Unit/Regiment	9th Bn, London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles)
Date of Death	27/09/1918		Age at Death
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Sauchy-Cauchy Communal Cemetery Extension A 22
Census Details
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born		Enlisted		London	Resided	Prescot, Lancs
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P141

 

 

Unit/Regiment	3rd Bn., Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
Date of Death	26/04/1915		Age at Death		30
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Menin Gate Panel 6 and 8
Census Details	1901 Census - Luke is shown, aged 15, living in New Bank Street, Tydesley, St. Helens. Also there are parents William and Ruth, both aged 62. The 1881 census shows that the family already had 4 sons and 4 daughters before Luke was born.
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q2/1885, Prescot, 8b, 758
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		St Helens, Lancs	Resided	St. Helens, Lancs
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P142

Research ongoing

 

 

 

 

 

Unit/Regiment	5th Bn, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death	10/03/1915	Age at Death	21
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner I C 19
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of Thomas and Emily Hayes, of "Clifton," Old Lane, Eccleston Park, Prescot, Lancs.
Census Details	1901 Census - Living at 11, Lancaster Terrace, Prescot, were Thomas Hayes, a 35 year old Watch Balance Maker, his wife Emily, 36, and children Frank, aged 7, and Harold aged 2.
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q1/1894, Prescot, 8b, 747
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P143

 

Service Details

On the 21st February, the 5th (Territorial) Battalion of the King's (Liverpool Regiment) left Canterbury, where they had been in training, and headed by train for Southampton. They boarded the "Duchess of Argyle" and "Queen Empress" and sailed for France. The battalion consisted of 31 officers and 1,100 other ranks.

They sailed at 5.30 p.m. and arrived at Le Havre around midnight, disembarking at 8 a.m. the next day. They then marched to rest Camp No 1 at Adresse where they were accommodated for the day. The weather was so cold that fur coats were issued, along with other clothing and necessities.

Late on the afternoon of the 23rd, they left Le Havre for Bethune, where they would form part of the 6th Infantry Brigade. On 25th, they marched on to Vendin-lez-Bethune, where they had been allotted billets.

On 8th March, the battalion were still undergoing instruction in trench warfare when 6th Infantry Brigade received orders to attack the enemy on the morning of the 10th.

The Battle of Neuve Chappelle was the main action on this date, and it was supported by a "holding attack" at Givenchy. The purpose of this was to prevent the enemy from transferring troops to the scene of the main attack. In this, the 5th were to fight alongside the 1st battalion.

The attack was against the German trenches opposite Givenchy and the 1st battalion were recorded as fighting "most gloriously" in "one of the finest things ever done". The 5th were also for the first time, engaged in battle, though the battalion itself did not attack, but was split up and attached to the attacking columns, and was also placed in the front line trenches to maintain a covering fire during the operation.

Ultimately, the attack was a failure owing mainly to the uncut barbed wire entanglements. But it did succeed in preventing the enemy from sending reinforcements to the main attack. The behaviour of "B" and "D" companies, who had been attached to the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, was especially commended by the Commanding Officer of the latter regiment. The rifles were withdrawn from the line, leaving the two companies of the 5th holding the front line trenches.

 

The Prescot Reporter of 19^th March 1915 reported,

“

“DIED DOING HIS DUTY”

PRESCOT SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTION

THE FIRST CASUALTY

Below is a photo of the late Rifleman Frank Hayes of the 5^th Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, eldest son of Mr. And Mrs. T. Hayes of Chorley Villa, Warrington-road, Prescot, who was killed on Wednesday last at Guenchy.

Rifleman Hayes was 21 years of age and previous to joining His Majesty’s Forces was employed in the General Office of the B.I. and H.C. Ltd., Prescot. He was a Sunday School scholar at the Holt Congregational Sunday School, and was also a member of the church and the choir. He joined his regiment on 14^th November 1914, volunteered for active service, and was drafted to France on 21^st February 1915.

The following letter has been received by his parents –

‘ Mr. T. Hayes,

It is with the deepest regret that I have to inform you that your son, Rifleman F. Hayes, No 3106, of this company, was unfortunately killed in action on Wednesday 10^th March 1915 at Guenchy-les-la-Bassee. I felt the death very much myself, as this is the first fatality that has happened in my company since our arrival here, but I know your feelings can be nothing to yours in such a sad event.

I can only say he died doing his duty for his King and country, and on behalf of myself and comrades, I beg to express their sincere sympathy on your sad bereavement, and the officers of the company also join in offering you their deepest sympathy.

His body has been suitably buried in one of the small military cemeteries in the village of Guenchy-les-la-Bassee.

I send you herewith a few of your son’s belongings found on his person, in case they should be of interest.

Yours sincerely

CHAS. J. GRIERSON

Coy. Sergt.-Major, “D”. Co.

5^th Batt., the King’s (Liverpool Regt.),

British Expeditionary Force

12/3/1915“

 

Frank Hayes was originally buried close to where he fell but after the war his body was reinterred in Guards Cemetery. In addition to his headstone at Guards, his family also erected a memorial to him (pictured below) in Prescot Churchyard.

 

Prescot Reporter 14^th September 1917

Unit/Regiment	8th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment
Date of Death	16/07/1917		Age at Death		21
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Menin Road South Military Cemetery I T 14
Census Details	1901 Census - Living at 2, Golden Court, Prescot. Ephraim Hayes (37), his wife Elizabeth (26), and their children Isaac (5), Richard (3) and Margaret (1).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q2/1896, Prescot, 8b, 710
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Prescot	Resided
How Died	Died of Wounds			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes	As part of the research into this man, I obtained a photograph of his headstone which showed him as “T Hayes” – he had been incorrectly commemorated for over 80 years! I communicated this to CWGC and I am pleased to say that in an ensuing round of maintenance, the stonemason corrected the error and Isaac is now correctly remembered.
Research Ref. No.	P144

Unit/Regiment	5th Bn Special Bde, Corps of Royal Engineers
Date of Death	25/04/1916		Age at Death
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Calais South Cemetery Plot C, Row 3, Grave 16
Census Details
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Manchester	Resided	Prescot, Lancs
How Died	Died			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes	Formerly 18677 South Lancashire Regiment (5th Trench Battn, RE)
Research Ref. No.	P145

Research ongoing

 

 

George Hayes Medal Index Card showing his previous service with the South Lancashire Regiment. As he has no date recorded against the Theatre of War, it is assumed that he only arrived in France after 1^st January 1916

 

---

Unit/Regiment	1st Bn., Border Regiment
Date of Death	28/04/1915		Age at Death
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Helles Memorial Panel 119 to 125 or 222 and 223
Census Details
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Fleetwood, Lancs	Resided	Thornton, Lancs
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	Gallipoli
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P146

 

Research ongoing