Pte 50669 William McDermott

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 8th May 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

William McDermott was born in 1896 in Liverpool, the son of Charles and Susannah McDermott (nee Boyle), of 29A Roscommon St, Liverpool, who had married in 1891 at Liverpool Register Office. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 31, Dorrington Street, Everton, Liverpool. His father, Charles, is aged 31, born in Liverpool in 1870 is a timber carter, his mother, Susannah, is also aged 31 and was born in Scotland, she is employed as a shirt maker. They have five children at the time of the Census, all born in Liverpool, John aged 8, born 1893, Charles aged 6, born 1895, William aged 4, born 1897, James aged 2, born 1899 and Rosanna born 1900. They also have their father in law Charles Doyle a widower aged 62, born 1839 in Ireland and he is a cotton porter.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 29A Roscommon St, Liverpool. His father, Charles, aged 42 is a dock labourer and his mother, Susannah, is aged 41 has no occupation listed. They have been married for nineteen years and have had eight children of which two had died. Their surviving six children are all living at the address at the time of the Census, John aged 18, is a general carter carrier, Charles aged 16,is a fret sawyer (furniture), William aged 14, is a printer’s errand boy, Rosanna aged 11, Joseph aged 5, born 1906 and Ellen aged 3, born 1908.

William enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50669 when he was killed in action on the 8^th May 1918 aged 22 during the German Spring Offensive.

The 17th Battalion were at this time in the Vierstraat Sector. the diary reports that the day passed quietly until the afternoon. The front line ran through Klein Vierstraat Cabaret. At 4.30 pm it was reported that the Germans had advanced and were now in " our original front line". At 7.10 pm A and B company's of the 17th Battalion were ordered to move forward in artillery formation from support line with object of co-operating with French troops who were advancing towards the enemy. At 08.10 pm the advance was reported to be going well on the left but nothing could be seen on the right. The situation at the end of the day was that the 17th Battalion were holding the line alongside several other units but casualties were heavy. Captain Norman Henry and Second Lieutenant Dudley Hammond Black were killed in action alongside 17 other ranks one of whom was William McDermott.  

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

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. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his mother Susannah.

William is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 25.

His father Charles died in March 1924 aged 54 and Susannah died December 1952 aged 82. 

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