared by the War.

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George Alfred Warren

George died of his wounds aged 35 on 13 January 1918 in France whilst serving as a Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He previously worked as a Timber Salesman and lived with his wife, Frances, and only son, Albert, at 5 Devonfield Road, Orrell Park. He is buried at the Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt in the Somme region of France. The cemetery was begun in 1917 and used until March 1918, mainly by the 21st and 48th Casualty Clearing Stations posted at Ytres. The cemetery contains 1,838 Commonwealth burials of the First World War.

His widow, Frances, who was 35 years old when George died, did not remarry. She died whilst still living at Devonfield Road aged 74 in 1957.

George’s gravestone reads “non sibi sed patriae” which translates as “not for self, but for Country”.

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Bentley Woolfenden

Ben was born on 27 October 1891 and christened in St Cuthbert’s, Everton. Bentley, named after his mariner father, enlisted on 11 September 1914 aged 22. He had been a pawnbroker living with his parents at Highfield Road, off Rice Lane. Ben was killed in action during the Battle of Delville Wood aged 24 on 30 July 1916 whilst serving as a Sergeant with the King’s Own (Liverpool) Regiment.

Ben was moved from a smaller gravesite and is now buried at Delville Wood Cemetery, near Longueval, in the Somme Region of France. Located near Longueval, France, Delville Wood Cemetery is the third largest cemetery in the Somme battlefield area. It is the final resting place of over 5,500 servicemen of the First World War, of whom more than 3,500 remain unidentified. Most of those buried died in July, August and September 1916.

Delville Wood, also known as Devil's Wood, was the scene of heavy fighting during the 1916 Battle of the Somme and again in 1918. The cemetery was created after the Armistice south of the wood, on the south side of the road from Longueval to Ginchy. Graves were brought there from surrounding battlefields and smaller cemeteries nearby.

Ben’s widowed mother, Amelia Woolfenden, was living at 46 Orrell Lane. It was reported in the Bootle Times on 8 September 1916 that he was “missing” – later confirmed as dead. His headstone reads “The only son of the late Captain Woolfenden and Mrs Woolfenden – It is well with them”

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