Pte 35226 Adam Alexander Russell

Adam Alexander Russell was born in 1896, the only son of Adam Russell and his wife Fanny Elizabeth (née Emery). His father was born in Berwick, Scotland, and his mother in Bedfordshire.  They married in Chelsea in 1892, both 23, his father’s occupation soldier, and residence Chelsea Barracks.  His father had enlisted in the Scots Guards in 1889 (he was 5’ 11 and 1/8” tall, Presbyterian). He transferred to the Army Reserve in 1896 and rejoined the Colours in 1899. Alexander had an older sister Fanny Margaret, born in Liverpool in 1892.

 

His father was posted to South Africa, 1900-1902 and was discharged upon returning after serving 13 years.

 

In 1901 Fanny and the two children are living at 35 Ritson Street, Toxteth Park. His mother is 33, sister Fanny is 8 years old and Adam A. is 4. 

 

His father died in February 1909 at the age of 40, living in Kilshaw Street, and described as a general dealer on the burial record. Probate lists him as a retired police constable, leaving £149-14-8d to widow Fanny.

 

In 1911 his widowed mother, 42, is head of household at 99 Kilshaw Street, Everton. Alexander is 14, an apprentice in boot making and repairing.  There is also a son, Frederick Russell, age 1, (birth record shows Adam Frederick, born late 1909, mother’s maiden name Frederick). Also his married sister Fanny, 19, with husband Robert H. Sullivan. They have been married for less than one year and have no children as yet. 

 

Alexander enlisted in 18th (Pals) Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment as Private 35226.  Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, Alexander served about 33 months, enlisting in early 1916. At some point it appears that he was transferred to the 4th Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment.

 

The battalion War Diary records that in September 1918 the 4th Bn was in trenches near Villers Guislain, southwest of Cambrai.  They attacked the village at the end of the month, then in October moved to Honnecourt, then to Clary, and on 21st October moved up to Troisvilles, southeast of  Cambrai.  On 22nd the C.O. and Adjutant reconnoitred the front area and the battalion moved to assembly place prior to attack on Forrest. The brief entry for 23rd October records that the battalion attacked and moved through Forrest to Croix. During this operation Pte. Alexander Russell was killed in action. He was 22.

 

He now rests at Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension II.D.14 where his headstone bears the poignant epitaph which was probably placed by his mother.

"A SILENT THOUGHT A SECRET TEAR I KEEP YOUR MEMORY EVER DEAR"

Part of the II Corps retired through this area during the Retreat from Mons in August 1914, and in October 1918, Commonwealth forces returned during the Advance to Victory. Briastre was captured on 10 October 1918, Belle Vue Farm on 20 October, Romeries itself and Beaudignies on 23 October and Englefontaine on 26 October. The Battle of the Sambre, the last great action of the war, carried the front forward into Belgium and ended with the Armistice. Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension is one of the burial grounds of those who died between these dates. The original extension is Plot I, made by the 3rd and New Zealand Divisions, and containing 128 graves. The remaining plots were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated positions on the battlefield, including (in Plot X) a few graves of 25 August 1914, and from small cemeteries, including:- BRIASTRE-SOLESMES ROAD MILITARY CEMETERY, BRIASTRE (Nord), was used by the 37th Division and the 1st Wellington Regiment (New Zealand) from the 11th to the 16th October, 1918. It contained the graves of 25 soldiers from the United Kingdom (12 of the 4th Middlesex) and 11 from New Zealand. It was about 800 metres South-East of Briastre, across the Selle. BRIASTRE CHURCHYARD contained the grave of one New Zealand soldier. BELLE VUE FARM CEMETERY, BRIASTRE, was 200 metres South of the Farm, which was almost immediately East of Briastre, across the Selle. It contained the graves of 16 soldiers of the 4th Middlesex who fell on the 10th October. BEAUDIGNIES CHURCHYARD (Nord) contained the graves of five New Zealand soldiers who fell on the 4th November. ENGLEFONTAINE GERMAN CEMETERY contained the graves of three soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell on the 26th and 27th October. GRAND GAY FARM CEMETERY, LOUVIGNIES-QUESNOY (Nord), was nearly 1.6 kilometres South of Louvignies. There were buried in it 37 soldiers from the United Kingdom, 24 of whom belonged to the 9th Duke of Wellington's. SALESCHES CHURCHYARD (Nord) contained the graves of three soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell on the 25th and 29th October. ST. PYTHON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION was made by the 2nd Division. It contained the graves of 23 soldiers from the United Kingdom, two from New Zealand, and one from Canada, who fell between the 27th October and the 8th November. There are now 832 burials and commemorations of the First World War in the extension. 129 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 15 casualties believed to be buried among them. The extension was designed by Charles Holden.He was reported killed in Weekly Casualty List 7th Jan 1919. 

CWGC shows 18th  Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment however, the Pension Card and Soldiers Effects show 4th Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment.

 

His mother, living at 99 Kilshaw Street, West Derby, received his effects, including a War Gratuity of £15-10s, and a pension of 12/- a week.

 

His brother in law Robert Sullivan enlisted in the 6th South Lancs Regiment and was killed in Mesopotamia on 14th January 1917, leaving his wife Fanny with six children. He was 31. Robert is commemorated in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq.

 

Alexander's mother died in 1934 at the age of 66, living at 26 George’s Road. She left £477-4-8d to daughter Fanny.

 

Sadly, Alexander has not been found on any memorials.