Pte 33134 William George Kewley

In 1901 his widowed father, 49, a baker who was born in German, IOM, is living at 3 Clarke Street, with seven children b.Douglas, Margaret E. 24, Isabella A. 21, Tom C. 16 a fishmonger, Emmie M. 13, Henry E. 11, William G. 9, and Eva A. 4. They have a visitor, Margaret Fargher, 36.

Father Thomas Henry remarried on the 2nd Oct 1901 to Mary Ann Quirk at the Parish Church, Kirk Braddan, IOM.

In 1911 the family are still at 3 Clarke Street, William, 19, employed as a painter, is living with his father aged 54 (married 9 years 8 children 6 still alive), and stepmother Mary Ann aged 51 b.Douglas. Children Emmie, 23 (married), and Eva, 14, his niece Margaret Kewley, 9, and a lodger George Howes 24 a basket maker b.Liverpool.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving with the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 33134 when he was killed in action on the 28^th March, 1918 aged 27 during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion Diary gives an insight into the chaotic events of the day

28^th March

At about 6am the enemy commenced to shell heavily the whole of the forward line and brought Trench Mortars and MACHINE Guns into action.

FOLIES was shelled and the area in the rear of the village as far back as LE QUESNEL.

Rations were received at dawn and parties were organised to carry them to the Companies on the right. Owing to the heavy fire, however, it was not possible to get them up.

Heavy fighting was in progress on the right from soon after dawn and at 8am the enemy was reported to be in possession of BOUCHOIR and progressing towards the BEETROOT FACTORY. About 10am  the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.

At noon the enemy was bombarding the village and vicinity heavily and reports were received that he was in occupation of WARVILLERS on the left and ARVILLERS on the right.

The front line East of FOLIES continued to resist until about 2pm when the order was received from the 89^th Infy Brigade to the effect that the Battalions were relieved by the French and would withdraw at once to MEZIERES, where the men would be fed. Companies withdrew under some shelling and very heavy M.G. and rifle fire from the left , through K10 -K3 – North side LE QUESNEL to the main ROYE road and reorganised about D.29 c. The march from this point was conducted in good order despite the congested roads.

At MEZIERES it was decided to continue a rearward movement and the march was resumed via VILLERS-MOREUIL – MORISEL – ROUVREL, which village was reached about 7pm and the Battalion billeted. The men had marched 13 miles from the left position in good order and with practically no straggling. They were exhausted on arrival at ROUVREL, but in good heart.

Echelon ‘A’ of the Transport joined the Battalion at this village and the men were fed immediately on arrival. The night passed without incident.  

William George has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.