Pte 24383 Daniel Francis Ney

• Age: 30
• From: Bootle, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Peronne Rd Cem Maricourt
  Panel Ref: I.A.33

24383 Private Daniel NEY, 20^th Battalion KLR.

Daniel Francis Ney was born in Bootle on the 21st March 1895 the son of Patrick Ney and his wife Mary (nee Ney) who were born in Galway, Ireland and married around 1870, location unknown. Daniel was baptised on the 05th April 1895 at St. James' R.C. Church, his parents address 58 Cedar St, Bootle. The three eldest Ney children, Bartholomew, Andrew Francis, and Patrick Joseph were born in Boston, U.S.A. in 1872, 1874 and 1876. The family then returned to Ireland where a fourth son, Joseph, was born in 1878. Mary Ney was born at Bootle in 1881 and when the census was taken she was 2 months old and living with her parents and four older brothers at 3 Bond Place, Bootle. Patrick Ney was working at the gas works and he was still employed there in 1911 by which time he was seventy years old.

On the 1911 Census the family have moved to 3 Malvern Road, Bootle. Father Patrick is aged 70, a gas stoker, mother Mary is aged 60. They advise that they have been married for 41 years, and have had 11 children, 10 of whom have survived. They have three children still in the household;  John 27 is a clerk at match works, Mary 20 and Thomas 19 a clerk in flour merchants.  

Daniel Francis was married to Ellen Young Massam in the March quarter 1911 in the West Derby Registration district. Ellen was born in 1893, the daughter of James and Agnes Massam. She was baptised on the 27th February 1893 in Ainsdale, parents address Formby Place, Marsh Lane, Seaforth. From the pension card a daughter Edna Agnes was born on the 11th April 1911. 

On the 1911 Census, Daniel and his wife are living at 14 Middlesex Road, Bootle. Daniel aged 25 was a commercial clerk, Ellen was aged 18. His wife lived at 167 Hornby Road, Bootle after the war.

Daniel enlisted in Liverpool on the 07th January 1915 joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 24383 at which time he had been employed by the Bryant & May match company and crossed to France on an unknown date in 1916 as part of a reinforcement draft.

Formed in November 1914 the 20th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He was killed in action on 01^st July 1916, aged 30, during the attack at Montauban.

20^th Battalion Diary

Maricourt

Zero Hour 7.30am.  After 65 minutes intensive bombardment the Battalion advanced to the attack of the German trenches. The Battalion advanced in four lines each of the two leading Companies on a frontage of 2 platoons – No’s 1 & 2 Companies (in that order from the right) leading. No.3 Company in the 3^rd wave. No.4 Company in the 4^th wave. There being a distance of about 100 yards between each line. The lines advanced through the enemy’s artillery fire as though on parade in quick time. The leading waves went on without a pause to Alt Trench and Casement Trench which were secured at (time not stated) am. The casualties up to this being small. Our barrage lifting Dublin Trench (the 1^st Objective) was captured and consolidation immediately proceeded with. Captain Whiting with the 3^rd wave entrenching about 150 yards in the rear. Captain Robinson was wounded and No.2 Company was commanded during the day by Lt C P Moore. Casualties up to now were killed 2 officers – 1 wounded and 49 other ranks casualties killed and wounded. At 11.50 am orders were received for the assault of the Briqueterie. The Battalion operation orders for this were issued from NW of Germans Wood. Our barrage lifted at 12,30 pm and No. 4 Company under Captain E C Orford assisted by a section of bombers under 2^nd Lt Baker who went up Nord Alley and Chimney Trench to secure his left flank, who had got right forward under cover of the fire of our guns rushed it almost without opposition. On the far side a party of the enemy were found in deep dug-outs. They brough a machine gun into action and some close fighting ensued in which Lt Gooch and Lt Williams were wounded. Opposition was however speedily overcome and the garrison consisting of the H.Q. of a Regt, one Colonel and 4 other officers – 40 rank and file , 2 machine guns together with maps, orders, documents and material fell into our hands. Steps were immediately taken for consolidating the ground won, which however owing to the destruction wrought by our “heavies” was a matter of great difficulty, what had been trenches being almost unrecognisable as such and the earth so pulverised that cover could only be made by aid of sandbags. The garrison was heavily shelled through the afternoon and most of the night and casualties were many. Battalion H.Q. were at the junction of Glatz Alley and Casement Trench north west of Germans Wood and this together with Dublin Trench received considerable attention from enemy guns. Casualties during the day 2 officers killed (2^nd Lts F Barnes and JC Laughlin) and 3 wounded (Captain H H Robinson, Lt S Gooch and 2^nd Lt F J Williams). 75 other ranks killed and wounded.

