Pte 41606 Hugh McCaffery

• Age: 30
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 1st August 1917
• Commemorated at: Zantvoorde Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: III.J.5

Hugh McCaffery was born in  the March quarter of 1887 in Liverpool, the son of James McCaffery and his wife Elizabeth (Hartney). His parents married on 29th July 1883. James was born in Fermanagh, Elizabeth was born in Clare.

On the 1891 Census the family are living at 10 Court House 14 Penrhyn Street, Liverpool. His father James is a 36 year old builders labourer, his mother Elizabeth is 29 years of age. Their children all born in Liverpool are listed as; James John aged 6 and a scholar, Hugh aged 4, and Catherine aged 2.

On the 1901 census the family are living at 21 Tenterden Street, Liverpool. His father, James, is a labourer aged 50, mother Elizabeth is 39. Their children are listed as: James John 16 a carter, Hugh 14, Kate 12, Joseph 10, Mary E. 7, Richard 5, Terence 2, and 4 boarders.

Hugh was a member of the St Bridget’s congregation. 

His father died in the March quarter of 1911, aged 57. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 167 Burlington Street Liverpool. His mother Elizabeth is shown as the head of the household, she is a widow aged 47, and is a shopkeeper/general dealer. She had eight children and at the time of the 1911 Census seven were still living at home; Hugh aged 24, is a labourer in a sugar refinery, Catherine aged 22, born 1889 is a general servant domestic in a hotel, Joseph aged 19 born 1892 is a labourer for a sail-maker, Ellen aged 16 born 1895 is a domestic worker, Richard aged 14, born 1897 is a grocers errand boy, Terence aged 11, born 1900 and Elizabeth aged 8, born 1903 are at school. The children were all born in Liverpool.

Hugh married Grace Brown on 04th August 1912. They had two children; Thomas born in the June quarter of 1913 and Elizabeth born in the September quarter of 1915. 

He enlisted in Liverpool on 22nd November 1915 and posted as No 5758 to the 10th Battalion of The Kings Liverpool Regiment. He was posted to A Company of the 17th Battalion K.L.R. on 13th April 1916 as No 51966 as part of a reinforcement draft from the Liverpool Scottish. He arrived in France on 15th July 1916. Appointed Lance Corporal on 13th October 1916 and was promoted as paid Corporal on 15th April 1917.

Hugh was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 41606 when he killed in action on the 01^st August, 1917, aged 30, during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

Extracted from 17 KLR War Diary:

KILLED/WOUNDED AT THE BATTLE OF PILCKEM RIDGE 31 July -2 August

Chateau Segard 30/7/17:

8.30am. Battalion moved to Promenade Trench at the south side of Zillebeke Lake. No casualties were sustained and the Battalion assembled in accordance with orders.

Promenade Trench: 31/7/17:

5:15am Battalion moved in order 'A', 'B','C'. 'D' Companies to the Forward Assembly. Position at MAPLE COPSE, where 2/Lieut. N. HENRY MC had made arrangements for marking position with screw pickets and sandbags. The Battalion came under desultory shell fire at ZILLEBEKE. This increased in severity in the neighbourhood of MAPLE COPSE, and the RSM was wounded, Signalling Sergt, JD RIGBY killed, also 3 signallers and a Battalion Runner put out of action. On arrival at Forward Assembly Position, 2/Lieut. CL CHILDS (Left Flank Guide) was wounded and 2/Lieut. C BASSINGHAM took his place.

7:50am BLUE LINE reported captured. Battalion moved forward in artillery formation of half company columns on a bearing of 104 degrees magnetic, with orders to halt just West of STIRLING CASTLE. During the advance the Battalion was shelled with Field Guns, 5.9" and 8" Howitzers, and suffered casualties from machine gun fire.

On arrival at STIRLING CASTLE at 8:40am, it was reported that our troops were held up between BLUE and BLACK lines. Seeing that the programme of operations was not being carried to time, and that every minute of delay caused a larger gap between the leading waves and the barrage, the Commanding Officer ordered the Battalion forward with the idea of reinforcing and carrying forward the leading troops into the BLACK line. The information as to the leading troops was erroneous and, on crossing the crest of the STIRLING CASTLE Ridge, it was discovered that no British troops were in front of this battalion in spite of the fact that the barrage was some four hours away ahead of the 17th Battn. KLR, and in spite of heavy Machine Gun, Rifle and shell fire, the Battalion pushed on until the left, (C Company, Capt. GG Rylands), rested on CLAPHAM JUNCTION. There the advance was stopped. The Battalion dug itself in and held on to the ground gained in spite of very severe shelling from Field Guns and 5.9" Howitzers. During this shelling the following casualties were sustained: Lieut. FR DIMOND. (OC B Company) and 2/Lieut. EN GOLDSPINK (A Company) were killed together with 35 other Ranks. 2/Lieut. C BASSINGHAM. (D Company) and  2/Lieut. LEL YORK. (D coy) wounded. 120 other ranks wounded. (A large proportion of N.C.O.’s were among the above casualties.)

