Son of Mrs. Martha Leyland, of 16, Cyprus St., Prescot, Lancs
Census Details
1901 Census -
Henry Leyland, a 45 year old Stoker, and his wife Martha (44), lived at 6, Chapel Walk, Prescot, with their children, Elizabeth (23), John (20),Thomas (17), Mary (10), Annie (9) and Harry (4).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born
Enlisted
St Helens, Lancs
Resided
Prescot, Lancs
How Died
Killed In Action
Theatre of War
France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.
P180
Service Details
The Parish Magazine of 29th May 1918 added 10 names to the existing 106 who had already fallen, including “Despatch-Rider Harry Leyland, 22, Royal Engineers. Killed while on duty 9th April. Lived with parents, 16, Cyprus Street”.
Harry Leyland’s Medal Index Card lists his entitlement to the British War Medal and Victory Medal
Although Harry Leyland is buried in Gorre British Cemetery, his family included the above inscription on the family headstone in Prescot Churchyard. The second picture shows the grave, located adjacent to that of Harry Whitaker whose details are elsewhere on this site.
Private 278247 George LLOYD
Unit/Regiment
1st Bn., Essex Regiment
Date of Death
23/08/1918
Age at Death
23
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Foncquevillers Military Cemetery
II A 5
CWGC Family Details
(if shown)
Only son of Jane Lloyd, of 2, Pierce's Row, Bagillt, Chester, and the late James Lloyd
Son of Mary Lloyd, of 8, Chapel St., Prescot, Lancs., and the late Edward John Lloyd
Census Details
1901 Census -
Living at 72, Warrington Road, Prescot, were Edward Lloyd, a 37 year old Blacksmith, his wife Mary (33) and their children Thomas (13, an apprentice gardener), Nellie (11), Louise (9), Mary (6),,Edward (3) and Edith (1).
SDGW – Where Born
Prescot, Lancs
Enlisted
Prescot
Resided
How Died
Killed In Action
Theatre of War
France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.
P182
Service Details
Thomas Lloyd originally joined the army on 13th February 1906 for four years, serving with the Militia which existed as a second line force before the Army Reforms of 1908 created the Territorial Force. Thomas then attested into the 5th (Territorial) Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment in Prescot on 14th April 1908. He was a 20 year old fitter working for Robert Daglish & Codd of St Helens, apprenticed with them until January 1909, and he lived at 8, Chapel Street, Prescot.
Thomas stood 5 foot 10 inches tall and was of "Good" physical development, passing his army medical as fit to serve. He was posted to "B" Company of the Battalion. He attended the Annual Training Camp each year from 1908 - 1913 inclusive, and the Battalion had just started its annual training in camp when war broke out in August 1914. On 5th August, Thomas was appointed Lance Sergeant. The battalion was sent to Edinburgh until 19th October, and whilst based there, on 27th August 1914, Thomas was charged with "Indiscretion whilst on Guard Duty", his punishment being an admonishment.
In October, they moved to Tunbridge Wells where they remained until February 1915. Whilst based here, Thomas was promoted to Sergeant on 28th November.
The battalion was eventually ordered to France, sailing on the 13th February 1915, aboard s.s. King Edward, and arriving at Le Havre the same day. Thomas's Medal Index Card confirms that he was part of this contingent.
Over the next few days the battalion marched to billets at Le Bizet, and then undertook instruction in trench warfare. The system was for companies from a battalion to be attached to other battalions for spells in the line, before the sector was allocated to the battalion on its own. In addition to the trench duty, the battalion undertook its share of pioneer work and training in rapid fire. The Battalion was moved around regularly without seeing action, until 28th April when it was moved to Vlamertinghe, Belgium in readiness to take part in the 1st Battle of Ypres, which had started on the 22nd.
On 2nd May, the Germans launched a violent attack, accompanied by a cloud of chlorine gas, and the battalion was moved into the line for the first time. On 3rd May, it was moved to the new line in front of Wieltje, and then on the 4th it was again moved to Shell Trap Farm. At dawn, they engaged the Germans but by 4pm the enemy was within 400 yards of the British lines, from where they began a heavy bombardment of the British lines.
More shell fire continued through the next day, culminating in heavy concentrated fire about 5 p.m. which resulted in a considerable number of men being buried, many of them killed and wounded. The enemy fire continued until midnight and four attempts were made by the Germans to take the farm, but all were repulsed. At 2 a.m. on the 6th, the Battalion was relieved and moved to La Brique, having incurred considerable casualties.
On the 8th May, the battalion was once more sent up to the Wieltje sector as it was thought that the enemy had broken through, but it proved to be a false alarm and on the 9th it returned to La Brique, leaving "C" Company and a machine-gun detachment at Wieltje.
It is assumed that Acting Sergeant Lloyd and Privates Baines and Bishop were involved in this action as they are all reported as Killed in Action on this date. None of them have a known grave and all are remembered on the Menin Gate.
His widowed mother, Mary, completed the "Next of Kin" notification, duly witnessed by Councillor Lucas, on 11th July 1915. In this, she stated that his father, Edward John Lloyd, was deceased. His 13 year old brother Henry still lived at home with his mother, as did his sisters Ellen (27), Edith (18) and Lily (16). His other sisters were Louise, 25 and living in Blundellsands and Mary, 23, of Columbia Road, Prescot.
