Lance Corporal 17480 William Schofield

• Age: 26
• From: Toxteth
• Regiment: 4TH KINGS
• Died on Tuesday 25th September 1917
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: P31 -34 & 162 162A &163A

William Schofield was born in Liverpool in 1891 the son of Thomas Edwin Schofield and Mary Ellen (née Peers or Pears, records vary) who were married on the 05th September 1869 at St James' Church, Toxteth. Thomas was a 28 year old boiler maker of Mornington Street, father ,Benjamin a navvy, whilst Mary was aged 21 of Cumming Street, father, John Pears a chemist. Thomas was from Huddersfield, and Mary Ellen from Liverpool. William was baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 14th January 1891. He was one of of eleven children, three of whom died young. His siblings were Sarah, George, Thomas, John, Henry, Martha and Frederick.   

The census of 1891 finds him aged three months living with his parents and siblings at 310 Mill Street, Toxteth Park. His father, Thomas, is aged 51 and a chandler, his mother, Mary Ellen, is aged 42. They have nine children at home: Sarah Ellen 20, Emma 18, George 14, Thomas, 11, John 9, Henry 7, Frederick 4, Martha 2, William 3 months. Also declared is a niece Esther McGlure 5 at school.  

The 1901 Census shows the family still living at 310 Mill Street, Liverpool. His father Thomas aged 61, is employed as a labourer on the docks and his wife Mary is aged 50, and has no occupation listed. At the time of the Census they have seven children living at home, Sarah aged 30, born 1871 and has no occupation listed, George aged 24, is a pawnbrokers assistant, John aged 18, born 1883 and Henry aged 16, born 1885 are labourers in a blockworks, Frederick aged 14, born 1887 is an office boy, Martha is aged 12, born 1889 and William is aged 10 born 1891.

In 1911 they are living at 48 Wellington Road, Dingle, Liverpool. His father Thomas Edwin is shown as being aged 69 and is a fish hawker, and his wife Mary Ellen is aged 63. They advise that they have been for married 42 years and have had 11 children of which three had died. They had five children living with them at the taking of the Census, Sarah Ellen 39, Henry 26 steel block maker, Frederick 24 steel block maker, Martha Manville 22 (married 2 years), a fruit packer for a provision merchant, and William 20 a palm kernel presser in an oil mill.

William enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 19th Battalion (Pals) of The King's Liverpool Regiment on 02nd September, 1914 as Private 17480. He gave his age as 22 years and 251 days and his occupation as a grocer. He was five feet six inches tall, weighed 116 lbs and a 36" chest. He had a fresh complexion, brown eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England. His father Thomas Edwin of 48 Wellington Road, was listed as his next of kin.  

He trained initially at Sefton Park until the 19th Battalion became the first occupants of the new specially built accomodation at Lord Derby's estate at Knowsley Hall. They remained here until 30th April 1915 when they left Liverpool via Prescot Station bound for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained there until September when they moved to Lark Hill Camp on Salisbury Plain before reaching France on 07th November 1915.

08th June 1915 - Absent without leave from 9am-9.30pm, 10 days Confined to barracks.

18th June 1916 - accidental lacerations to right eye by wire, admitted Rouen, discharged to Etaples 4th July

23.06.16 - admitted to 21 C.C.S. 

25.06.16 - Admitted to 1 S.H, Rouen  

03.07.16 - Discharged to 2 Convalescent Depot, Rouen 

04.07.16 - Discharged to 24 I.B.Depot, Etaples 

23rd July 1916 - attached to 9/LNL

06th Aug 1916 - Admitted to 77 F.A.. 11 C.C.S. and field hospital with pneumonia 

08.08.16 - Admitted to 35 C.C.S. with (dang) pneumonia 

09th Aug 1916 - a telegram reports dangerously ill with lobar pneumonia

20th Aug 1916 - returned to England from 6 G.H.

2nd Feb 1917 - Embarked Folkestone to Boulogne, back to battalion at Etaples 

21st April 1917 - appointed paid Lance Corporal.

25th Sept 1917 - Missing

On the 04th March 1917, William transferred to the C Company, 4th Battalion of The Kings Liverpool Regiment. He had reached the rank of Lance Corporal when he was killed in action on 25th September 1917, aged 26.

He was reported as Missing in Weekly Casualty List of 20th November 1917.

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Schofield, 17480, L.-Cpl. W. (Liverpool);

His family wrote an In Memoriam notice in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 27 September 1919;   

ROLL OF HONOUR. 

SCHOFIELD - In loving memory of my dear son, L.-Cpl. William Schofield, 19th K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action Sept. 25, 1917; also our dear son, Pte. Frederick Schofield, 20th K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action July 1. 1916, (Fondly remembered by their loving father, mother, sisters, and brothers.)  

We do not forget them,  

Nor do we intend,  

We think of them daily,  

and will to the end;  

We mourn them in silence and sorrow unseen,  

And dwell on the memories of days that have been.  

SCHOFIELD—In loving memory of my dear brother, Lce.-Corpl. William Schofield, 19th K.I.R. (Pals), killed in action Sept 25th, 1917. Also my brother, Pte. Frederick Schofield, 20th K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action July 1, 1916.  

Forgotten by some in this world they may be,  

But never one moment forgotten by me. —Fondly remembered by their loving sister, Mattie.  

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

On his relatives statement in 1919 brother Thomas Edwin, aged 40, was in Philadelphia, America. 

Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £8 14s 6d and War Gratuity of £13 10s went to his father, Thomas E. The pensions of William and Frederick went to Thomas and sister Sarah Ellen. 
 
His father, Thomas, died aged 83, in 1924, and his, mother, aged 86 in 1935. 

William is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 39   

St Cleopas School, Toxteth.

His brother Frederick Gordon Schofield who was born in 1886 was also a Liverpool Pal, serving as Private 29135 in the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He was killed in action on 03rd July 1916 and like his brother he has no known grave, his name being recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

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