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
Sgt 15389 William Lewis Beard
- Age: 35
- From: Litherland, Liverpool
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
- K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
- Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.
The 1891 Census shows 9 year old scholar William with elder brother Arthur Henry 11 and his parents living at 52 Lower Breck Road, Anfield. His father is shown as a public house manager.
Records indicate that the family moved around the area, no doubt for his father's employment as a barman/public house keeper.
In November 1887 William enrolled in St. Margaret's Church of England School in Anfield, the family address at the time 1 Belmont Road. School records show his former school as Brae Street Boys School (in Kensington). William left school in 1895 when he was 14 years old.
By the time of the April 1901 Census, William now aged 19 is shown as a drapers assistant with brother Arthur 21, a commercial clerk and parents all now at 70 Lower Breck Road, Anfield. They have two servants, a barman and a domestic.
William enlisted in Liverpool on 31st August 1914 joining the 17th (Pals) Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15389.
He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He is promoted to Lance Corporal but not sent to France until 1916. Although the Medal Roll gives his date of arrival in a theatre of war as 07th November 1915, later amended as he disembarked on 15th March 1916.
His father died in January 1915, aged 65, when William was in training not far from home, at Prescot.
William had reached the rank of Serjeant when he was killed in action on 30th July 1916 during the ill fated attack at Guillemont.
17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916
The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.
Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.
Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks
Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917
The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.
When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July.
The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.
Guillemont
Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.
The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.
It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.
Sergeant W.L. Beard, aged 35, of the Liverpool Regiment, who was killed action, was the youngest son of Mrs. J. Beard of 76 Withens Lane, Liscard. He was for several years with Messrs. Frisby Dykes, Liverpool.
The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.
On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”
His Soldiers Pay arrears of £2:14s: 3d was sent to his mother, Jane on 08th November 1916 at 76 Withens Lane, Liscard, followed by a War Gratuity of £11:10s on 7 October 1919 and she was also awarded his dependents pension of 5 shillings a week from February 1917 for one year, increased to 11 shillings.William is also commemorated on the following Memorials:
Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 14 Left
Wallasey War Memorial.
His brother Arthur joined the Royal Flying Corps in March 1917 when he was 37. No previous service record has been found.
His mother appears to have died in 1932 at the age of 90.
We currently have no further information on William Lewis Beard, 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.
(109 Years this day)Saturday 28th October 1916.
2nd Lieutenant Ernest Bailey
24 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 28th October 1916.
2nd Lieutenant Stafford Thomas Eaton-Jones
20 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 28th October 1916.
2nd Lieutenant Ronald Hamilton William Murdoch
21 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 28th October 1916.
2nd Lieutenant James Stewart
39 years old
(108 Years this day)
Sunday 28th October 1917.
Serjeant 38645 John McGlashan
32 years old
(107 Years this day)
Monday 28th October 1918.
Pte 12056 Sandford Woods
30 years old
(107 Years this day)
Monday 28th October 1918.
Rifleman 22814 Charles Reginald Pollington
30 years old