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Liverpool Pals Letter

From: Tony Wainwright
To: Webmaster
Subject: Liverpool Pals.

I am currently researching The Liverpool Pals battalions of the First World War. The vast majority of these men were not regular or territorial soldiers but volunteers from the Business Community of Liverpool and the surrounding areas.

There were just over 2800 men who fell as Liverpool Pals. The purpose of the research is to try and gain as much information on each individual Pal who fell. This includes visiting Schools, Places of Worship, Sporting Clubs, Workplaces etc. Also trawling newspapers of the day to try and get information and maybe a photograph of the Pal. It is hoped also to get a photograph of their resting places and memorials to complete the Pen Picture.

I must stress our intention is not one of financial gain, we are looking to provide a lasting tribute to these brave men.We will provide details to local schools to help with class projects and raise childrens awareness of their own history and the debt of honour we owe to these men. Once complete it is hoped to provide a website and maybe some publication to perpetuate their memory.

The Collegiate memorial contains the names of many Pals, 33 of whom I have already identified and many more who require a little more detail to confirm them as Pals. I would estimate that approximately 40-45 Old Boys fell as Pals. I would welcome any details that members of the Association may have or may be able to provide, in order to fully recognise the Old Boys.

Kind regards

Tony Wainwright

Tony has supplied us with Press Cuttings - Some of which, are shown below :-

Lance Corporal Stanley Lawton, 17th King’s (Liverpool Regiment), who lived at 10 Willaston Road, Walton, killed in action.

Educated at the Liverpool Collegiate School, he passed all exams, winning the senior Oxford with honours, also the Matriculation Examination with honours, and commenced his commercial career with the Sea Insurance Company, Ltd., having a promising career.

LAWTON

birch

EVERTON SOLDIER KILLED.

Tributes to a Brave and True Comrade.

News has just been received in Liverpool of the death in action of Private Harold Lee Birch, of the Liverpool Pals. The announcement will cause especial regret in the Everton district of the city, where his family is well known.
Previous to the war, Private Birch, who was 26 years of age, was in the service of the Cunard Co. He was educated at St. . Saviour`s School, Everton, and the Liverpool Collegiate, Shaw street. His parents reside in Granton Road, and he was the Grandson of Mr. John Birch, who for 40 years carried on business as a plumber in Regent Street . Liverpool, and is now living in retirement at Birkdale.
Private Birch was a well-known amateur footballer. For several seasons he played for Clovelly, and while with the Cunard Company he was a. member of the Caronia Football Club. His death took place on the night of the 24th April. A bullet from a German machine gun striking him in the neck and killing him practically instantaneously.
Private Birch's death has occasioned great regret not only among: his immediate relatives and friends, but also in his battalion, in which, from letters that have come to hand, he was extremely popular. The extent to which he was liked was evidenced by the fact that, as communicated in a, letter of sympathy by his company officer to his parents, that the whole of the platoon attended the internment ceremony.
The Officer adds: -
I wish you could read some of the letters his fellows have written about your son and could hear all they have to say of him. He was one of the very best in every way, a keen soldier, a willing worker, and a cheerful companion, and one of the most popular and highest esteemed men in his platoon; and there is not one of’ us who does not feel- his death as a personal loss.
Letters of condolence from members of this gallant soldier's section and platoon have also been received by his parents, the signatories to one of them stating: "We laid him to rest in a quiet and pretty little cemetery not far away, and paid our last tribute to our old chum, who did his duty bravely and died nobly for his King and country's honour.
The list below is those Pals that have positively been identified as belonging to :-
The 17th, 18th, 19th or 20th Battalions of the Kings Liverpool Regiment (The Pals).
R H ALDERSON L ALSOP G H BARLOW E BARTLETT
H L BIRCH R H BLOORE E BRIGGS R B CHESHIRE
J S CRELLIN H CURRAN G L EVANS W R HARRISON
J C HILTON C H HIVEY A W JERMY W G JONES
J H LAMMIE S LAWTON H D MCROBIE H PRESTON
F ROUSE R D SHARPE J W SIMPSON (MC) H J SMITH
F THOMAS T H TREVITT H S WAINWRIGHT J L WEBB
L T WEST H A WESTON D R WILLIAMS A W WRIGHT
H G YOUNG      

We too, on our website, would like to encourage contributions to this research.  With this in mind, we have set up a separate page, for contributions.  To get off to a good start, we have copied this letter, to the new page, as a first item.  To view this page, please click on HERE.

We would like to make it plain that EVERY item contributed for Tony's use, will be passed on to him.  If requested, we are prepared to make copies of any item and ensure that they are returned

Webmaster.

 

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