2nd Lieutenant Thomas Power Corish

• Age: 33
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: 12 KLR
• Died on Saturday 16th September 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F 1D, 8B & 8C

Thomas Power Corish was born in Liverpool on the 09th February 1883 the son of Thomas Power Joseph Corish and his wife Emily (née Connolley) who were married on the 26th April 1880 at St Francis Xavier's Church, Liverpool. Thomas snr was of 14 Chatsworth Street, whilst Emily was of 86 Soho Street, her father, Francis Connelly. 

Thomas was baptised on the 20th February 1883 at St Anne's Church, Fairfield, his parents living at 100 Edge Lane. 

The 1891 Census finds the family living at 15 Lilly Vale, Liverpool. His father Thomas is 40 years of age and described as a tailor whilst his mother, Emily, is 31. Thomas Power Corish is 8 years of age. His siblings are, Catherine A., Cyril, Emily, Richard, Margaret Mary and Emily Agnes. Also present are Catherine Connolley (Emily's mother) and Mary Connolley (Emily's sister). 

By 1901 the family have moved to 2 Prescot Drive, Liverpool. His parents are still present in the household. Thomas is not listed. However, his siblings Kathleen 19, Emily 15, Richard 13, Mary 11, and Emily 10. Also present is Margaret Connolley another sister of Emily.

The 1911 Census finds the family still at 2 Prescot Drive. Both parents are in the household. Thomas is listed as being 28 and a foreman tailor. His sisters Emily and Margaret Mary alongside Margaret Connolley.   

Thomas Power was educated at St Francis Xavier's school.

He enlisted in the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15883 before earning a Commission and transferred to the 12th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant.

His father died on 20th August 1916. Probate was granted on 18th September 1916 as follows:

CORISH Thomas of Stafford House, Prescot-drive and of 25 Tarleton-street both in Liverpool tailor died 20 August 1916 at Stafford House. Administration (with Will) Liverpool 18 September to Emily Corish widow. Effects £4100 6s 6d.

He was killed in action on 16th September 1916, aged 33. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Post and Mercury on 25th September 1916:

LIEUTENANT T. P. CORISH

In local Roman Catholic circles, yesterday, widespread regret was aroused by the announcement that Second Lieutenant T. P. Corish, of The King's (Liverpool Regiment) had been killed in action. The circumstances were particularly poignant. A few weeks ago Lieutenant Corish's father, Mr Thomas Corish, died and his son returned home on leave, arriving on the morning of the funeral.

Lieutenant Corish went back to France a fortnight ago, and he had only resumed duty a few days when he was killed by machine gun fire whilst gallantly leading his men in a bombing attack on the German trenches. That was on Saturday the 16th inst. Lieutenant Corish joined the Liverpool Pals on the very first day recruiting and he remained with them until August of last year, when he got his commission and was transferred to another Battalion of The King's (Liverpool Regiment) in which he had since served as a bombing officer. 

He was educated at St. Francis Xavier's College and Mount St. Mary's Jesuit College, Derbyshire and prior to joining the Army was in business with his father. His death cut short a career of high purpose and and honourable achievements and among "Old Xaverians" his loss more particularly will be felt. His commanding officer writes to his mother - "His is a great loss to the battalion. He had done extremely good work and was popular with all ranks".   

The above article was similarly repeated in the Nottingham and Midland Catholic News on the 04th October 1916.   

The Liverpool Echo of 27th September 1916 carried the following notice:

CORISH - Septemeber 16 killed in action. Second Lieutenant T. P. Corish King's (Liverpool Regiment) the beloved and elder son of Emily Corish and the late Thomas Corish 2 Prescot-drive Newsham Park RIP.   

A requiem Mass was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Friday 06th October 1916;  

THE LATE LIEUT. T. P. CORISH.

A solemn requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Second-Lieutenant T. P. Corish, King's (Liverpool Regiment), who was killed in action on the 16th ult., was sung in St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Salisbury-street yesterday. There was a large attendance of sympathising friends, among the chief mourners being the deceased officer’s mother and other members of the family. The Rev. F. Parry, S. J. (rector of St. Francis Xavier’s), was the celebrant, assisted by the Rev. B. .Whiteside, S.J. (deacon), and the Rev. Richard Corish, S.J. (brother of Lieutenant Corish, sub-deacon). At the close of the service the “Dead March” in “Saul” was impressively played.

His scholarship was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Tuesday 07th November 1916;

The Rector (Father Parr. S.J.) having noted the increase in the number college students from 183 twenty years ago, when he came to the college, to 450, which was the number on the roll to-day, announced that an old friend of the college had offered to provide a scholarship, known as the Tom Corish Scholarship, in memory of T. Corish. old Xaverian, who was killed recently at the front, and whose high moral courage and attention to religion duties had greatly impressed his fellow-officers and the men under him.

His photograph was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Saturday 23rd December 1916;

With the January number of the “Xaverian magazine” is being distributed a photographic supplement, the first of a promised series, which will serve as an interesting memento of old boys from St Francis Xavier's College who have fallen in war. It is of artistic design in the form of a cross, enclosing photographs of Brigadier General Paul A. Kenna V.C., D.S.O., Captain E. C. Orford, Second lieutenant T. P. Corish, Second lieutenant J. Stewart, and Francis W. Bonner R.N.V.R., all old boys. 

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Probate was granted 08th January 1917 and is transcribed from the records as follows:

CORISH Thomas Power of 2 Prescot-drive,Newsham Park Liverpool second lieutenant 12th K.L.R. died 16 September 1916 in France. Probate Liverpool 8 January to Eiley Corish spinster. Effects £48 14s 6d 

Additionally he is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Anne's Church, Prescot Road

St Francis Xavier's Church, Everton

St Francis Xavier's school, Woolton

Southport War Memorial 

St Peter's Church Formby on the 12th Bn Cross Memorial.

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