Pte 57999 Frederick William Birks

• Age: 36
• From: Nottingham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 2nd July 1917
• Commemorated at: Perth Cemetery (china Wall)
  Panel Ref: II.A.44

This chap was researched by members of Great War Forum, headed by member IPT(Chris) and submitted to CWGC. In May 1918 they accepted the unknown grave was that of Pte Binks.

Frederick William Birks was born in the September quarter of 1881 in Nottingham, the son of Thomas Birks and his wife Elizabeth (née  Williamson) who married in Nottingham in 1881. Frederick was the eldest of their five children. A daughter, Sarah, born in 1882, died in infancy, followed by Thomas, John, and Mabel.

At the time of the 1891 Census the family is found at 64 Broomsgrove Street, Radford. His father, aged 37, born in Lenton, and is employed as an iron founder and his mother, aged 35, born in Radford, works as a lace mender. They have four children; Frederick is aged 9 at school, Thomas, is aged 6 at school, and John is aged five, 5 at school. Mabel is aged 3. 

In August 1915 Frederick was a witness at the marriage of his sister Mabel in St. Faith’s Church to Charles William Fines 

He enlisted in London and originally served as Private 298, with the London Divisional Cyclist Company. Following a transfer he was serving in the 17th Battalion, of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 57999 when he was killed in action on the 02nd July 1917, aged 36.

Roll of Honour notices were placed in the Nottingham Evening Post on 19th July 1917:

BIRKS - Killed in action, July 2nd 1917, Private F. W. Birks, King's Liverpool Regiment, the beloved eldest son of Mr and Mrs Birks, 39 Wilford Crescent East. R.I.P.

BIRKS - Killed in action, July 2nd 1917, Private F. W. Birks, King's Liverpool Regiment. At rest. - his loving sister Mabel, and brothers Tom, Jack, and Will.

His outstanding Army pay of £3 12s 9d and a War Gratuity of £5-10s went to his father Thomas. The pension cards in the name of Frank and F.W. do not quote any amount. (The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that Frederick enlisted, or was conscripted, in early 1916.)  

Pte Birks was buried in a small battlefield cemetery until after the great war when he was moved to Perth Cemetery (China Wall). However, by this point the wooden cross marking his grave had been damaged and his name was lost. He was originally commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.

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.

However, new research found that the grave of an unknown soldier was in fact that of Private Birks and his name has now been added to his headstone.

The resting place of Private Frederick William Birks, was rededicated, along with that of Lieutenant Charles Stonehouse of the 11th Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment, better known as the Accrington Pals more than a century after their deaths. The rededication service took place on Tuesday 03 July 2018, at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Perth Cemetery (China Wall) near Ypres.

The service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), part of Defence Business Services, was conducted by the Reverend Andrew Earl CF, Senior Chaplain HQ NW.

Rosie Barron, JCCC, said:

“It is an honour to have organised this rededication service for this man and to have, after more than 100 years, given him his name back. It is important that the sacrifices of men such as Private Birks are not forgotten and their stories are told to future generations.”

Mel Donnelly, CWGC said:

"Commemorated on memorials to the missing for almost a century, it is now known that Lieutenant Stonehouse had been buried in Serre Road No 3 Cemetery and Private Birks in Perth Cemetery (China Wall). Thanks to the dedicated efforts of many, they have now been identified and today the Commonwealth War Graves Commission are honoured to be able to mark their graves with headstones bearing their names".

Attendees included representatives from the British Embassy and the Regiment. 

Frederick is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Christ Church School, Radford

St Faith’s Church War Memorial, Nottingham.

Nottingham Roll of Honour

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