01/8/17:

Battalion holding ground gained, and consolidating the Front line and Battalion HQ continuously under enemy shell fire.

02/8/17:

Battalion consolidating. Enemy shelling whole of day.

03/8/17:

Battalion consolidating. Enemy shelling whole of day. At 10:30pm Battalion relieved by 7th Royal West Kents and moved to Zillebeke Lake where hot food was provided. The following casualties were sustained during the period 1/8/17-3/8/17:-

Killed Captain JH Joseph and 17 other ranks

Wounded 2nd Lt E Davies and 74 other ranks

Missing 12 other ranks.

The following has been transcribed from the Regimental History by Everard Wyrall:-

Meanwhile the two battalions of the 89th Brigade detailed to go through and capture the Green Line had, in accordance with orders, moved forward, i.e., 20th King's on the right, 17th King's on the left, to the Promenade on the previous night. Between 5 and 5.20a.m. on the 31st both battalions marched to forward positions of assembly immediately east of Maple Copse, where they were heavily shelled and suffered a good many casualties.

At 7.50 a.m. they moved forward in artillery formation, all the while under heavy hostile shell fire, which by now had assumed the character of a heavy barrage.

On approaching the Blue Line it was apparent that the troops in front (21st and 90th Brigades) were held up and were unable to advance beyond it. A message, sent back from the 20th King's to Brigade Headquarters, stated that the Black Line had not been taken and that companies were digging in on and consolidating a line running south from Stirling Castle. At this period touch had been established with the 17th King's on the left. A few minutes later a message from Brigade Headquarters stated that the barrage was being brought back on Inverness Copse and Jargon and Jap Trenches at 10.20 a.m. and that the 17th and 20th King's were to co operate in a further attack. It was obvious that, as the message was not received until 11.6 a.m. and the barrage was ordered for 10.20 a.m., it came too late for compliance.

No further movement was made that day. There is among the documents of the 20th King's a message from the O.C. (covered plentifully with the mud of Flanders) to Brigade Headquarters which says: "Front line now roughly along road south of Clapham Junction . . . Enemy machine guns very active and any movement in forward positions is at once stopped by machine gun fire. . . Without careful artillery preparation further attacks will be useless. I am therefore holding on to present line."

The 17th King's had similarly come under heavy shell fire when in the neighbourhood of Maple Cross, losing the Regimental Sergt. Major (who was wounded), and Signalling Sergt. J. D. Rigg (killed). Three signallers and a battalion runner were also wounded. On the forward assembly position Second-Lieut. C. L. Childs was wounded.

The battalion, on arrival at Stirling Castle at 8.40 a.m., received reports that the troops were held up behind the Blue and. Black Lines, and the C.O. ordered his men forward with the idea of reinforcing and carrying forward the leading troops to the Black Line. But it was only when crossing the Stirling Castle Ridge that the 17th King's discovered that no British troops were in front of them. However, they pushed on until the left flank rested on Clapham Junction. There the advance was stopped, companies digging in and holding on to the ground in spite of very heavy shelling from the enemy's forward guns and howitzers. During this shelling Lieut. F. R. Dimond, Second Lieut. E. N. Godspink and thirty five other ranks were killed, while Second Lieuts. C. Bassinghem, L. E. L. York, and 120 other ranks were wounded.

Hugh now rests at Zantvoorde British Cemetery, Belgium.

Zantvoorde British Cemetery was made after the Armistice when remains were brought in from the battlefields and nearby German cemeteries. Many were those of soldiers who died in the desperate fighting round Zantvoorde, Zillebeke and Gheluvelt in the latter part of October 1914.

There are now 1,583 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 1,135 of the burials are unidentified. Special memorials commemorate 32 soldiers buried in two of the German cemeteries whose graves could not be found on concentration. The cemetery also contains one Second World War burial.The Household Cavalry Memorial, unveiled by Lord Haig in May 1924, stands on the South side of the village at the place where part of the Brigade was annihilated in 1914.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

His Birthday was remembered by his family in the Liverpool Echo on 19th January 1918:

McCAFFERY - In loving birthday remembrance of my dear husband Hugh, who was killed in action, August 1, 1917 (K.L.R.), in his 30th year. - Never forgotten by his wife and two children.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Grace, 253 Burlington Street, Liverpool.

Hugh is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Anthony’s R.C. Church, Liverpool

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 25 

His widow, Grace, remarried in 1919 to James P. Glynn and went on to have 5 more children, William, Grace Mary, Joseph, Agnes and Frances.

She died in Llandudno on 23rd March 1962 aged 73.  

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