Pte 41810 Michael John Mahoney

• Age: 30
• From: Newport Monmouthshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• D.O.W Tuesday 20th March 1917
• Commemorated at: Avesnes-le- Comte Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: II.C.8

Michael John Mahoney was born in the June quarter of 1886 in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales. His parents, John Mahoney, born in Newport, and Mary (or Maria) Welch (or Welsh) (records vary), born in Ireland, were married in 1885 in Newport. Michael was the eldest of seven children (another died in infancy); his siblings were William, John, Mary, Thomas, David Garrett, and Henry, all born in Newport.  

In 1891 the family are living at 8 Providence Place, Newport; his father is a wharf labourer; Michael is 5.  

The family left Wales some time after 1898, and by 1901 they are found in court housing in Denison Street, Liverpool. His father John is a dock labourer, Michael, 16, is an office lad at the docks.

Michael married Matilda Rushton (born in Liverpool) on 30th October 1910 in Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, Liverpool, giving his address as 32 Adlington Street. (His mother and three youngest siblings were living at this address in 1911.)

On the 1911 census Michael and Matilda are living at 53 Great Crosshall Street, Liverpool.  Michael, 25 is a dock labourer; Matilda is 22.  At some point they lived at 24 Adelaide Street, Everton.  Two daughters were born, Mary in 1911, and Emma in 1912, and a son John in 1915. 

The details of Michael’s Army service are not known, as his service record has not survived, but we do know that he enlisted in Liverpool and served in the 20^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment, as Private 41810. 

In February 1917 the 20^th Battalion were in trenches near Agny, south of Arras, when the Germans began their withdrawal to the Hindenberg Line to consolidate their lines, burning villages and devastating the land they evacuated.  Fighting patrols were sent out to determine the location of the enemy.  Casualties were incurred from machine gun and sniper fire and booby traps. 

The battalion War Diary records casualties during the period 18^th-21^st March: 1 Officer and 5 OR taken prisoner, 7 OR killed and 18 wounded, 1 OR missing, believed POW.  Pte Michael John Mahoney was one of the Other Ranks referred to who were killed in action on 20^th March 1917, aged 30 or 31. 

He now rests at Avesnes-le-Comte Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France.

The village of Avesnes-le-Comte was for some time the VI Corps headquarters. The 37th and 30th Casualty Clearing Stations were there from April 1916, the 42nd in June 1916, and the 41st in January 1917. The communal cemetery contains 2 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, both made in April 1916. Thereafter, burials were made in the extension, which contains 333 graves, 4 of which are unidentified. Most of these were from the 37th CCS which stayed in the village until July 1917. The Extension also contains 4 Second World War burials. The Extension was designed by Charles Holden.

His son William was born three months after his death, in June 1917. 

Matilda was widowed with three children under the age of six, plus a newborn. 

She placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 30th April 1917:

“In loving remembrance of my dear husband, Private M.J. Mahoney, K.L.R., killed in action March 20, 1917.  When last we saw his smiling face he seemed so strong and brave; We little thought how soon he’d be laid in a hero’s grave. – Never forgotten by his loving Wife and Children.”

Michael’s effects went to his widow Matilda.  She received a war pension for herself and the four children.  She  remarried in 1920 to William Roberts, living at 80 Lauriston Road.  She gave birth to twins in 1921, lived in Lauriston Road the rest of her life, and died in 1959.

His brother David Garrett served abroad in the Royal Field Artillery and survived the war.

Michael is commemorated in Our Lady of Immaculate conception RC Church, Everton.

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