WW1 Casualty: Private 3818 Joseph Birchall - Private 3818 Joseph Birchall
Courtesy Ste M and Prescot Reporter
| Unit/Regiment |
1st/10th Bn, King's (Liverpool Regiment) |
| Date of Death |
12/03/1915 |
Age at Death |
22 |
Burial/Memorial
& Reference |
Menin Gate
Panel 4 & 6 |
| CWGC Family Details (if shown) |
Son of James and Maria Elizabeth Birchall, of 6, Paradise Lane, Whiston. Prescot, Lancs
Prob. Birth registered Q3/1892, Prescot, 8b, 708 |
| Census Details |
1891 Census -
A few years before Joseph was born, the 1891 census shows the family to be living in Paradise Lane, Whiston, and to consist of James, a 36 year old collier, his wife Maria, aged 35, and daughters Barbara (8) and Mary (1). By the time of the 1901 census, the family were still at the same address, but were now joined by the 8 year old Joseph and 2 year old Amy. It seems that Mary, aged 1 in the 1891 census, has passed away by 1901. (Note that the census index has been mistranscribed as "Berchall").
1911 Census -
The family were still at No 6, Paradise Lane, Whiston. James, a 55 year old Coal Miner (Fireman) and his wife Maria (54), had been married for 31 years in which time they had 9 children, although only 3 of them were still alive. 18 year old Joseph was employed as a Coal Miner (Above Ground) and 12 year old Amy was still at school. |
| SDGW - Where Born |
Whiston |
| Enlisted |
Liverpool |
| Resided |
Whiston |
| How Died |
Killed In Action |
Theatre of War |
France & Flanders |
| Research Ref. No. |
P017 |
Service DetailsService Details
Joseph Birchall attested for military service on 26th September 1914 in Liverpool, giving his address as 6, Paradise Lane, Whiston. He was enlisted in the 10th (Reserve) Battalion (Liverpool Scottish) of the Kings (Liverpool Regiment).
His medical inspection reported that he was aged 22 years and 3 months, that he was 5ft 6in in height with a chest measurement of 37 inches, expandable by 4 inches. His vision and Physical Development were marked as 'Good' and he was declared fit for active service.
After initial training, he embarked for France on 22nd January 1915.
The battalion had originally sailed for France on 1st November 1914, and it entered the front line at the end of November 1914, 26 officers and 829 other ranks strong. By the end of January 1915 following terrible winter weather the total strength had fallen to 370.
The Regimental Historian records that actual battle losses accounted for 32, the remainder were mostly victims of trench-foot. Private Birchall was one of many replacements sent to the front to keep the battalion up to strength. On the date of his arrival in France, the battalion were based in billets in Locre, but on 25th they returned to the trenches.
On 12th March, the Battalion was based in trenches west of Ypres, close to Zillebeke. The War Diary reported, 'At 4:30 pm, the enemy fired a a succession of mines, blowing up a length of trench 40 yards long on our immediate left, which was held by the Royal Scots Fusiliers. No attack followed, and during the night, a new trench was made in rear. On this occasion, the officer commanding the RSF forwarded a report to Brigade HQ in which he expressed his high appreciation of steadiness and resonance of all ranks of this Battalion.
During this time in the trenches, the Battalion lost 14 killed and 42 wounded'
Private Birchall was killed in action on 12th March 1915. He is one of four men of his Battalion who were killed that day. None of them has a marked grave and they are all remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing.
His service papers report his next of kin as his father, James Birchall, of the same address. This was confirmed in the "Register of Soldiers' Effects", an extract of which can be seen below.
His medal entitlement was the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, as shown on his Medal Index Card (below)
Private Birchall's inscription on the Menin Gate, courtesy of Johan Moors
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