Pte 50225 Benjamin Ball

• Age: 28
• From: Haslingden, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Benjamin Ball was born on the 19th July 1893, the son of Nicholas Ball and his wife Betsy (nee Webster). His father was born in 1853, in Tarleton, Lancashire, whilst his mother Betsy was born about 1861 in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire. Nicholas and Betsy married in Hoole Parish Church on 14th June 1881, Nicholas was a farmer. Benjamin was baptised on the 31st July 1893,

In 1901 the family are at 9 Smithies Street, Haslingden – Nicholas and Betsy with children; Margaret, Moses, William, Joseph, Benjamin and John. Joseph and Benjamin were twins and were born in the September quarter 1893. They also had three siblings who sadly died young: Ellen 1884-1892, Elizabeth 1888-1892 and Thomas 1890-1892.

His mother died 1906, in Haslingden, aged 45 years.

His father died in 1908, in Haslingden aged 55 years.

The 1911 Census finds the family are still at 9 Smithies Street, Haslingden.  Benjamin is living with his brother William, who is head of the household and siblings Margaret, and Joseph (all single and Cotton Mill workers).  

He enlisted in Haslingden and originally served as Private 37966, East Lancashire Regiment.

A small draft of East Lancashire Regiment soldiers who conscripted in March 1917 and "graduated" into the East Lancashire Regiment but did not serve overseas with that unit. The 15 recruits, all of similar background (East Lancashire Regimental numbers, age and geography) appear on an alpha-numeric list created at 30 IBD, Etaples in June 1917 where they received new numbers. Those with surnames A-L (became 50224-50258) and went to 17th Battalion King's (Liverpool Regiment) and those with surnames M-Z (became 50259-50293) and went to 20th Battalion King's (Liverpool Regiment).

Following his transfer, Benjamin was serving in the 17^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50225 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918 aged 28 during the German Spring Offensive. 

Details of the action was recorded in the battalion diary:

By the 25^th April the battalion had taken up positions of readiness in the Voormezeele sector. According to the battalion War Diary, on the night of the 27^th, at 8.30 p.m. they moved to the line to relieve 4^th Bn, relief completed about 1 a.m.

28^th – At about 1 p.m. a company of composite battalion gave way on the left of our line and the Bosche penetrated from the Canal Bank to the left of my battalion front, which position he maintained despite 5 hours fighting. My reserve company was ordered to counter-attack and restore the position at 7.45 p.m. but enemy laid down a barrage at 7.43 a.m. and the counter attack was unable to proceed. The enemy bombardment lasted until 10.30 p.m. and I then organised a defensive flank.

29^th – At 3.30 a.m. heavy enemy bombardment opened, followed later (9.00 a.m.) by enemy attack and our line was forced back to G.H.Q.1 where I organised and held on to the position. The enemy got through on both flanks practically surrounding 2 of my companies. ‘A’ company was actually surrounded and after severe fighting were captured.

Benjamin was originally posted as Missing:

TWO BROTHERS FALLEN, ONE MISSING.

PRIVATE B. BALL OF HASLINGDEN

Mrs. Black of 9 Smithies Street, Carrs, Haslingden, has received notification that her youngest brother, Private Benjamin Ball (24), of the King's Liverpool Rifles, is missing as from April 29th. Private Ball is on the roll of honour of Haslingden Parish Church. He was a scutcher at Lambert's Mill up to joining up in March of last year, and was a highly popular young man. He was a Lewis gunner. It appears probable that he has been taken prisoner. Private. Ball's twin brother, Joseph, who was previously a stripper and grinder at Lambert's Mill, and was in the Manchester's, and Private William Ball, formerly motor driver for Messrs. Frank Haworth, have both given their lives in the war. Mrs. Black's husband has been serving in France two years and seven months. Apart from the brother now posted as missing Mr. Moses Ball, hay and straw dealer and Mrs. Black, are the only surviving members of the Ball family.

Once his death was confirmed the Memorial notices were sadly once again posted by the distressed family:

In ever loving memory of our three brothers, Private Benjamin Ball, 17th King's Liverpool Regt., who was reported missing, April 29th, 1918, now reported killed on that date, at Voormezeele, France; Private Joseph Ball, 2-10th Manchester Regt., killed in action, France, October 9th, 1917; Private William Ball, died, Mesopotamia, December 25th 1916.

"Oft we think of you, dear brothers,

Our hearts are filled with pain; #

O, this world would be a Heaven,

Could we hear your voice again

When in our sorrow, all alone,

Your names we oft recall,

There is nothing left to answer,

But your photos on the wall

It is not the tears at the moment shed,

That tell how dear are the souls that are fled,

It's the silent tear, through the long years wept,

Because hearts that have loved never forget.

There is a link death cannot sever,

Love and remembrance live for ever.

From their sorrowing sister and brothers, 9 Smithies Street Carrs. 

Benjamin's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Benjamin's loss was the third loss that the family had to endure.

His brother William died from Malaria in Mesopotamia on 25th December 1916. He married in 1915 to Sarah Elizabeth Schofield. He was a private in the RASC and is commemorated on the Basra Memorial. 

His family placed Memorial notices in the local newspaper:-

In loving remembrance of my husband, Private William Ball, who died in Mesopotamia, December 25th 1916.
"In the pride of life death claimed him,
In the pride of his manhood days;
None knew him but to love him,
None spoke of him but with praise."
From his loving wife.

