Pte 30783 Peter Melia

• Age: 27
• From: Ormskirk, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Peter Melia was born in 1890 and resided in Ormskirk, the son of Thomas Melia and his wife Ellen (nee Moran) originally from, and probably married in Ireland.

On the 1891 census the family are living at Court, 22, Aughton Street, Ormskirk, Lancashire. Peter's father, Thomas, is aged 30, a shoemaker born in Ireland, mother Ellen is 30 years of age and also born in Ireland. They have three children in the household, all born in Ormskirk - John 5, Thomas 3 and Peter 1.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at Court, 3, Aughton Street, Ormskirk, Lancashire. His mother, Ellen, is a widow aged 40. She is living with her five children, John aged 15, born 1886 is employed as a mechanical engineers apprentice, Thomas aged 13, born 188 is a shoe maker, Peter aged 10, James aged 9, born 1892 and Mary aged 5, born 1896. The children were all born in Ormskirk.   

The 1911 Census record shows the family living at 91 Aughton Street, Ormskirk. His mother Ellen Melia is the head of the household and is a widow now showing as aged 46 and born in Ormskirk. Peter had three brothers John aged 25 born 1886, and working on a farm, Thomas aged 23 born 1888 working as a boot repairer, James aged 19 born 1892 employed as a Cooper as was Peter now aged 21.

Prior to the war, Peter was employed at Messrs Sumner and Leivesley, produce merchants of Ormskirk.

He enlisted in Southport and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 30783 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 27 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

18^th Battalion

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 13th August 1917:

ORMSKIRK AND DISTRICT CASUALTIES

News has been received that Private Nicholas(?) Peter Melia, fourth son of Mrs Melia of Aughton Street, Ormskirk has been killed in action in France. He was 25 years of age and before enlisting was employed as a cooper in Burscough.

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.

Peter was remembered in the Ormskirk Advertiser on 18th July 1918:

MELIA - In loving memory of Signaler Peter Melia, the beloved fourth son of Mrs and the late Thomas Melia of Aughton Street, Ormskirk who was killed in action in France on July the 31st 1917 aged 27 years. Sadly missed by his loving mother and three brothers John in Canada, Thomas in France, and James in Mesopotamia.

May his soul rest in peace.

He sleeps not in his native land,

But 'neath a foreign sky,

Far from the mother who loved him.

In a hero's grave he lies.

Sweet be your rest my son so dear,

Tis sweet to breathe your name.

In life I loved you very dear,

In death I do the same.

R.I.P. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Ellen.

Peter is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Ormskirk War Memorial 

St Annes R. C. Church.

His mother, died aged 77, in the June quarter of 1939

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