Pte 15031 Clifforde Bonser

His name is spelt variously Clifford or Clifforde and he was born in the June quarter of 1885, the eldest of two sons and a daughter born to James Edwin (Jim) and his wife Annie Eliza (nee Brett). He was baptised on 09th August 1885 in St. Bede's Church, Toxteth, his parents residence 28 Cedar Grove, and his father’s occupation listed as clerk. Another son Reginald  was born in 1887 and a daughter Nellie in December 1891, her parents then living in Dunluce Street.

 

His grandparents originated from Staffordshire but in 1881 were living at 55 Beaconsfield Street, Toxteth.

In 1883, James Edwin Bonser married Annie Eliza Brett in Liverpool.

In 1891 James and Annie had moved to 161 Empress Road, Liverpool, when James Edwin is a manager’s clerk and the family could afford a servant. 

The 1901 census finds the family (transcribed as Bowers) at 177 Albert Edward Road.  His father, 38, is an insurance agent working on his own account, his mother is 39, Clifford, 15, is a “canned goods clerk C.C.”, Reginald is 13 and Nellie 7.

 

In 1908, his father died.

The 1911 Census finds his mother declared as a widow living at 20 Hartismere Road, Egremont, with Clifford, who is a 25 year old sales representative in the fruit trade; Reginald, her second son, aged 22, a clerk with a metal merchant; and her daughter, Nellie, 18 years, a typist with a rubber merchant.

Clifforde enlisted at St George's Hall, Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regoiment as Private 15031. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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 07^th November 1915.

In January and February 1916 the 17th Battalion manned defences at Maricourt, Somme.  The War Diary records intermittent shelling, with occasional casualties killed and wounded.  It is not known when Clifforde was wounded but he died of his wounds at 21st Casualty Clearing Station on 18th February 1916, aged 30.

He now rests at Corbie Military Cemetery, Grave I D 17

Corbie was about 20 kilometres behind the front when Commonwealth forces took over the line from Berles-au-Bois southward to the Somme in July 1915. The town immediately became a medical centre, with Nos 5 and 21 Casualty Clearing Stations based at La Neuville (the suburb across the Ancre) until October 1916 and April 1917 respectively. In November 1916 the front moved east, but the German advance in the Spring of 1918 came within 10 kilometres of the town and brought with it field ambulances of the 47th Division and the 12th Australian Field Ambulance. The communal cemetery was used for burials until May 1916, when the plot set aside was filled and the extension opened. The majority of the graves in the extension are of officers and men who died of wounds in the 1916 Battle of the Somme. The remainder relate to the fighting of 1918. The communal cemetery contains 249 First World War burials, the extension 918. The extension was designed by Charles Holden.

 

He earned his three medals.

 

His mother placed a notice in the Liverpool, Echo on 28th February 1916:

“February 18, of wounds, in hospital, France, aged 30 years, Private Clifforde Bonser, 17th Service Battalion (1st Pals), eldest dearly-loved son of the late James E. and Mrs. Annie Bonser, 20, Hartismere Road, Egremont, Cheshire.”

 

And the next day the paper reported:

“The fourth Wallasey man whose death is reported is Private Clifforde  Bonser, of the 17th Service Battalion (the “Pals”), who has succumbed in hospital in France to wounds.  He was 30 years of age and lived with his mother at 20, Hartismere Road, Egremont.”

 

Clifforde’s Army effects and a War Gratuity of £6 went to his brother Reginald.  

 

The pension card in the name of his mother, at 20 Hartismere Road, shows that she was awarded a pension of 5/- later adjusted to 10/- a week.

 

Probate, giving Clifforde’s occupation as commercial traveller, in the amount of £601-16s-7d, was granted to his brother Reginald.

 

His mother died in 1934, aged 74.