Daniel was remembered by his family in the Liverpool Echo dated 16th July, 1916.

Ney- July 1, killed in action, Private Daniel Francis (Dan) Ney (Pals), dearly-beloved husband of Ellen Ney, 167, Hornby Road, Bootle. R.I.P. - Deeply mourned by his sorrowing wife and child. 

Ney- July 1, killed in action, Private Daniel Francis) Ney, dearly-loved sixth son of Mr. and Mrs. Ney, 27 Middlesex Road, Bootle. Mourned by Father, Mother Brothers, and Sister.  

Ney- July 1, killed in action, D.F. (Dan) Ney (Pals), the dearly loved son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. J Massam. ( "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends")  

Ney- July 1, killed in action, Private D.F. Ney (Dan) Pals, our dearly loved brother-in-law. - Will, Lillie and Harold. 

A report on his death appeared in the Bootle Times on the 28th July 1916.

WELL-KNOWN ENTERTAINER KILLED

Many friends will learn with regret that Pte. Dan Ney, King's Liverpool Regiment ("Pals"), was killed in action on July 1st. He went to France the first week in this year. Pte. Ney, who had been thirteen years on the office staff of Messrs. Bryant and May, Ltd., was well known throughout the district as an entertainer and descriptive vocalist. Naturally, he was a valued member of the concert formed by the "Pals" when out in France. Mrs. Ney has received the sub-joined letter from the officer: -

"It is with the deepest regret that I write to tell you of the death of your husband. He was killed instantaneously by a machine gun bullet at the beginning of the recent advance. We feel his loss deeply here, as he was one of the cheeriest men I have ever met. He was a member of our concert party, and though he had not been out here as long as some, he had already made himself popular with everyone. - In deepest sympathy, yours sincerely, B.E. Melly."

Private Ney's brother, Corporal "Jack" Ney, of the same regiment, has been wounded, and is now in a London hospital. He was shot through the lower jaw, but is now progressing favourably.

Daniel now rests at Peronne Road Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"THY WILL BE DONE" 

Maricourt was, at the beginning of the Battles of the Somme 1916, the point of junction of the British and French forces, and within a very short distance of the front line; it was lost in the German advance of March 1918, and recaptured at the end of the following August.

The Cemetery, originally known as Maricourt Military Cemetery No.3, was begun by fighting units and Field Ambulances in the Battles of the Somme 1916, and used until August 1917; a few graves were added later in the War, and at the Armistice it consisted of 175 graves which now form almost the whole of Plot I. It was completed after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields in the immediate neighbourhood and from certain smaller burial grounds.

There are now 1348, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 366 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 26 soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found.

The cemetery covers an area of 3,787 square metres and is enclosed on three sides by a low red brick wall.

Daniel's brothers Thomas and John also joined the King's Liverpool Regiment.

Thomas enlisted in the 18^th Battalion as Private 29615 in Liverpool on 25^th May 1915, giving his age as 23 years 6 months, his occupation as clerk and home address as 27 Middlesex Road. Less than one week later he was discharged on the 31st May as "not likely to become an efficient soldier." 

John enlisted on the 3rd September 1915 and was discharged on 26th April 1917 the as the result of wounds received in action. He was issued with a silver war badge which he could wear to show that he was a discharged soldier.

Daniel's nephew, Albert Patrick, the son of Bartholomew Ney and his wife Teresa (nee Wafer) enlisted on the 30th October 1915, aged nineteen. He served with the Seaforth Highlanders (no S/13233) and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (21317) and contracted Malaria and developed Broncho-Pneumonia as the result of his service in the Middle East and India. He was discharged from the army in March 1919 with a 'pension' of 5s 6d for twelve months.

Albert married Margaret Roach in 1923 and had two sons and one daughter, Yvonne Marie. Albert Patrick Ney and Yvonne Marie Ney were killed in the May Blitz. On the night of the 7th-8th May 1940 they were in the Co-operative Shelter at 340 Stanley Road, Bootle when it took a direct hit. Albert was killed instantly and his daughter died in hospital the following day, aged nine.

Daniel's father died at 76 Gray Street, Bootle in 1932 aged ninety-one. His mother died on 13th August 1933 aged eighty-three.

Daniel Francis Ney is commemorated on the following local memorials

Bootle Civic Memorials

St.James' R.C. Church, Bootle

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall Panel 19

Bryant & May (Diamond Match Works), Litherland which is now located in the Garden of Remembrance of Litherland Royal British Legion. 

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