Pte 27304 William George Willshaw

At the time of his baptism, his parents’ residence is given as 9 Mann Street, and his father’s occupation as seaman.

 

The 1891 Census finds the family living at 21 Lincoln Street, Bootle, with six daughters and two sons. His father 51, is an able seaman, his mother is 41. His eldest sisters at home, Nellie, 14, and Elizabeth, 13, are factory hands, Henrietta 11 a scholar, Ann 8 a scholar, Mary 6 a scholar, Alice 4, William is 2, and Thomas E. is 4 months old.

Brother Thomas Edward sadly died in 1891.

By 1901 the family have moved to 50 Kendrick Street, Seaforth. His father aged 62 is a mariner (A.B.), mother is 51, Joseph 25 is a carter, Ellen is 22, Mary 14 a packer at a match factory, William is 11.

 

His father died a few months later, aged about 62.

 

In 1911 William, 22, is head of household at 36 Elizabeth Road, Orrell, Bootle.  He is single, employed as a builder’s plumber. Living with him is his widowed mother, 62, as well as his married sister Ellen Taylor, 36, her husband and three children.

 

An online commemorative site, Bootle’s Fallen, states that before the war William was working for Mr. Donald Eaton as a plumber and gas fitter, and that he enlisted in April 1915. (The amount of the War Gratuity supports this month of enlistment.)

 

He enlisted in Liverpool, joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 27304.

 

His name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Wounded published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 11th September 1916.  

King's (Liverpools) - Willshaw 27304 W.;

This shows that William was wounded during the failed attack on Guillemot on 30th July 1916.  He recovered from his wounds and returned to his battalion.

William was killed in action on the 28^th March, 1918 aged 29 during the German Spring Offensive. 

The Battalion diary records the events of the day as follows:

During the morning the enemy attacked the troops on our right flank and succeeded in capturing ARVILLERS, menacing our right flank. Three companies of the Battalion had to be immediately echeloned backwards as protection, the Battalion engaging the enemy, who were attempting to come out of ARVILLERS. This position was held during heavy fighting until 2pm when the Battalion was informed that French troops had come into position in the rear. In order for the Division to be relieved the Battalion had to hold their ground whilst the 2^nd Bedfordshire Regt and 2^nd Bn. R.S.F.’s passed through on their way to the rear. At 4pm the Battalion commenced to move off in small parties, passing through the French, and marching through MEZIERES, MOREUIL to MORISEL where hot dinner was provided. The Battalion then formed up and moved up by companies to ROUVREL and were billeted for the night. By this time the total casualties had reached 23 Officers and 457 O.R.

William has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

He was reported Killed in the Liverpool Daily Post on 16th May 1918.

His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £14 went to his mother.  Living at 36 Elizabeth Road, Orrell, she was awarded a pension of 13/- a week from October 1918, increased to 15/- then 18/-.

 

His mother died in 1933, at the age of 84.

 

William is commemorated on the following memorials -

Bootle Civic Memorial

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 33 Left