Unit/Regiment	1st Bn., King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death	30/11/1917		Age at Death		19
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Cambrai Memorial Panel 4
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of James and Ellen Eaton, of 46, Parton St., Fairfield, Liverpool.
Census Details	1901 Census - The Eaton family lived at 5, Salisbury Street, Prescot and comprised Ellen Eaton, aged 28 (shown as married but no husband present), and children Arthur (5), Fred (3) and George (9 months). 1911 Census - Fred Eaton was a 13 year old scholar living at 46, Parton Strret, Liverpool with his parents James and Ellen, and brothers Arthur (15) and George (10)
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q1/1898, Prescot, 8b, 719
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Liverpool	Resided	Liverpool
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.	P090

Service details

 

It isn’t clear when Fred Eaton joined the army. His Medal Index Card, shown below, shows that he only served with the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment and the lack of a “Star” in his medal entitlement shows that didn’t go overseas before 1916. Added to his age, 19, at the time of his death in 1917 and it can safely be assumed that he only enlisted sometime in 1916, after his 18^th birthday.

 

He would have most likely gone overseas late in 1916 to join the battalion.

 

By June 1917, the 1^st Battalion was located near to Givenchy in France. The beginning of the month was quiet but on the 24^th, raiding parties were sent out to raid the enemy trenches. The raid appears to have been expected by the enemy and casualties were inflicted which resulted in the affair being a total failure.

 

The period from August to early October was again comparatively quiet, the battalion then being relieved on the 5^th and marching to Burbure. Here they remained until 5^th November when they moved out, ultimately arriving at Rocquigny on the 24^th, then on the 26^th they moved forward to the support trenches in front of Moeuvres, close to the Hindenberg Line.

 

Towards the end of the month increased German activity became clear and an attack was expected. The ground held by the battalion was anticipated to be in the firing line as it was of considerable tactical importance. On the 28^th, the order came down “In case of enemy attack all trenches and posts will be held to the last at all costs, and there will be no retirement from any line to another line.”

 

The night of 29^th/30^th was exceptionally quite by at 7:05 a.m. on the 30^th the German heavy artillery opened fire with a heavy gas barrage and the attack began, with great numbers of Germans swarming towards the front line trenches.

 

The fighting continued all day with significant casualties being inflicted on both sides, and although the Germans continued to pour troops into the attack, the King’s continued to repulse them, despite ever increasing casualties. When the fighting eventually abated, the enemy had made gains of just a few hundred yards into the British held territory.

 

At some point in the fighting, Fred Eaton was killed, one of 39 men of the battalion killed that day.

 

He has no known grave and is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial. In addition, he is commemorated on the headstone of his grandparents, Alice and George Fillingham, in Prescot Cemetery.

 

 

Fred Eaton’s Medal Index Card

 

 

Fred Eaton’s inscription on the Cambrai Memorial

 

 

The headstone in Prescot churchyard bearing Fred Eaton's

name and a close up of the inscription

---

Unit/Regiment	5th Bn, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death	29/10/1917		Age at Death		21
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 31 to 34 and 162 and 162A and 163A
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of Alfred and Mary Alice Eaves, of School House, Knowsley Lane, Prescot, Lancs
Census Details	1901 census - Living at 5, East Street, Prescot, were Alfred Eaves (29, a Colliery Engine Winder), his wife Mary (28) and children Lily (9), Ethel (6), Alfred (5) and Alice (2). 1911 Cesus - The Eaves family lived at 36 Howson Road, Whiston. William (53, a Blacksmith’s Striker) had been married to Alice (also 53) for 10 years and 8 of their 10 children were still living, four at home with their parents. Harriet (20, a Home Domestic), Alfred (18, a Brass Turner), William (13) a Messenger Boy and Elsie (9).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q2/1896, Prescot, Volume 8b, Page 703
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Liverpool	Resided	Knowsley, Prescot
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.	P091

Service Details

Alfred Eaves enlisted on 29^th August 1914 in Liverpool. In addition to serving with the 5^th Battalion, he also served with 13^th, 4^th and 2^nd/5^th Battalions of the Regiment

 

As his Medal Index Card does not include any details of a 1914 or 1914-1915 Star, it is likely that he first went overseas after January 1916. It is possible, therefore, that he was retained in the UK for training purposes after his initial service with the 13^th Battalion, and maybe this included the 4^th Battalion, but then went overseas with the 2^nd/5^th, although this is clearly speculation.

 

Whet does seem certain is that he was serving with the 2^nd/5^th Battalion at the time of his death.

 

The battalion spent the whole of July 1917 in and out of the trenches east of Armentieres. The sector was described as “lively”, especially as the month progressed, and was under constant bombardment by the Germans. On 27^th July, they were relieved from the line and retired to billets in the town. There was no respite here, however, and on the 28^th a number of casualties were incurred as a result of shrapnel, with the town being under a heavy artillery attack. The town was also drenched with gas shells and it was stated at the time that it seemed impossible that anything could be left alive in the town.

