Cpl 24348 Arthur Keenan

SDGW shows that Arthur Keenan was born in 1895 in Rock Ferry the son of James and Margaret Keenan and the censuses give place of birth for all the children as Rock Ferry/Birkenhead, but no civil birth record or baptism has been found for Arthur or any of his siblings in Cheshire.  His mother’s maiden name is not known, or when his parents, both born in Rock Ferry, married. His father was born in 1862, as Andrew James Keenan.

 

Older siblings found on censuses are: Ann, Frank, Edward, and Winifred, and younger siblings James, Thomas, William, Daniel, and Lilian.

On the 1891 Census mother Margarite Keenan is living at 15 Star Street, Tranmere. She is 27, married, a housekeeper, born in Liverpool, with children born in Tranmere, Annie Mary 5, Francis(Frank) 2 and Edward 3. (Father is missing from census).

 

In 1901 the family is living at 40 Mulberry Street, Birkenhead, with eight children, ages 1-15, a domestic servant and a visitor from London. His father, James is aged 40, and is a greengrocer working on his own account, his mother is 36. Arthur is 7. His siblings are recorded as; Ann aged 15, Frank aged 12, Edward is 10, Winifred is 8, James is 5, Thomas is 2 and William is 1.   

 

His mother died tragically in 1907, aged 43, when her nightdress caught fire in the kitchen grate. She suffered severe burns and died in hospital the following day.  The family was then living at 38 Lee’s Avenue, Rock Ferry. The youngest child, Lilian, was only about a year old.

 

In 1911 his widowed father and eight children, are living at 67 Bedford Road, Rock Ferry.  His father, 49, is a self-employed commission agent (turf).  Edward, 20, is a ship’s steward, Winnie is 18, Arthur is 16, working as a porter, James 14, is a chemist’s errand boy, Thomas 12, William 10, daniel 8, and Lilian 5 are at school.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Corporal No 24348, aged 23, when he died on the 15^th April 1918. 

He now rests at St Hilaire Communal Cemetery Extension, Frevant, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON WHOSE MEMORY IS EVER DEAR R.I.P.”

From its position, Frevent was a place of some importance on the lines of communication during the First World War. The 43rd Casualty Clearing Station was posted there from April to June 1916, part of the Lucknow Casualty Clearing Station in June, the 6th Stationary Hospital from June 1916 to the end of August 1918, and the 3rd Canadian, 19th and 43rd Casualty Clearing Stations in the summer of 1918. The great majority of the burials in the cemetery were carried out from these hospitals. St. Hilaire Cemetery Extension was used from March to August 1918 and after the Armistice, one grave of 1915 was brought in from Dennebroeucq. During the Second World War, the greater part of Frevent was destroyed by bombing. An aerial torpedo fell in the cemetery, which is near the railway line, damaging some of the graves, but the Commonwealth plot was not affected. The CEMETERY now contains 210 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are also 12 Second World War burials, all dating from late May - early June 1940 and the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force ahead of the German advance. The EXTENSION contains 304 First World War burials.

Soldiers’ Effects records Arthur “died of sickness” on 15th April 1918.  A pension card has not been found.

 

CWGC Graves Registration Report shows Sgt 34348 [sic], and the medal roll shows Acting Sergeant.

 

Arthur’s Army effects and a War Gratuity of £16 went to his sister Winifred, now Mrs. Arbuckle. It is not known when his father died. 

 

Arthur is commemorated on the Cheshire Roll of Honour. 

Service records exist for brother A/RSM Edward Keenan 30718 Manchester Regt:- Aged 24, clerk, with Next of Kin shown as father James Andrew Keenan 92 Highfield Rd, Rock Ferry. 

His father died in the March quarter of 1922.

Arthur's younger brother Thomas appears in the Birkenhead News, 22nd April 1922.

ALLEGED ABSENTEE - Thos. Keenan, 92 Highfield Road, was remanded for an escort on a charge, which he admitted, of being an absentee from the 1st Battalion R.W.F. [His medal roll shows he continued his service with RWF overseas]