L/Cpl 16131 Henry Edward Carroll

• Age: 22
• From: Wallasey, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 4th December 1917
• Commemorated at: Bedford House Cem Encl 4
  Panel Ref: VI.D.12

Henry Edward was born in Wallasey in 1895, the son of Matthew Carroll and his wife Ann Jane (nee Carty) who were married in 1888 in the West Derby registration district.

The 1901 Census shows the family have moved across the Mersey and are living at 9 Geneva Road, Seacombe. Henry is 5 years of age and lives with his parents and six siblings;  John aged 12, Mary aged 10, Joseph 8, Annie 6, Norah 3 and Dorothy Agnes aged 1.

By the 1911 Census the family have moved again to 57 Wright Street, Liscard. Henry Edward a 15 year old office boy and lives with his parents and eight siblings. His parents advise that they have been married for 23 years and have had 10 children, nine of whom have survived. Henry's siblings recorded at the property are; John now 22 and employed as a clerk in the provision trade, Mary a 20 year old dressmaker, Joseph an 18 year old apprentice engineer, Ann a 16 year old book keepers assistant, the remaining children are at school, Nora Frances 13, Dorothy Agnes 11, Ellen Josephine 9 and Francis Leo who is 6.

Henry’s Service Record shows that he enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 01st September 1914 joining the 17th Battalion as Private 16131. He gave his age as 19 yrs and 105 days old and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being 5’8” tall, weighed 132lbs with a 37 inch chest. he had a dark complexion with grey eyes and brown hair and his religion was stated as Roman Catholic.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

His service records show:

01/9/1916 - Awarded 1st good conduct badge for 2 years service

10-20/8/1917 - On leave to the UK.

He was appointed a Lance Corporal on 28th August 1917.

Henry Edward was killed in action on 04th December 1917, aged 22.

The 17th Battalion Diary for 04th December 1917 shows the following:

Battalion in front line. Work on wiring and rivetting Perth Avenue. Patrols sent out at night for identification of enemy in front etc. 

Casualties: Killed 2 OR, Wounded 4 OR  

Their were three men of the 17th Battalion killed on 04th December 1917, it is possible that one of the 4 OR's referred to as Wounded also died that day.

Those killed were: Private John Barker, Lance Corporal Henry Edward Carroll and Private Charles Greenwood.   

He now rests at Bedford House Cemetery Enclosure No. 4. 

Zillebeke village and most of the commune were in the hands of Commonwealth forces for the greater part of the First World War, but the number of cemeteries in the neighbourhood bears witness to the fierce fighting in the vicinity from 1914 to 1918.

Bedford House, sometimes known as Woodcote House, were the names given by the Army to the Chateau Rosendal, a country house in a small wooded park with moats. Although it never fell into German hands, the house and the trees were gradually destroyed by shell fire. It was used by field ambulances and as the headquarters of brigades and other fighting units, and charcoal pits were dug there from October 1917.

In time, the property became largely covered by small cemeteries; five enclosures existed at the date of the Armistice, but the graves from No.1 were then removed to White House Cemetery, St. Jean, and those from No.5 to Aeroplane Cemetery, Ypres.

ENCLOSURE No.2 was begun in December 1915, and used until October 1918. After the Armistice, 437 graves were added, all but four of which came from the Ecole de Bienfaisance and Asylum British Cemeteries, both at Ypres.

ENCLOSURE No.3, the smallest, was used from February 1915 to December 1916; the burials made in August-October 1915 were largely carried out by the 17th Division.

ENCLOSURE No.4, the largest, was used from June 1916 to February 1918, largely by the 47th (London) Division, and after the Armistice it was enlarged when 3,324 graves were brought in from other burial grounds and from the battlefields of the Ypres Salient. Almost two-thirds of the graves are unidentified.

ENCLOSURE No.6 was made in the 1930s from the graves that were continuing to be found on the battlefield of the Ypres Salient. This enclosure also contains Second World War burials, all of them soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force, who died in the defence of the Ypres-Comines canal and railway at the end of May 1940. The canal lies on high ground on the west side of the cemetery.

Commonwealth casualties buried in the following smaller cemeteries were either concentrated into Bedford House Cemetery after the war or if lost, are now commemorated in Bedford House Cemetery.

In all, 5,139 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War are buried or commemorated in the enclosures of Bedford House Cemetery. 3,011 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials name casualties buried in other cemeteries whose graves could not be found on concentration. Second World War burials number 69 (3 of which are unidentified). There are 2 Germans buried here.

The cemetery was designed by W.C. Von Berg.

A newspaper report of Henry's death relates:

"Of the Liverpool Pals killed in action was a son of Mr M Carroll of Wright Street, Egremont,Cheshire and a member of St Albans (Mill Lane, Liscard) congregation. He was 22 years of age and joined the Pals at the beginning of the war and is described as "a great favourite  reasoning of his strength of character and cheerfulness". In June of last year his brother John (Pte 21645 19th Bn) made the supreme sacrifice in France.

A further report displayed the sympathy of Henry Edward's pals to the family :

Second Son Lost

A Comrade’s Touching Tribute

Wallasey residents will extend their heartfelt sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. Carroll, of 57, Wright Street, who have lost their second son in France – Lance-Corporal Harry E. Carroll, of the Liverpool Pals, who was killed in action on Dec, 4th. The deceased young soldier was a man of marked character, fond of boxing, football, swimming, and other sports which go to make healthy manhood. He played for St. Joseph’s F.C. and several other local teams, but when Lord Derby’s call came he was one of the first to shoulder the rifle. He was only 22 years of age, and was home on leave last August. He was formerly on the office staff of Elkingtons’s, the Liverpool goldsmiths. A friend in the same company, Private B. Webster, writing to the bereaved parents, says:- “May it console you to know that never was there a truer friend to myself and many others than you son; not only did he possess all the qualities of a British gentleman and soldier, but he possessed them all to such a degree that he invariably inspired in others who had the good fortune to call him “friend,” and they had a deep respect and admiration for his strength of character and cheerfulness under all circumstances. Believe me that in this, the second blow that Fate has dealt you, our thoughts are with you, for great as is your loss, I assure you ours is no little. May the cause for which he and you have made this greatest of all sacrifices and the knowledge that no truer gentleman ever found rest, reconcile you to your loss.”

Personal items returned:- photographs, religious medallions, religious book, letters, note book, metal watch (broken).

Soldiers Effects to father Matthew, the Pension for both Henry and John went to mother Ann Jane

His brother JOHN CARROLL was born on the 14th December 1888 in Liverpool and was baptised on the 16th December 1888 at St Annes Roman Catholic Church, Liverpool. He was Private 21465 and he also gave his life serving with the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment on 26th June 1916.

Henry Edward and John are both commemorated on Wirral Civic Memorial and Wirral Roll of Honour and St Alban's RC church, Liverpool.

Henry Edward is also commemorated at Emmanuel C of E Church, New Brighton.

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