A/Sgt 22850 William Sturrock

• Age: 21
• From: Crosby, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 2nd August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

William Sturrock was born in 1896 in Crosby, the second son of James Sturrock and his wife Esther (nee Bore). His parents married in 1884.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 33 Alexander Road, Crosby, parents James, a 43 year old gardener born in Manchester, Esther  aged 43 born in Liverpool with children, all born in Crosby;  Robert 16 apprentice gardener, Norman 9, William 4, Edward 3 and Nephew Thomas North 17.

The 1911 Census shows that the family have moved and are now living at 43 Regent Road, Crosby – parents James 57 a gardener, and Esther 53 advise that they have been married for 29 years and have had 9 children of whom 7  are still alive. Their children listed on the record are shown as; Robert 26 a clerk(his entry is crossed out), Ethel 25 dressmaker, Mary 23 dressmaker, Norman 19 shop assistant, William 14 at school, Edward 13 at school, and Ronald Gordon 6 at school.

William enlisted on 09^th November, 1914 joining the 20th Battalion as Private 22850. William’s service records survived and show that when he enlisted he was aged 19 years and five months old, he was 5 feet nine and half inches tall, weighed 146lbs, with 37½” chest, fresh complexion, blue eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Chruch of England.  His Next of Kin was his father and the form shows his father and mother with sons Norman and Ronald at 103 Alexandra Road. His brother Robert in Barnsley and his married sisters Ethel Sale and Mary Smith both living in Crosby.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th 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 arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

William was killed in action on 02^nd August 1917, aged 21, during the Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres. He was acting Sergeant at the time of his death.

The 20th Battalion diary gives details of the circumstances that the Battalion found themselves in during the early phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). Having taken part in the initial fighting of 31st July 1917 there is a general write up in relation to the period 01st -08th August and specifics solely from the 03rd August. As such it is impossible to say exactly how each of the men who fell on 01st or 2nd August met their death.

20^th Battalion Diary 01^st August – 08^th August

The Battalion continued to hold the position taken up on the morning of 31^st July. After the first day the weather was very wet and the going very difficult, but the men’s spirits remained wonderfully good. From time to time there was very heavy enemy shelling and in addition to this machine guns and snipers were very active. The work of communication was extremely difficult and the wires to Companies and to Battalions on our flanks were repeatedly cut and were only kept going by most excellent work by our linesmen, who suffered very heavy casualties as also did the runners. 

A report on his death appeared in the Crosby Herald on the 25th August 1917:

GREAT CROSBY SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTION.

Sergt. William Sturrock, second son of Mr. and Mrs. James Sturrock, of Great Crosby, has been killed in action. Sergt. Sturrock joined the "Pals" in November, 1914, and saw much service in France, where he obtained steady promotion. He was educated at St.Luke's School, Gt. Crosby, and his business career was spent in the offices of Messrs. Jas. Kennedy and Co., Ltd.

William has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres in Belgium.

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.

He is also remembered on the Memorial board at St Luke’s Church and also on the family grave at St. Luke’s C.of E. graveyard, Crosby where the inscription reads :

In ever Loving Memory of SERGT WILLIAM STURROCK, OF GT CROSBY, 20th KING'S LIVERPOOL REGIMENT KILLED IN ACTION AT THE BATTLE OF YPRES, AUGUST 1st 1917, AGED 21 YEARS. “Faithful unto death.”

William is also commemorated on the Southport Civic Memorial and the Crosby and Blundellsands Civic Memorial.

His brother, Edward Sturrock, also fell. He was killed on 30th August 1918, aged 20, whilst serving as Private 63783 with the 13th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. He now rests at Morval British Cemetery in France where his headstone bears the epitaph: 

"TO LIVE IN HEARTS WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT TO DIE"

A report on his death appeared in the Crosby Herald on the 21st September 1918:

Much regret has been caused by the death in action in France of Pte. Edward Sturrock, fourth son of Mrs. Sturrock, 103, Alexandra-road, Great Crosby. Pre. Sturrock, who belonged to the Welsh Regiment, was 20 years of age, and enlisted two years ago. He was sent to France in January last, and his death occurred on August 30. He formerly attended St.Luke's Boys' School. and was for four years in the service of Messrs. T. and G. Harrison, shipowners, Liverpool. He was extremely popular in the district, and was captain of Crosby Council School Old Boys' Football Team. His brother, the late Sergt. Wm. Sturrock, of the "Pals" Battalion, was killed in action on July 30th last year at Ypres. 

Soldiers Effects to father James, Pensions for William and Edward to mother Esther.

Their mother, Esther, died in the December quarter of 1933 aged 75.

Their father, James, died in the December quarter of 1941 aged 90. 

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