L/Sgt 57995 William Edward Behr

• Age: 30
• From: Newington, Surrey
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

William Edward Behr was born in the March quarter of 1886 in Newington, Surrey and resided in Camberwell. He was the son of Mr John Peter Behr and his wife Alice (nee Malkin). His parents married on 13th August 1883 at St Mary's Church, Lambeth

The 1901 Census shows the family living at of 4 Westhall Road, Camberwell. His father, John Peter, is aged 38, born in Lambeth, Surrey in 1863 occupation clerk for a publisher, his mother, Alice is aged 36, born 1865 in Westminster, London. They have five children living at the address, Henry aged 17, born 1884 and William Edward aged 15, born 1886 are both junior clerks for a publisher, Florence aged 12, born 1889, Edith aged 9, born 1892 and Lilian aged 3, born 1898. 

By the time of the 1911 Census William is a boarder at 52 Vestry Road Camberwell. This is the home of George William and Frances Mary Linsell. George is aged 33, born 1878 and Frances is aged 31, born 1880. William is aged 25 and his occupation is listed as traveller in foreign fancy. Als0 at the property are two other boarders Dick Tullett a coachman aged 32, born 1879 and Frederick Marsham aged 38, born 1873 a traveller selling woollens.

In 1911 his father aged 48 is widowed and a clerk in a newspaper office, living at at 153 Grove Lane in Camberwell with daughters Edith 18 and Lily 13. 

William enlisted in Camberwell, Surrey and served originally as 299, Lowland Division Cyclist Company. 

Following a transfer he was  serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance Serjeant No 57995 when he was killed in action on the 04th August, 1917 aged 30 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

William was one of those casualties referred to.

He was reported as killed in the Weekly Casualty List 18th Sept 1917

- King's (Liverpool Regiment) Behr 57995 L/Sjt. W. E. (Camberwell S.E.);

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.