"In a far distant land though his body may rest,
Far from his home and the ones he loved best;
Still in our hearts his memory we keep,
Sweet is the place where he now lies asleep.
No tears, or sighs, or love of ours,
Can bring our loved one back again;
Far from those who loved him dear,
In a soldier's grave he lies."
From his sorrowing Sister and Brothers, 9 Smithies Street, Carrs, Haslingden.

William's death was reported as follows:

"The death of Private William Ball, of the Army Service Corps, while in the service of his country in Mesopotamia, has this week been officially notified to his elder brother, Mr. Moses Ball, of Bury Road, Haslingden, potato merchant and hay and straw dealer. The deceased, who was thirty years of age, was a son of the late Mr. Nicholas Ball, of Carrs, Haslingden. About seven months prior to joining the army as a transport driver, he was married, and great sympathy is felt with the bereaved wife and relatives. He joined the army in August 20th last year, and within about three weeks later he was sent abroad as a motor transport driver. He was previously in the employment of Messrs. Haworth, wholesale grocers, etc., Regent Street, Haslingden, first as a warehouseman, and finally as a motor driver. He was associated with Haslingden Parish Church, and was generally esteemed".

His family placed Memorial notices in the local newspaper:

In loving remembrance of my husband, Private William Ball, who died in Mesopotamia, December 25th 1916.

"In the pride of life death claimed him,

In the pride of his manhood days;

None knew him but to love him,

None spoke of him but with praise."
From his loving wife.


"In a far distant land though his body may rest,

Far from his home and the ones he loved best;

Still in our hearts his memory we keep,

Sweet is the place where he now lies asleep.

No tears, or sighs, or love of ours,

Can bring our loved one back again;

Far from those who loved him dear,

In a soldier's grave he lies."
From his sorrowing Sister and Brothers, 9 Smithies Street, Carrs, Haslingden.

His twin brother Joseph was killed in action on 09th October 1917, he was a Private in the 10th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment.  His sister Margaret and brother Moses were given as his next of kin. Joseph, like Benjamin, is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. 

Joseph's death was reported as follows:

BEREAVED TWIN - HASLINGDEN SOLDIER HAS NOW LOST TWO BROTHERS IN THE WAR

OFFICER'S TRIBUTE TO PRIVATE J. BALL

It is reported that Private J. Ball, Manchester Regiment, was killed in action on October 10th, 1917, while preparing to advance. In a letter to Private Ball's sister, Mrs. Black, of Haslingden, his platoon officer says:- "Your brother served under me ever since he came to the front. He was always cheerful and bright, even in the most trying circumstances, and he often helped to keep up the spirits of others. He was a fine fellow, and lived a simple, straight, and clean life, and died doing his duty. Private Ball was taking cover in a shell hole waiting to advance when he was killed instantaneously by a shell." "I consider," the officer goes on to say, "that I have lost one of my oldest and most valuable soldiers, and I am sure his comrades think the same. He was buried where he fell on the field of battle." The deceased joined up twelve months ago, and has been at the front about nine months. Twenty-four years old, he worked as a stripper and grinder at Lambert's Mill, Haslingden, for nine years, and is on Haslingden Parish Church roll of honour. His twin brother is serving at the front, and last Christmas Day another brother fell in action.

His family again placed notices in the local newspaper:

In ever-loving memory of Private Joseph Ball, Manchester Regiment, killed in action Oct 9th 1917.

"Dear Joe, I miss you as the days go by,

No flowers can I place on the grave where you lie,

For the still dark waters keep us apart,

But your dear face still lives in my heart.

Words cannot express our grief and our pain,

We would give all we possess to have you back again."
From his sorrowing Sister and Brother in Law, Maggie and Adam (in France).


Oft I think of you, dear sweetheart,

And my heart is sad with pain;

All this earth would be a heaven,

Could I hear your voice again.

I who loved you sadly miss you,

As it is drawing another year;

In lonely hours of thinking,

Thoughts of you are always near."
From his Sweetheart Ellen.


"No pen can write,

no tongue can tell,

Our sad and bitter loss;

But Thou, O Lord, has helped us well,

To bear our heavy cross.

But the hardest part has yet to come,

When the heroes do return,

And we miss among the cheering crowd,

The ones we loved so well.

Nobly he did his duty,

Bravely he fought and fell;

But the sorrow of those who mourn his loss,

Only the aching hearts can tell."
From his sorrowing Sister, Brother, and Brother in law, Maggie, Ben, and Adam (Both in France).


"May his reward be as great as his sacrifice."

"Plucked in the bloom of life, And the pride of manhood's days;

To know him was to love him,

And his name was linked with praise."
Mr. and Mrs. Moses M. Ball, 325 Blackburn Road.


"Sleep on, dear brother, and take your rest,

For God takes those He loves the best;

On earth there's strife, in heaven rest;

They miss you most who loved you best."
From his sorrowing Sister in law Lizzie.


"He sleeps besides his comrades,

In a hallowed grave unknown;

But his name is written in letters of love,

On the heart of his sweetheart at home."
From his sorrowing Sweetheart Ellen.

All three brothers  are remembered on the following Memorials:

St James' Chiurch Haslingden.

Haslingden Memorial Plaques that hang in Haslingden Library.

We currently have no further information on Benjamin Ball, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.