Pte 21465 John Carroll

• Age: 27
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 26th June 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.K.30

John Carroll was born in the March quarter of 1889 at Liverpool. He was the eldest of eight children born to Matthew, a plumber, and his wife Ann Jane (nee Carty). His parents were married in 1888 in the West Derby Registration district of Liverpool.  

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 12 Leda Street, West Derby. John is two years of age and lives with his parents Matthew and Ann J  and new born sister Mary.

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

By the 1911 Census the family have moved again to 57 Wright Street, Liscard. John is now 22 and employed as a clerk in the provision trade. He 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. John's siblings recorded at the property are; Mary a 20 year old dressmaker, Joseph an 18 year old apprentice engineer, Ann a 16 year old book keepers assistant, Henry Edward a 15 year old office boy, the remaining children are at school, Nora Frances 13, Dorothy Agnes 11, Ellen Josephine 9 and Francis Leo who is 6.

John enlisted on the 11th September 1914 at Liverpool joining the 19^th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 21465. He gave his age as 25 years and 271 days and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet seven inches tall, weighed 128lbs, had a sallow complexion, brown eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Roman Catholic. His father Mathew Carroll 57 Wright St, Egremont was his next of kin.

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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.

His service records show: 

14.8.15: At Belton Park, Grantham: Dirty bayonet. Confined to barracks for two days 

7.11.15: He embarked for France from Folkestone with his battalion arriving at Boulogne.

14.1.16: Attached RAMC guard duties at Chipilly.

He was killed in action on the 26^th June 1916, aged 27, during a German artillery bombardment.

He was buried close to where he fell in Maricourt Military Cemetery and his grave marked with a cross.  The cemetery was at the south-east corner of the village, on the road to Clery. It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron.  It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July 1916.  After the war when graves were concentrated his body was removed and reinterred in Cerisy-Gailly Cemetery where he now rests.

Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme.

The cemetery now contains 745 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 114 of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties buried at Maricourt and Ste. Helene whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His death was featured in a report in the Birkenhead News dated 05th July 1916:

"Information has been received that Private J.Carroll, of the Liverpool Pals, the eldest son of Mr.and Mrs.Carroll, of 57,Wright-street, Egremont, was killed in action on June 27th. He was a well-known local footballer,and played both for Harroby and the Tower Amateurs F.C. He has a brother in the same regiment, who sent the sad news home. Prior to the war Private Carroll worked for Messrs.McEvoy, Pinnington and Co., provision merchants,of Liverpool."

Also in the Wallasey News dated 8th July 1916 

“One Of The Best”

Well-Known Local Footballer Killed

“As a soldier he was ‘one of the best,’ and you will feel proud that he died at his post doing his duty,” is the splendid tribute which one soldier pays to his fallen chum. The soldier who has laid down his life is Private Jack Carroll, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll, of 57, Wright Street, Egremont, who will be remembered by many as a former stalwart of Harrowby A.F.C.

Private Carroll was an old boy of St. Joseph’s School, Seacombe, and a member of the St. Joseph’s Club. He was employed on the office staff of Messrs. McEvoy and Pinnington, wholsesale provision merchants, with whom he had been since leaving school. He will be chiefly known in this district for his brilliant feats in amateur football circles, as he played for Harrowby at one time, and later for the New Brighton Tower Amateurs, and it will be remembered that he did the “hat trick” in his first match with the latter team against Cammell Laird’s. Latterly he had been playing for Brompton in the Central Park.

In the early stages of the war he joined the Liverpool “Pals,” and proceeded to the front with them some eight months ago. The first intimation of his death was received on Monday in a letter from his younger brother, Henry E. Carroll, who is in another battalion of the “Pals,” who said that he had been killed by a shell while in the trenches on Tuesday of last week. Mr. Carroll has received a letter of condolence from his son’s firm, and also several others from his chums.

Comrades’ Tribute

The following letter was sent on behalf of the platoon by J. Harrod, a local man who was in the trench at the time Carroll was killed:

“It is with deepest feelings of regret that I write to you on behalf of Jack’s most intimate friends in his platoon, conveying their sympathy in your sad bereavement. His loss will be keenly felt amongst us, as Jack was well liked by all whom he came in contact with, while as a soldier he was ‘one of the best,’ and you will feel proud that he died at his post doing his duty.

“No doubt you will have some consolation in knowing that his end came suddenly and he suffered no pain whatever; also that he received Holy Communion previous to starting off for the trenches on Saturday, June 17th. The Bishop of Nancy officiated at his funeral in the little cemetery just behind the firing line, and only a short distance from his cousin Leo.”

His Personal belongings were returned and included packet of letters, prayer book, tin box, set of rosary beads, set of rosary beads(broken),

Soldiers Effects to his father Mathew and pension to his mother Ann J.

The cousin referred to is Leo Carty, of Falkland Road, who was in the Cheshire Regiment, and was killed on 01st October 1915. He now rests at Carnoy Military Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph: 

ON WHOSE SOUL SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY

The brother to whom the report refers was John’s younger brother, Henry Edward, who served as Lance Corporal 16131 with the 17^th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment and was himself killed in action on 04^th December 1917. He rests at Bedford House Cemetery in Belgium. 

Both John and Henry Edward are commemorated on the following Memorials:

Wallasey Civic Memorial and Roll of Honour

St Albans Roman Catholic  Church, Liscard.

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