Pte 36914 Thomas Powderly

• Age: 33
• From: Kirkdale, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 18th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Etaples Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: XII.A.4

Thomas Powderly was born in 1883 in Kirkdale and was the son of Thomas Powderly and his wife Margaret (nee Rafferty) who were married around 1865 in Kingscourt, County Cavan. His parents and older sisters - Ellen, Ann, Bridget and Margaret - were all born in Kingscourt, County Cavan. Ireland. The Powderly family had moved to Liverpool by 1880 when Thomas' brother, Philip, was born.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 5 Boston Street, Bootle cum Linacre. His widowed mother, Margaret, is aged 49 born in Ireland. She declares five children in the household; Annie aged 22, a domestic servant born in Ireland, Margaret aged 16, a book folder also born in Ireland, Philip aged 10, a scholar born in Liverpool and Thomas 8, a scholar also born in Liverpool. They  also have a boarder Patrick Martin 37 a dock porter born in Ireland. 

The family in the 1901 Census are still at 5 Boston Street, Bootle cum Linacre. His mother, Margaret, is now said to be aged 56, There are three children in the household;  Margaret said to be aged 24, a book binder, Philip 20, a dock labourer, and Thomas aged 18 who is a Grocers Assistant. 

The 1911 Census has the family living with the widowed sister of Thomas, Ellen Harrison at 60 Wordsworth Street, Bootle. The head of the household is Ellen Harrison 43 born in Kingscourt, County Cavan, her children born in Bootle are; Ellen 9, John 7, Thomas James 5. His mother, Margaret is now said to be aged 73, with her children Margaret 34 a book folder and Thomas 28 a warehouseman and shop assistant for a grocer. 

His mother died in 1914, aged 75 and was buried on the 07th March 1914 at Ford Cemetery.  

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36914.

Cwgc have his service no. 15/36914, similar service numbers enlisted in Seaforth around March-April 1916 as 15/369xx in the 15th(Reserve) Bn. 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/504935/thomas-powderly/ 

He died of wounds with 1 Coy on the 18th October 1916, aged 33, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

20th Battalion War Diary 

FLERS SUPPORT TRENCH 

17.10.16 - Artillery active on both sides during the day. Battalion H.Q. at ABBEY ROAD heavily shelled during the afternoon. 

18.10.16 - The attack was continued at 3.20 a.m.(89th Inf. Bde 0.0.No.61) by the 21st Inf. Bde. The objective was the line drawn from the EAUCOURT L’ABBAYE ROAD to BAYONET TRENCH. The Battalion held themselves in readiness to provide carrying and working parties.  

5.25 a.m. The Btn was ordered to hold itself in readiness to support the 21st Inf. Bde but was not called upon. According to information obtained the 21st Inf. Bde appear to have been held up, and later to have consolidated enemy front line. Two tanks two part in this operation. Many enemy bombing attacks took place. FLERS SUPPORT shelled during the day.  

8.30p.m. In accordance with 89th Inf. Bde were B.M.132 Nos 3 + 4 Coys made up to 60 O.R. each echoed? 2 Coys 19th Bn. K.L.R. in FACTORY TRENCH at 8.30 p.m. and came into support to 19th Bn. K.L.R.  

2 Officers 100 O.R. acted as bearers to 21st Inf. Bde from 12 noon to about 12 midnight. They were held in readiness from 8.30 a.m.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on Thursday 26 October 1916: 

POWDERLY - October 18, at a hospital of wounds received in action, October 18, Thomas Powderly, K.L.R., lately residing with his sisters at 60 Wordsworth Street, Bootle. (Sadly missed by his devoted sister Maggie.) 

Also in the Liverpool Echo on Friday 18 October 1918: 

POWDERLY - In sad remembrance of my beloved brother, THOMAS POWDERLY, 20th K.L.R., who died from wounds at Le Toquay, October 18, 1916. 

(Le Toquay – probably means the Duchess of Westminster's (No.1 Red Cross) Hospital at Le Touquet, this coastal town is very close to Etaples) 

He now rests at Etaples Military Cemetery, France, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“IN LIFE CHERISHED IN DEATH EVER REVERED BY HIS LOVING SISTER PEGGY”

During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. In September 1919, ten months after the Armistice, three hospitals and the Q.M.A.A.C. convalescent depot remained.

The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified. It is the largest CWGC cemetery in France, was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Soldiers Effects to sister Mrs Margaret Green, a pension of 5/- pw was awarded to sister Miss Margaret Powderly, 60, Wordsworth Street, Bootle. 

He was remembered by his sister in the Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 18 October 1922: 

POWDERLY - In sad remembrance of my devoted brother, THOMAS POWDERLY, 20th K.L.R., who died from wounds in France, October 18, 1916. - Maggie. 

Thomas is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Bootle Civic Memorial

St James R. C. Church, Bootle

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