Pte 29268 Thomas Worrall

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 28th June 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.K.28

29268 Private Thomas WORRALL, 17^th Battalion KLR. 

His birth was registered in the December quarter of 1894 as Tom, although he is found on some records as Thomas. He was the son of Arthur, born in Liverpool, and Catherine (née Steed), born in Welshpool, Wales, who married on the 03rd August 1884 at St Cleopas' Church, Toxteth. Arthur was a 23 year old gasfitter of 42 Barclay Street, Dingle, father Amos a porter, whilst Catherine was aged 21 of 31 Barclay Street, father Robert a stonemason. They had seven children, Tom had older sisters Lucy, born in 1885, and Elizabeth, in 1887, both born in Liverpool. 

In 1891 the family lived in Fleetwood, Lancashire, where his father was working as a gas fitter, and where Arthur was born in 1890.  They returned to Liverpool, where Tom was born in 1894, Robert in 1899, Margaret in 1901 and George in 1903. 

The 1901 Census finds the family are living at 12 Hurry Street, Toxteth. Tom is shown living with his parents, his father, Arthur, aged 39 and a gas fitter, and his mother, Catherine, aged 38. They live with their 5 children - Lucy, 15 years; Elizabeth, 13 years; Arthur, 11 years, born Fleetwood; Tom, 6 years; and Robert, 2 years. 

In 1911, Arthur, aged 49, a gas fitter for the Harbour Board, and his mother, Catherine, aged 48. They advised that they had been married for 26 years, and have had 7 children. There are five childen declared in the household; Elizabeth 23, Arthur 21 a brass moulder, Robert 12 at school, and 2 more children at school - Margaret, 9 years and George, 7 years - at 28 Denton Street, Toxteth. Lucy is by now married and living with her husband, William Davey, and their 2 children at 58 Otway Street, Garston.   

In 1911 Thomas Worrall, age 16, born in Dingle, Liverpool, is an inmate in the Northamptonshire Society's Reformatory School for Boys in Titfield, near Towcester.  (As Tom is the only Thomas or Tom Worrall or similar sounding variations born in the Liverpool area in 1892-96, this is most likely him. (In addition, the family homes in 1901 and 1911 are in the Dingle.)  He is shown as a farm labourer.  The industrial training was chiefly working the school's garden and 45 acres of farmland.  Physical drill was a regular part of the boys' routine, and part of the dining room was fitted as a gymnasium, where air rifle shooting was also practiced.  Football and cricket matches were played against other local teams.  By 1908 the school could accommodate 100 boys, and the training expanded to include tailoring, shoemaking, and technical drawing. (Information from ChildrensHomes.org.uk.)

It is not known how long Tom spent in the Reform School; no newspaper records have been found which explains his being sent away.

He enlisted in Liverpool as Private 29268, joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, the amount of the War Gratuity suggesting he served just over a year before he was killed, enlisting in about May 1915.

He was billeted at Belton Park, Grantham. The 17th Battalion remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Tom having served in France from 07^th November 1915 thereby earned all 3 medals.

He was killed in action on 28^th June 1916, aged 21 years.

He was buried close to where he fell in Maricourt Military Cemetery and his grave marked with a cross.  The cemetery was at the south-east corner of the village, on the road to Clery. It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron.  It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July 1916.  After the war when graves were concentrated his body was removed and reinterred in Cerisy-Gailly Cemetery where he now rests at II K 28.

Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme and the following small cemeteries:- BEAUFORT BRITISH CEMETERY was about 300 metres North of Beaufort Church. It was made in August, 1918 (after the capture of the village by the 1st Canadian Division) between the existing German Cemetery and a farm track, and it contained the graves of 56 Canadian soldiers and two from the United Kingdom. BUIGNY-LES-GAMACHES COMMUNAL CEMETERY contained the grave of one soldier from the United Kingdom, buried in July, 1918, by the 26th Field Ambulance. BUIRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, in the commune of Buire-Courcelles, was on the North side of the Communal Cemetery. It contained three German plots and one British, and in the British plot were buried 36 Australian soldiers and four from the United Kingdom. These men fell in September, 1918 except three who were buried by the enemy in the preceding March. MARICOURT MILITARY CEMETERY was at the South-East corner of the village, on the road to Clery. It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron. It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July, 1916. It contained the graves of 887 French soldiers, 260 from the United Kingdom and six German. STE. HELENE BRITISH CEMETERY, PONTRUET, was on the East side of the hamlet of Ste. Helene. It was made in September and October, 1918 during the capture of the hamlet by the 46th (North Midland) Division and their attack at Pontruet, and it contained the graves of 88 soldiers and one airman from the United Kingdom, the majority of whom belonged to the 46th Division or the 1st Dorsets. 158 French and 35 German graves were removed to other burial grounds. The cemetery now contains 745 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 114 of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties buried at Maricourt and Ste. Helene whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His father died in April 1918, aged 56. 

On the 1921 Census at 40 Fernhill Street, widow Catherine is aged 58, living with Robert 22, a stonemasons labourer, George 17, a carter, and Margaret 21, a bookbinder. 

In 1939 his mother, 76, is still living at 40 Fernhill Street with Margaret and George.

She died at the age of 85 in 1948. 

Her death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on Saturday 16 October 1948:

WORRALL - Oct. 15, after much suffering at 41 Fernhill Street, aged 85 years, CATHERINE, widow of Arthur Worrall and devoted mother of Lucy, Lizzie, Arthur, Bob, Margaret, and George. (In God's garden.) Interment at Smithdown Rd Cemetery, on Tuesday next, at 3.30. 

Tom is commemorated in Liverpool's Hall of Remembrance, Panel 32 Right.

(His name does not appear on the Liverpool Cotton Association Memorial)

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