Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 25941 Frederick Leevers

Age: 20
From: Southport, Lancs
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
K.I.A Thursday 18th October 1917
Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Frederick (Fred) Leevers was born in Southport in the June quarter of 1897, the youngest child of William Leevers and Annie (née Price). William, born in Liverpool, and Annie, in Wrexham, married in Wrexham in 1885 and had seven children, one of whom died in infancy. Fred’s siblings were: William Owen, born in 1886, Oswald 1891, Gertrude 1892, Alfred 1894, and Minnie 1896, all born in Southport. In 1891 his father appears in the census as a police constable.

1901 the family, with four children in the household, is living at 91 Sefton Street, Southport. His father William, 36, is a french polisher, his mother Annie is 36, Oswald is 10, Gertrude 9, Alfred 5, and Frederick is 4. Also in the household is his uncle, John Price, 42, a porter.

Sadly, Oswald died shortly after the census.

In 1911 they are at 6 Union Street, Southport. His father is a french polisher, Gertrude, 18, is a theatre attendant, Alfred 17, is an electrician’s apprentice, Minnie, 14, is at home, and Frederick 14, is an apprentice french polisher. His father had a well-known french polishing business in the area for many years. Frederick had been educated at Trinity School and was also a member of St George's Sunday School and Gymnasium.

The family suffered another loss when youngest daughter Minnie died, aged 17, in 1913.

Unfortunately, his service record has not survived so the dates and details of Fred’s military service are not known. He would have been 17 when war was declared. We do know that he enlisted in Seaforth as Private 25941, 1st (Regular) Bn, King’s Liverpool Regiment, and was later transferred to the 4th Bn K.L.R. Fred had arrived in France on 24th May 1915 (when he was 18) and by October 1917 was serving in the 19th (Pals) Battalion of THe King's Liverpool Regiment in the Ypres Salient.

In October 1917 the battalion marched to relieve the 20th K.L.R. in the Hollebeke sector.

The Battalion War Diary records:

16th October - in front lines. 1 OR Killed, 1 OR Wounded

17th October - holding front line positions. Patrols at night. 3 OR Wounded.

18th October - holding front line positions, sandbagging, bailing trench, wiring front line. 3 OR Wounded.

CWGC shows 3 Pals from 19th Bn K.L.R. KIA on 18/10/1917 - Pte Frederick Leevers, L/Cpl Henry L. Hughes, and Pte Esley Cregeen.

News of Frederick's death was conveyed in a letter from the Army Chaplain with his unit at the time of the occurrence who wrote:-

"As chaplain to your son's regiment it falls to my sad duty to inform you of his death on the night of 17-18October, 1917. Private F. Leevers (No 25941), 19th K.L.R.'s. He was killedby a shell whilst on a working party , and was buried by me in the Military Cemetery behind our lines. He died asa true soldier, doing his duty bravely and faithfully to the last, and we his comrades and friends wish to express to you our sincere sympathy in your sad bereavement. He was killed instantly. But we do not sorrow as men without hope but look forward to that great day of reunion when sorrow and partings shall be no more, and it is my earnest prayer that the Great God and Father of us all maybe your true Comforter and Consoler in your sad loss.-- Believe me, yours very truly, R. B. Parslow, C. of E. Chaplain"

Due to continued heavy fighting and sustained shelling following the burial of Fred his grave was subsequently lost and his body was not recovered from the battlefield, he is now remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Flanders, Belgium.

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.

In the Liverpool Daily Post on 29th October 1917:

“Private Fred Leevers (21), K.L.R., third son of Mr. Wm Leevers, Union Street, Southport, has been killed in action.”

A report from the Southport Visiter dated 30th October 1917:

"Private Leevers was the youngest son of Mr William Leevers of Union St, Southport. He was killed on the night of 17th/18th October, by a shell while engaged with a working party. He enlisted in March 1915, and was later gassed at Loos, and twice wounded by machine gun fire within five minutes at Guilllemont. Prior to the war he assisted his father in his business. The deceased soldier was 20 years of age. His brother, Sergt Alfred Leevers, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for gallantry in the field and devotion to duty".

Fred earned his three medals. His eldest sister Gertrude, at 6 Union Street, received his effects, including a War Gratuity of £12-19s, and a pension of 5/- a week from 7/5/1918 to 6/5/1919, termed a ‘terminal gratuity’

His brother Alfred, Acting Sergeant, 252699 A.S.C., received the Belgian Croix de Guerre in 1918. The newspaper report mentions a brother who has been killed and another brother serving. Older brother William died in the 1930s.

His parents, both 74 years old, were still living at 6 Union Street, with unmarried daughter Gertrude, at the outbreak of World War Two. His mother died later in 1939 and his father in 1940, having lost five of their seven children.

Frederick is commemorated on the following memorials -

Southport CiviC Memorial

St. George’s Presbyterian Church, Southport (1st Bn)

St. George’s Sunday School (1st Bn)

Holy Trinity C. of E. Church, Southport

Liverpool Presbytery (St. George’s, Southport).

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

Killed On This Day.

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
L/Cpl 29203 Valentine Alexander
26 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 27948 Joseph Atherton
26 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51896 Richard Edward Banks
34 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 46630 Watson Bell
38 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Lieut Roland Henry Brewerton
27 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51708 Charles Norman Dod
21 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
L/Cpl 94246 Frank Emison
24 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 23056 John William Jones
27 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 49572 John Henry Leadbeater (MM)
27 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Sgt 22462 James Lowe (MID)
25 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51712 Edgar Domenico Murray
21 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 269899 Harry Pitts
21 years old

A total of 14 Pals were killed on this day. View All