Pte 29979 Claude Thomas Bicker

• Age: 22
• From: Carlisle
• Regiment: 8 L N LANCS REG
• Died on Friday 1st June 1917
• Commemorated at: St Quentin Cabaret
  Panel Ref: II.G.17

Claude Thomas was born in the first quarter of 1895 in Carlisle the son of George Bicker and his wife Ellen Sarah (nee Tunmer). His parents married in Lambeth in the September quarter of 1894. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 11 Arthur Street, Carlisle.

His father George is a lithographic artist born in Saxmunden, Suffolk in 1870. His mother Ellen Sarah was born in Paris in 1871. Claude is 6 years old and has siblings Mabel 3 and Gladys 1. 

By 1911 the family have moved to Liverpool and are living at 22 Cornett Road, Aintree.

His father is now 41 years of age and still a lithographic artist, his mother is 40 years of age. They state that they have been married for 17 years and have had four children, all of whom have survived. Claude is now 16 years old and is a booksellers assistant. His siblings are recorded as; Mabel Ellen aged 13, Gladys Hilda aged 11 and Wifred George aged 4.

Claude enlisted in Liverpool on 11th January 1915  joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 24678. He was 20 years of age, and was described as being 5' 6" tall with a fresh complexion with brown eyes and dark brown hair with a scar on his right upper arm. 

For reasons unknown he did not deploy to France with his battalion until 14th July 1916. He was subsequently attached to the 8th Battalion of The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment from 24th July 1916 and transferred to them on 21st September 1916 with the new service number 29979.

The 8th LNL had landed in Boulogne on 16th September 1915. 

CWGC records show he was attached to the Machine Gun Corps when he was killed in action, aged 22, on 01st June 1917.

Claude now rests at St Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery in Belgium where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"FATHER IN THY GRACIOUS KEEPING LEAVE WE NOW OUR LOVED ONE SLEEPING "

St. Quentin Cabaret was an inn about 460 metres east of Kandahar Farm, near the village of Wulverghem (now Wulvergem) and the front line. At times, the inn was used as battalion headquarters.

The cemetery was begun in February 1915 by the 46th (North Midland) Division (Plot I, Rows E and F), and continued to be used by the divisions holding the sector until it fell into German hands with the capture of Wulverghem in April 1918. The village and cemetery were recovered in September, but only two further burials were made.

There are 460 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

Claude's death was reported in the local press on 07th June 1917

KILLED IN ACTION

BICKER - Killed in action June 1, aged 22 years.

Private CLAUDE THOMAS BICKER, K.L.R., eldest son of George and Nellie Bicker, 22 Cornett Road, Aintree. (His duty nobly done.)

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Nellie

A family notice was placed in the local press on the first anniversary of Claude's death on 01st June 1918

IN MEMORIAM

BICKER - In loving memory of our dearly-loved son Private CLAUDE THOMAS BICKER, late K.L.R., killed in action June 1, 1917. (He, nobly striving nobly fell that we might live.) (Sadly missed by his loving Father, Mother, Sisters and Brother.) - 22 Cornett Road, Aintree.

Claude is commemorated on the War Memorial of St Peter's Church in Aintree which is now housed at St Giles Church following a fire that destroyed St Peter's.

His father died in 1938 aged 68.

His mother died in 1959 aged 89 and was buried at Everton Cemetery on 08th December 1959. 

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

Grateful thanks are extended to Leanne Bicker for allowing us to share the excellent photograph of Claude.