Pte 49044 William Corcoran

• Age: 29
• From: Bury
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

William was born in 1888 in Bury, Lancashire, the son of Joseph Corcoran and his wife Ellen (nee Green) who had married in Bury in 1886. Both Joseph and Ellen were born in Queens County (Laois), Ireland.

At the time of the 1891 Census Joseph was working as a labourer and the family were living at 16 Queen Street, Bury. Ellen is at home looking after their sons, John aged 5 and William aged 3.

The family had moved to 26 Cecil Street by the time of ther 1901 Census. Joseph is still a labourer and the couple have had three more children – Mary aged 9, Thomas aged 5 and Anne aged 11 months. 15 year old John is working as a weft carrier in a cotton mill and 12 year old William is at school.

The 1911 Census records Joseph and Ellen living with their family at the same address. They advise that they have been married for 26 years and have had seven children two of whom have sadly died. Their daughter Anne had died as a child, and the Census shows that Ellen had borne another child who had also died. All their surviving five children are living with them: John is working in a papermill, William is a house painter, Mary Ellen is a winder in a cotton mill, and Thomas is an errand boy for a draper, 7 year old Joseph is at school.

Prior to the war William had been employed by Messrs Rushton and Podesta, painters and decorators with whom he served his apprenticeship.

He attended St Marie's Roman Catholic Church.

William originally served as Private 39779 in the Lancashire Fusiliers before transferring to the 18th Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment and serving as Private 49044.

He was killed in action on the 31st July 1917, aged 29, on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18th Battalion was part of 21st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2nd Lieut. Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken. Not far away from this action, an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men were wounded. They were relieved on the 2nd August.

William's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.

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.

He is also commemorated on the Roll of Honour at St Marie's Roman Catholic Church.

His father died, aged 57, in the June quarter of 1923. His death was registered in Bury.

His mother died, aged 79, in the September quarter of 1937. Her death was regiostered in Bury.

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