Pte 11621 Alexander Rockliffe

• Age: 20
• From: Southport, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 20th August 1916
• Commemorated at: Loos Memorial
  Panel Ref: P27-30

Alexander Rockliffe was born on the 11th January 1896, the eldest son of Charles Rockliffe and his wife Emily (née Foley). His parents married in 1890, the marriage registered in Ormskirk. Alexander had an older sister Alice, and younger siblings Archibald (Archie), Florence, Thomas, and Ellen. He was baptised in Christ Church, Southport, on 16th February 1896, his parents’ residence 20 Wesley Street, and his father’s occupation beer retailer. 

In 1901 the family is living at 76D Tulketh Street, Southport (very close to the railway station).  Both his parents are 30.  His father is a barman, Alice is 10, Alexander is 5, and Archie 2. His uncle Henry Foley, 19, also a barman, lives with them.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 38, Virginia Street, Southport. His father Charles is now aged 40, born 1870 in Southport and is a plumbers labourer for L & Y Railway Company, his mother, Emily Ann, is also aged 40, born in Southport in 1871. They have been married for 20 years and have had nine children of which three have sadly died. Those children declared as living at home are;  Alice aged 20, born 1891, is a domestic servant, Alexander aged 15, is an errand boy for a brush shop, Archibald aged 12 born 1899, Florence aged 8, born 1903 and Thomas aged 5, born 1906 are at school and daughter Ellen aged 2, born 1909.

Alexander’s service record shows that he enlisted in Southport on 27th August 1914 joining the Special Reserve of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 11621. He gave his age as 18 years and 210 days and his occupation as a labourer. He was described as being 5’10½” tall, weighed 131 lbs, with ?(missing), and fair hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and next of kin his mother Emily, 38 Back Virginia St, Southport. He had previous service with No.4 Co., RVNR. 

12.01.15 - Absent from tattoo, 5 days C.B.

03.05.15 - Absent from Devine Church Parade, 3 days C.B., forfeits 3 days pay.

26.07.15 - Absent from Church Parade, 3 days C.C. (camp?).

08.02.16 - Absent from house Parade, 7 days C.B.

15.06.16 - Embarked for France.

16.06.16 - Arrived 25 I.B.Depot, Etaples.

09.07.16 - Joined 18/KLR.

20.08.16 - KIA. 

Alexander enlisted in Southport and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 11621 when he was killed in action on the 20th August 1916, aged 20, during the Somme offensive. He served for about two years, enlisting at 18 soon after war was declared.  A 1914-1915 Star medal roll has not been found, indicating that he did not ship to France until 1916.

The Battalion Diary for 20th August 1916 records the following:  

 7.50 pm. Enemy sprung a mine (A.9 b. 23) in front of our line. This involved I sap & shook our parapets in places. Our artillery barrage excellent & also our Stokes and Trench mortars, rifle and Lewis Gun fire. Consolidation and occupation of the new crater was at once proceeded with and good observation post secured. Enemy opposition feeble. 

Casualties 3 Killed.

Reconnoitring patrols went out and found nothing special. 

Casualties on 20th Aug.

16646 Corporal A.J.Campbell died of wounds (shell)

16799 L/Cpl J.Currie killed (rifle bullet)

23385 Pte G.Hyland killed (mine explosion)

26101 Pte J.Quinn

32618 Pte S.M.Roe

11621 Pte A.Rockcliffe

The Liverpool Daily Post of 04th Sept 1916 reported his death:

Private A. Rockcliffe, Virginia Street, Southport, killed. He was formerly a van driver.

As did the Southport Visiter dated 07th September 1916:

Information has been received by his parents, who reside at 38 Back Virginia St, that Pte A Rockcliffe of the King's Liverpool Regiment, was killed in action on August 24th. Prior to enlistment on 24th August 1914, he was employed as a van driver for Mr Craig, London Street.

His name appeared in the list of K.L.R. killed in action published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 21st September 1916:  

King’s (Liverpool Regt.) - Quinn, 26101, J; Rockliffe, 11621, A. (Southport); 

Alexander's body was not reovered or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France.

The Loos Memorial commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave, who fell in the area from the River Lys to the old southern boundary of the First Army, east and west of Grenay, from the first day of the Battle of Loos to the end of the war. On either side of the cemetery is a wall 15 feet high, to which are fixed tablets on which are carved the names of those commemorated. At the back are four small circular courts, open to the sky, in which the lines of tablets are continued, and between these courts are three semicircular walls or apses, two of which carry tablets, while on the centre apse is erected the Cross of Sacrifice.

The memorial was designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Charles Wheeler. It was unveiled by Sir Nevil Macready on 4 August 1930.

His father Charles received Alexander’s Army effects, Army pay £1 13s 11d, and a War Gratuity of £9.  His parents were awarded a pension of 10/- a week from May 1917.

His younger brother Archie enlisted as Private 5483 in the King’s Liverpool Regiment in Bootle in the autumn of 1915 when he would have been 17 years old. Archie was transferred to the 20th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment as Private 252544. He died of wounds less than three weeks before the Armistice on 24th October 1918.  He was 20 years old. He now rests at Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme.

A combined pension of 17/- was awarded to their parents for both sons from May 1919.

Alexander received his two medals.

By the 1921 Census father Charles is aged 50 and invalided, also with him is wife Emily aged 50, and children Florence 18, Thomas 15, Ellen 13 and John 6. 

His father died in 1935, aged 64.

His mother Emily, date of birth 01st January 1871, appears on the 1939 Register at 33 Back Virginia Street, Southport, with a Henry Rockliffe (b.1911). She died, aged 74, in 1945. 

Both Alexander and Archie are commemorated on the following Memorials:

Southport Civic Memorial

St Andrew’s C. of E. Church, Southport.

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