 

This then was the situation in which the battalion found itself at tht outset of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele.

 

By October, the battalion was in reserve at Proven but on the 14^th was amongst the first to entrain for the area of Malakoff Farm. This was a camp of huts and tents and the battalion stayed for just one night before moving the next day to Marsouin Farm.

 

This place was totally waterlogged and trenches could not be dug. The line consisted mainly of consolidated shell holes. The slippery side of these holes was reinforced by sand bags and an attempt was made to pump water out, but it was usual to have to stand in water a foot deep all day and night. Rations and ammunition were carried to the support lines by mules from where they were carried by ration parties to the front line, although many men and supplies were lost in the unmarked seas of mud.

 

On the night of the 27^th October,  the 2^nd/5^th battalion took over the front line from the 2^nd/8^th then they themselves were relieved the following night by the 2^nd/6^th. This rotation of duties continued, with activity in the line consisting of patrolling and shell fire, but the enemy guns were seldom quiet and gas shelling was frequent and heavy.

 

It seems likely that Serjeant Eaves fell victim to this war of attrition. He is one of 13 men of the battalion who died in the period from 25^th to 31^st  October. . His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot memorial to the missing. 

 

 

The Parish Magazine of 28^th November 1917 reported “Sergeant Alfred Thomas Eaves, 21, of King’s Liverpool. Killed in action in France. Had recently gone to live in Knowsley Lane”.

 

 

Alfred Eaves’ Medal Index Card. His medal entitlement was to the British War Medal and Victory Medal

 

 

Serjeant Eaves’ inscription on the Tyne Cot memorial, listing him with the rank of Corporal. His Medal Index Card, shown above, has the correct rank of Sergeant.

 

 

The Eaves family grave in Prescot Churchyard, including a commemoration of Alfred

(picture courtesy S. Birbeck)

Unit/Regiment	10th Bn, Shropshire Light Infantry
Date of Death	21/09/1918		Age at Death		24
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Vis-en-Artois Memorial Panel 85 to 86
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Brother of Roger Timothy Eccleston, of 18, Mount Vernon St., Low Hill, Liverpool
Census Details	1901 Census - The Eccleston family lived at Crank Lane, Windle. Widowed father William (43, a Labourer ) lived with children John (13), Esther (10), Mary (9), William (7), Henry (6) and Roger (2).
SDGW – Where Born	Wigan, Lancs	Enlisted		Prescot	Resided
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.	P092

Unit/Regiment	1st/5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment
Date of Death	07/09/1916		Age at Death		19
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 7A & 7B
Census Details	1901 census - William Edwards was the 4 year old youngest child of Timothy Edwards, a 48 year old Joiner, and his wife Elizabeth, also 48. The family lived at  3, Cross Street, Prescot and also comprised John (25) and his wife Ellen (26), Frederick (18), Timothy (14) and Frank, 10.
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth registered Q4/1896, Prescot, Vol 8b, Page 715
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Prescot	Resided
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.	P093

Service Details

Although the Battle of the Somme had commenced on 1^st July 1916, the battalion, part of 55^th Division, was only engaged with active patrolling and sniping. On 22^nd July, they received orders to move south and on the 25^th, they arrived at billets inn Ville-sous-Corbie.

On 8^th August, the battalion was ordered to capture the village of Guillemont, which had defied all previous attempts at capture and was a thorn in the side of the British forces. The attack commenced at 4.20 a.m. and initially all objectives were taken despite strong resistance. By the end of the day, the Railway Station and the front line trenches in front of the village were in allied hands. Orders were then received to be ready to continue the attack the following morning.

Zero hour was again at 4.20 a.m. and the initial assault was met with withering machine gun fire from the German defenders, resulting in the troops falling back to their starting points. This also resulted in the companies being heavily mixed up and it was noon before reorganisation was complete. After this, the battalion remained near Trones Wood until the 10^th, clearing the dead of the previous two days of battle and consolidating the ground won at such a heavy cost. On the evening of the 10^th, they were withdrawn to bivouac and then on the 12^th returned to the line at Maltz Horn Farm.

On the 13^th, “D” Company of the battalion worked in partnership with French units to clear German forces from an area known as Cochrane Alley, specifically to take an isolated German trench. Unfortunately, the French failed to take their objectives and the British attack came under withering German machine gun fire, which drove the men back. The battalion was withdrawn on the 15^th, this time to billets at Meulte. In three days of fighting they had lost 3 officers and 80 other ranks – slight losses in comparison to other units at that time.

They remained out of the line until 5^th September when they were sent to occupy support trenches in front of Delville Wood. This was a notoriously “unhealthy” place to be at that time and the battalion was kept busy digging strong points and communications trenches, usually under heavy enemy artillery fire.

Corporal Edwards was Killed in Action on 7^th September, probably as a result of German artillery. He has no know grave and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial. He was one of three Prescot men serving with the battalion who were killed that day, Serjeant John Valentine and Private Edward Waine being the others.

