Pte 51898 John Henry Carlisle

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

John Henry Carlisle was born 10th September 1896 in Liverpool and baptised 17th September 1896 at All Souls Church, Liverpool. He was the eldest son of Thomas Henry Carlisle and his wife Catherine (nee Murray) who were married in St Matthews Church, Scotland Road, Liverpool in August 1891.

The 1901 census shows the four year old John living with his parents at 9/3 Virgil Street, Everton. His father Thomas is 29 and is working as a dock labourer. His mother is 25 and is at home looking after John, and his sister Mary aged 6 and Christopher aged 2. All the family had been born in Liverpool.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 24 Virgil Street, Liverpool. John’s father is now working as a fruit porter born in Liverpool. The census records that his parents have been married for twenty years and that Catherine has borne nine children of which two have died. All seven surviving children are living at home. As well as Mary, John and Christopher, the couple have: Thomas aged 10, Elizabeth aged 7, Sarah Ann aged 4, and Josephine aged 2.

John enlisted in Liverpool initially joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. After a transfer he was was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 51898 when he was killed in action at some time between the 31st July and the 4th August 1917, aged 20, during the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August.

He was reported killed in the local press on  18th September 1917.

John’s date of death is given as a range 31st July-4th August on his pension records. The Commonwealth War Grave Commission has it as 4th August 17, but his parents took it as being 31st July.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Express on the 10th September 1917:

LIVERPOOL'S FALLEN HEROES

Pte. John Carlisle K.L.R. killed in action on July 31st, age 21, was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs T Carlisle, 24 Virgil-street, Liverpool. He had been recommended on three occasions. He was one of All Soul's scholars and before he joined up was employed by L.Connolly and Co. Stanley-street.    

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His parents took out a notice in the Liverpool Echo on the  first anniversary of his death in 1918:

Carlisle – In loving memory of our son John, killed in action July 31st 1917, 17th King’s Liverpool Regiment, France.

Could I, his mother, have clasped his hand,

The son I loved so well,

To kiss his brow when death was nigh,

And whisper “John, farewell!”

It’s only a mother who knows the sorrow,

It’s only a mother who knows the pain,

Of losing a son she loved so dearly

Yet knows she will meet him in heaven again.

One year ago, it seems so long,

Since first the tidings came,

Since in the list of those who fell

We read our dear brother’s name.

We do not forget him, nor do we intend;

We think of him daily, and will to the end.

From his sorrowing Mother and Father, Sisters and Brothers, 24 Virgil Street.

His father Thomas H. received his Soldiers Effects, and his mother Catherine was awarded a pension of 12/- a week commencing 26th February 1918.

John’s parents were still living at 24 Virgil Street at the time of the 1939 Register, his sister Mary was living there too

Grateful thanks are extended to Joe Devereux for permission to use the photograph of John now shown on this site.  

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