Pte 49180 John Edwin Walley

• Age: 25
• From: Salford
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 8th June 1917
• Commemorated at: New Irish Farm Cem, Ypres
  Panel Ref: XXVIII.C.4

John Edwin was born in Salford on the 27th April 1892, the son of John Edwin Walley and his wife Clara (nee Burgess) who were married in the third quarter of 1882. John Edwin junior was baptised on 15th May 1892 at St.Bartholomew's Church, his parents' residence 2 Ordsall Lane, and his father's occupation given as a clerk. 

His father died in the second quater of 1892 at the age of 32 leaving Clara to bring up three young sons. There was apparently some delay in registering his death, as John Edwin Walley, age 32, was buried in early December 1891, before the birth of his youngest son. He was buried as a non-conformist. 

Together, they had six children, of which John Edwin was the youngest:  William Arthur, born in 1883, Sarah 1885 (who died at age 1), Ernest 1887, and twins Edwin and John, born in January 1891.  John died soon after birth; Edwin lived a few months. 

Before John Edwin's birth, on the 1891 census, his father, 31, is shown as a licensed victualler, publican, the family living at The Railway Tavern, 2 Ordsall Lane (his parents had lived in Ordsall Lane since before their marriage).  His mother is 32, William 7, Ernest 4, and surviving twin Edwin (who died a few months later) 3 months old.

His mother remarried in 1893 to George Webb.  

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 2 Ordsall Lane, Salford. The head of the household is his mother Clara Webb, a married woman. She lists five sons as her children; William Arthur Walley b.1884, Ernest Walley b.1887, John Edwin Walley, George Webb b.1894 and Albert Webb b.1899.   

In 1911, John Edwin (who signed the census return) is living with his mother, stepfather, and two half brothers, still at 2 Ordsall Lane. He is 18, working for a printer as a monotype caster attendant. His stepfather, George Webb, is 62, a railway carter born in Knutsford, Cheshire, and his mother is 54. They have had four children, of whom two have died.  George, 17, is a warehouse packer, and Albert, 12, is at school.  Both of his older brothers are married and living in Salford. 

His mother appears to have died in the summer of 1914. 

John married Ada Higginbotham in late 1915 in Stockport, Cheshire. There are no records of children born to the marriage.

John Edwin enlisted in Stockport in early 1916 originally serving as Private 4583 in the Cheshire Regiment.

Following a transfer he was serving in the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 49180 when he was killed in action on the 08th June 1917, aged 25. 

The 17th Battalion diary gives details of his loss:

SUPPORT TRENCHES POPERINGHE - ABEELE AREA

8TH -9TH

Battalion in Front and Spport lines.(B & D Coys. in front line).

11.30 PM Relief commenced by 2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers. Battalion less one coy. marched to Vlamertinghe, and entrained for Poperinghe. Detrained at Poperinghe and marched to Billets in Area between Poperinghe and Abeele.

6.30 AM  Arrived in Billets. ("B" Company remained in Front Line attached to 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regt).

Casualties 8/9-6-17 killed 4 O.R. Wounded 11 O.R. 

John Edwin was one of the 4 O.R. killed in action.

He now rests at New Irish Farm Cemetery, Ypres.

New Irish Farm Cemetery was first used from August to November 1917 and was named after a nearby farm, known to the troops as 'Irish Farm' (originally there was an Irish Farm Cemetery immediately South of the Farm. New Irish Farm Cemetery is about 300 metres North of the Farm at a crossing once known as Hammond's Corner). It was used again in April and May 1918 and at the Armistice it contained just 73 burials - the three irregular rows of Plot I - but was then greatly enlarged when more than 4,500 graves were brought in from the battlefields north-east of Ypres (now Ieper).

There are now 4,719 commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 3,271 of the burials are unidentified, but special memorials commemorate four casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 30 casualties buried in four of the cemeteries removed to New Irish Farm whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

A family notice was placed in the Manchester Evening News on 30th June 1917

WALLEY - Private JOHN E. WALLEY, King's Liverpool Regiment, killed in action, 8th June 1917. One of the best.

From sorrowing WIFE, BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 

His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £4-10s went to his widow Ada, who was awarded a pension of 13/9d a week from December 1917. 

John Edwin Walley is commemorated on the Salford Lads Club War Memorial.

Grateful thanks are extended to Nicola Bonfield for permission to use the photograph of John Edwin. Nicola also advised that:

John was known to the family as Uncle Jack and my grandfather Ernest Walley (sadly no longer with us) had fond memories of Uncle Jack carrying him around on his shoulders when he was home on leave.

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