 

The Battalion War Diary for the period is reproduced below

 

Sep 5	Moved up and relieved 72nd Inf Bde in front of DELVILLE WOOD. Bde dispositions. Front line 1/5 Loyal North Lancs Regt on Right, 1/5 KO Royal Lancs on Left, 1/5 South Lancs in support in check line S23a, 1/10 Liverpool Regt in reserve in front of MONTAUBAN. 1/5 South Lancs Regt relieved 8th West Kent Regt. Relief complete 7pm.
Sep 6	Check line cleaned and improved and front line visible
Sep 7	Btn out at night digging Strong Points 300’ in advance of front line trenches held by 1/5 Loyal North Lancs Regt. Four Strong Points dug and Communication Trench from original front line to Right Strong Point. Casualties 4 Officers 40 O Ranks.

 

 William Edwards' Medal Index Card

 

Unit/Regiment	11th Bn., King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death	26/03/1917		Age at Death		28
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery VI E 11
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Husband of Margaret Edwards, of 29, Central Avenue, The Wood, Prescot, Lancs
SDGW – Where Born	Liverpool	Enlisted		Liverpool	Resided	Liverpool
How Died	Died of Wounds			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.	P320

Service Details

The 11^th battalion held the distinction of being the fist of the New Army battalions raised by Lord Kitchener. It came into being at Seaforth on 23^rd August 1914. Training commenced at Barossa Barracks, Aldershot and then on 28^th November they moved to Farnham. On 11^th January 1915, the battalion was redesignated as a Pioneer battalion and became 11^th Battalion, King’s Regiment (Pioneers), the first of many pioneer battalions formed during the war. As well as their ordinary infantry training, the Pioneers now underwent a course of bridge-building, mine digging, road making and trench construction.

On 20^th March 1915, they moved  to Watts Common, Farnborough where they remained unto 19^th May, when they entrained for Folkstone, crossing to Boulogne on 19^th, arriving the following day.

On 25^th, they received orders to proceed to Vlamertinghe for attachment to the second army. At 6.15 on the 26^th, they travelled in 45 London omnibuses, marching the final stage to the chateau at 9.15 a.m. They were immediately sent off to the Yser Canal strengthening existing defences and making communications and support trenches. Here they had their first casualties, four men being wounded by enemy shrapnel bursting overhead.

William Edwards joined the battalion as one of the early wave of reinforcements, his Medal Index Card (below) showing his arrival in France in May 1915.

The battalion continued with their Pioneer work throughout the remainder of 1915, mainly located in the Ypres Salient.

1916 saw a continuation of the pioneer work, with records showing the battalion with its HQ at Elverdinghe in the salient. Here they remained until mid-February, when they were pulled from the sector and moved to Arras, working on the defences until the end of March. They remained around Arras until the end of July, at which point they were moved up in support of the Somme campaign. On 11^th August, they moved to Beaumetz, near to Delville Wood area, part of the battle that continued until 3^rd September.  One of the men recorded in a diary that their camp was located in the original “No Mans Land”, between the original British and German front line trenches.

Until the 30^th, the battalion were continually at work in or around Delville Wood, suffering constantly from shell fire. They were relieved on 30^th August, eventually reaching billets at Tailly. They were next involved in  the battle of Flers-Courcellette, records showing them suffering heavy casualties up until 22^nd September.  Nothing much is recorded of the battalion until the beginning of 1917, with work on communications trenches in the Arras area occupying the battalion for the first six weeks of the new year.

From mid-February the battalion worked extensively on roads in the vicinity of Arras, in preparation for the coming offensive, but was then rendered unnecessary by the German withdrawal to the Hindenberg Line. The battalion diary for the 18^th Match states “’A’ Company worked on roads south-east of Ronville and Arras-Doullens Road. ‘B’ Company on Ronville road to old German front line. Two casualties (wounded)”.

It seems likely that Private Edwards was one of these two. He is shown to have Died of Wounds on 26^th March and is buried at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery. The site of this cemetery was chosen prior to the Somme campaign and two Casualty Clearing Stations were located nearby, one of which was the likely location of Private Edwards’ death.

 

 

William Edwards' Medal Index Card

 

 

William's headstone at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery

Picture courtesy and copyright of 'Ponte Fractus', a 'Pal' of the Great War Forum

---

Unit/Regiment	Howe Bn, R N Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Date of Death	30/12/1917	Age at Death	19
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 1 A
Census Details	1901 Census - Living at 60, Beaconsfield Street are John Ellison (31), his wife Annie (33), and their children William (7), Martha (5), Richard (2) and 4 month old Annie. 1911 Census - The Ellison family lived at 32, Cross Street, Prescot.   John Ellison was a 41 year old Labourer in the Tank House at the Wire Works. He had been married to Ann (43) for 20 years and all of their 8 children were still living at home. Sarah, 19, was a Dress Maker, William (17) was a Shop Assistant at the Co-operative Stores, Martha (15) was a Domestic Servant, Richard was 12, Annie was 10, John (8), James (5) Austin (3) and Norman (1).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q4/1898, Prescot, 8b, 716
Research Ref. No.	P094