On 17th December 1915, the War Office wrote to the Army Records Office at Preston and instructed them to forward any personal possessions of Thomas Lloyd to his mother, Mrs Mary Lloyd in Chapel Street, and that any subsequent medals should also be issued to her.
Thomas Lloyd's service entitled him to the 1914-15 Star, Victory medal and British War medal. His mother received his Star on January 15th, 1921 and his British War medal and Victory Medal on 16th December the same year.
Prescot Reporter 14th September 1917
Thomas Lloyd’s Medal Index Card
Thomas Lloyd’s inscription on the Menin Gate
Private 359361 Hubert Arthur LODGE
Unit/Regiment
10th Bn., King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death
10/04/1918
Age at Death
22
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Lapugnoy Military Cemetery
VI C 4
CWGC Family Details
(if shown)
Only son of Arthur Samuel and Hannah (Annie) Lodge, of Sugar Lane, Knowsley, Prescot, Lancs
Census Details
1901 Census -
Living in Sugar Lane, Knowsley, were Arthur Lodge, a 40 year old Book keeper, his wife Hannah(40) and children Ivy (8)and Hubert (5)
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
Birth Registered Q4/1895, Prescot, 8b, 634
SDGW – Where Born
Knowsley, Prescot
Enlisted
Liverpool
Resided
Knowsley, Prescot
How Died
Died of Wounds
Theatre of War
France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.
P183
Service details
In early April 1918, the German offensive was at its height. Many battalions were in the thick of the fighting and as a result, War Diaries for this period are often lacking in detail as they were generally written some days later once the chaos of the time had subsided.
So it is with the diary of the 10th (Liverpool Scottish) Battalion of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment. All that is written is dated 9th April and runs “At 4 a.m. a very heavy bombardment on both the front and the back areas opened at about 4.45 a.m. the pre-arranged code word ‘Bustle’, on receipt of which battle positions had to be occupied, was received and the battalion began moving to the Tuning Fork locality. Heavy casualties were sustained en route owing to the heavy and accurate shelling of all roads and tracks with high0-explosive and gas shells. Shelling continued heavy until 9.50 a.m. “B” Company occupied Loisne Central. The battalion came under the orders of the brigadier-General Commanding 165th brigade. The evening and night were comparatively quiet”.
Hubert Lodge is recorded as having Died of Wounds the following day, 10th April, and so it seems likely that he was one of the casualties suffered in the move to Tuning Fork.
He rests in Lapugnoy Military cemetery
Hubert Lodge’s Medal Index Card
Hubert Lodge’s grave at Lapugnoy
Private 21551 Frederick Charles LOWE
Unit/Regiment
19th Bn, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death
30/07/1916
Age at Death
22
Burial/Memorial & Reference
Thiepval Memorial
Pier and Face 1D 8B and 8C
CWGC Family Details
(if shown)
Son of the late William and Alice Lowe. A student of Liverpool University. B.Sc.
Census Details
1901 Census -
Frederick, aged 7, lived at 40 Spindle Hillock, Ashton-in-Makerfield. His parents were William (50) and Alice (48) and his siblings are shown as Arthur (27), William (20), Beatrice (15), Harold (12), Hetty (10) and Edith (5).
Liverpool Next of Kin Rolls, dated 1914, show Frederick's NoK as his father, William Lowe, of Garswood View, North Ashton, nr. Wigan
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
Birth registeredQ4/1893, Wigan, 8c, 178
SDGW – Where Born
Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancs
Enlisted
Liverpool
Resided
Prescot, Lancs
How Died
Killed In Action
Theatre of War
France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.
P184
Service Details
The 19th Battalion had been formed on 29th August 1914 in Liverpool by Lord Derby.
Several battalions of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment were involved in the first attack on Guillemont in the Somme campaign in the summer of 1916. This attack took place on the 23rd July but failed. Another attempt was ordered for the 24th, but was then cancelled for a further 48 hours as the French troops involved had not moved up in readiness. Attacks planned for 26th and 28th were also postponed for the same reason, but the next attack was ordered to take place on 30th July.
The 89th Brigade included the 17th, 19th and 20th Battalions of the King’s. For the assault on Guillemont, the 20th were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. The 17th were to be in support in the trenches running from Trones Wood, with the Bedfordshire Regiment in overall support.
Zero hour was 4.45 a.m. on 30th July 1916.
The actions of the 19th were not recorded in detail in any detail. The Battalion Diary simply states “The battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements. At 12 noon, the roll call was 7 officers and 43 men”.
The diary of the 89th Brigade, however, adds a little detail to this. “It is now known that the two left companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson, advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left, and in good waves, and although they suffered many casualties from oblique machine-gun fire, did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective at about the time allotted, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the south east corner of Guillemont”.
On the left of the 19th, the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village, but they were overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. At 8 a.m., therefore, finding that the village was not held, the two left companies of the 19th King’s were forced to retire as their position was untenable.
The total casualties for the 19th Battalion was 11 officers and 435 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. Amongst those killed was Private Lowe. His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
