Pte 41800 John Heery

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

John Heery was born 14th July 1896 in Liverpool and was baptised 18th July 1896 at St Sylvester's Church , Liverpool. He was the son of Patrick and Sarah Heery (nee Callaghan), of 6 Egremont Buildings, Furlong St, Hopwood St, Liverpool. His parents were married on the 26th Oct 1893 at All Souls, Liverpool.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 97 St Martin's Cottages, Liverpool.

The father Patrick aged 26, born 1876 is a general labourer was born in Lancashire. His wife Sarah is also aged 26 and was born in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. They have three children at the time of the Census, Mary aged 7, born 1894, John aged 4, born 1897 and Catherine born 1901 and were all born in Liverpool.

The 1911 Census shows the family boarding at 3 Norton Street Liverpool.

The head of the household is Rosetta Harvey aged 33, born 1878 and is a boarding house keeper and was born in Bristol. She has one son Thomas aged 10, born 1891 and he is at school. She also has a servant Mary Hetherington, aged 21, born 1890 doing domestic duties. Patrick is aged 36 is listed as married and a boarding house keeper. His wife Sarah is not at the address but they have been married for seventeen years and have had five children of which one had died. He has two of his children living with him at the time of the Census, Mary aged 17, employed doing domestic duties and John aged 14 is a pawn brokers shop lad. A further boarder named John Watterson aged 21, born 1890 and employed as a cabinet maker from Douglas Isle of Man. There is a visitor named Rebecca Debra Austin aged 61, born 1850 employed as a dressmaker and she was born in London.He has two of his children living with him at the time of the Census, Mary aged 17, employed doing domestic duties and John is a pawn brokers shop lad. A further boarder named John Watterson aged 21, born 1890 and employed as a cabinet maker from Douglas Isle of Man. There is a visitor named Rebecca Debra Austin aged 61, born 1850 employed as a dressmaker and she was born in London.

Sarah Heery is living at 92a Latimer Street, Liverpool with a further son Hugh aged 8, born 1903 and she has no occupation listed. 
By 1913 Sarah aged 38 is now in the Liverpool Board of Guardians Workhouse.

He enlisted in Seaforth and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 41800 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918 aged 21 during the German Spring Offensive.

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew. They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity. 

John 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.

A notice appeared in the Liverpool Echo 9th May 1918: 

HEERY - April 29, killed in action, JOHN, the beloved son of Patrick and Sarah Heery, K.L.R. R.I.P. Requiem mass at St. Sylvester's on Monday next at 9 a.m.

Soldiers effects to father his Patrick and pension to his mother Sarah.

John's parents are at 6 Egremont Buildings, Furlong Street from 1918-1921

Father Patrick, of 144 Brownlow Hill, died on the 14th Jan 1921 aged 46, and was buried on the 19th January at Ford Cemetery

The headstone reads:-

Sweet Jesus

Have Mercy On The Soul Of

PATRICK

The Beloved Husband Of

SARAH HEERY

Who Died January 14th, 1921 Aged 46 Years

Also JOHN The Son Of The Above

Killed In Action In France On April 29th, 1918

Aged 21 Years

Mother Sarah, of Westminster House, Liverpool 4, aged 82, and was buried on the 4th April 1955 at Ford Cemetery

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