There are no births of a Bernard Sumner in the Liverpool area in the 1890s. A newspaper notice refers to this soldier as Bernard Sydney Sumner, but research reveals that he was born John Sydney Fidoe.
According to CWGC, he was the son of Mrs. C. Roddick of Birkenhead. The Catherine Roddick of 51 Park Road East, Birkenhead, was born Catherine Fidoe in Birmingham in about 1876 to mother Catherine Brennan, who married John Walter Fidoe in 1873.
There are two Fidoe births in Liverpool, both born to mother Fidoe: John Sidney Fidoe born summer 1893 and John Henry Fidoe born late 1895. This second John died at four months old, address given on the burial record as 95 Mulberry Street. Catherine Fidoe is found at 95 Mulberry street on a contemporary electoral roll.
By the time of John Sydney’s baptism, his Christian name had been changed. He was baptised Bernard Sydney Fidoe on 10th September 1893, birthdate 9th August, in the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Liverpool, mother Catherine Fidoe.
Bernard was born when his mother was about 18 years old (her age on records is inconsistent). She is listed on censuses as his sister.
Catherine Fidoe married Walter Roddick in 1896 in Birkenhead and had sons Walter in 1898 and William James in 1901. It is not known if Bernard was raised in his early years by his mother or grandmother.
By 1901 Bernard and his ‘mother’ (actually grandmother) are living with his married ‘sister’ Catherine, 25, and Walter Roddick in Birkenhead, at 20 Camden Street. (Their son Walter is with his grandparents William and Nancy Roddick, 28 Pilgrim Street Birkenhead.). His grandmother Catherine Fidoe 45, is married (her husband is in Birmingham), and “brother-in-law” Bernard Fidoe is 7.
His grandmother Catherine Fidoe died in 1905 in Birmingham, aged 50.
At some point Bernard adopted the last name Sumner, reason for or significance of the name not known.
In 1911 Bernard (now Sumner), 16, listed as brother-in-law, and employed as a grocer’s assistant, is living at 37 Church Street, Birkenhead with his mother/sister Catherine, 34, and Walter Roddick. Walter, 33, born in Monmouth, is a cattle drover, sons Walter, 13, and James, 9, are at school.
Bernard’s service record has survived and shows that he enlisted in Liverpool on 14th November 1914, as Private 21862, 18th Bn, King’s Liverpool Regiment. He gives his age as 21 years and 98 days, and his occupation as clerk. He is described as being 5’ 6 and a half inches tall, weighing 145 lbs, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes, and dark brown hair. He gives his religion as C of E (his half brothers were baptised C of E, so perhaps he was raised Protestant with the Roddick family). He gives as his next of kin brother-in-law W. Roddick, 37 Church Street, Birkenhead (which suggests that Bernard still did not know that Catherine was his mother).
From the 23
rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03
rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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 shipped to France with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 7th November 1915.
His record shows that he was appointed Acting Lance Corporal on 02/7/1916, and the same day wounded in action (the second day of the Battle of the Somme), but no details provided.
On 28/7/1916 to Field Ambulance, fever of unknown origin, to No.13 Casualty Clearing Station, then No. 5 C.C.S., on 30/7/1916 and 6 General Hospital.
On 20/8/1916 he was evacuated to the U.K. on the “Asturias” and reverted to Private.
Whilst recuperating in the U.K. he was posted to the 3rd (Garrison) Bn.
He was admonished for being absent from tattoo (ex furlough) on 28/10/1916 whilst at Pembroke Dock, and forfeited two days’ pay.
On 6/3/1917 he returned to France, reverting to rank of L/Cpl on embarkation at Folkestone for Boulogne. He was posted to the 24th Infantry Base Depot, and then to the 1st Bn K.L.R. “for record purposes”.
On 28/3/1917 he was posted to the 11th Bn, and joined his unit in the field on 04/4/1917.
To Field Ambulance on 6/8/1917 with tonsillitis, diagnosed as quinsy (tonsil abscess), and rejoined his battalion on 20/9/1917.
He was posted to the 19th Bn K.L.R. on 12/10/1917 and promoted to Corporal on 11/11/1917.
He was granted 14 days leave to the U.K. on 29/1/1918 and rejoined from leave on 15/2/1918.
He was killed in action on the 22nd March 1918, aged 24, during the German Spring Offensive.
The Battalion diary provides an insight into the events of the day:
22nd GERMAINE – HAM- MOYENCOURT
The battalion moved up accordingly being in position at 6:30 a.m. About 3pm the enemy attacked the left of our position and advanced on our left flank towards FLUQUIERES. At 4:30 pm an attack was launched on our front and the enemy forced his way through on our right. The remainder of the Battalion was forced to retire to south of FLUQUIERES. During this engagement the Battalion lost 11 Officers and About 21 O.R. The order was given to retire to the defences at HAM. The Battalion by this time was very weak, and passing through the 20th Division took up positions in HAM, as ordered, getting into position at 2am.
The CWGC Graves Registration form shows that Joseph, along with a number of others from the 19th Bn, was buried by the Germans, but after the war a Special Memorial was erected in Savy British Cemetery :
“To the memory of these 68 British Soldiers, Killed in Action in March 1918, and buried at the time in the German Cemetery on the St. Quentin-Roupy Road, whose graves are now lost.”
Bernard now rests at Savy British Cemetery, France.
Savy was taken by the 32nd Division on the 1st April 1917, after hard fighting, and Savy Wood on the 2nd. On the 21st March 1918 Savy and Roupy were successfully defended by the 30th Division, but the line was withdrawn after nightfall. The village and the wood were retaken on the 17th September 1918 by the 34th French Division, fighting on the right of the British IX Corps.
Savy British Cemetery was made in 1919, and the graves from the battlefields and from the following small cemeteries in the neighbourhood were concentrated into it.
There are now over 850, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, more than half are unidentified. Memorials are erected in the cemetery to 68 soldiers (chiefly of the 19th King's Liverpools and the 17th Manchesters), buried by the Germans in their cemetery on the St. Quentin-Roupy road, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.
The Cemetery covers an area of 2,555 square metres and is enclosed by a low rubble wall.
A notice was placed in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on 01st May 1918:
“March 22, reported killed in action, aged 24 years, Corporal Bernard Sydney (Bert) Sumner. Sans changer. Dearly loved and deeply regretted by Vera and Mr. and Mrs. Johnstone, 13, Cecil Road, New Ferry.” (At this address in 1911 were William H. Johnstone, a grocer warehouseman, possibly a co-worker of Bert’s, and his family, including a daughter Isabella Mary Vera. Vera never married and died in 1956.)
Bernard earned his three medals, which Walter Roddick signed for. No personal effects were forwarded to his family. No pension card has been found.
After his death Catherine acknowledged him as her son.
In 1919 she provided information on Bernard’s living relatives: mother Catherine and stepfather Walter Roddick were living at 51 Park Road East, Birkenhead, with half-brothers Walter, 21, and James, 18. Half-brother Walter had served in the Royal Naval Division during the war.
Walter Roddick, listed as stepfather, received Bernard’s Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £20-10s.
Bernard is recorded by the CWGC as “son of Mrs. C. Roddick”.
In 1939 Catherine and Walter Roddick, retired, are living in Conway, North Wales, and his half brothers Walter and William are living in Storeton Road, Birkenhead.
His mother Catherine died in 1940 and Walter in 1945.
Sadly, Bernard has not been found on any memorial.
We currently have no further information on Bernard Sumner, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
