1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 12422 Joseph Danby
- Age: 23
- From: Liverpool
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
- K.I.A Wednesday 27th March 1918
- Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
Panel Ref: P21-23
Joseph Danby was born in Liverpool on 20th August 1894 the son of Alfred Danby and his wife Jessie (nee Whyte). His parents married at St Mary's Church, Edge Hill on 01st April 1885 and had nine children. Joseph had older siblings George, Adelaide, Robert (died age 1), and James, and younger siblings William, Jessie, Margaret, and Lena (died age 1). He was baptised at St Peter's Church, Liverpool on 03rd September 1894. His father's occupation is shown as a hotel porter and the family home in Irvine Street.
His mother died in the fourth quarter of 1906.
The 1911 Census shows Joseph aged 16 and recorded as an upholsterer, living with his widowed father and brother at 8 Cranbourne Street, Liverpool. His father is now a ships steward. His brother James is a painter.
Joseph enlisted in Liverpool two days before his 20th birthday, on 18th August 1914, as Private 12422 King’s Liverpool Regiment, giving his age as 19 years, and his occupation as painter. He is described as being 5’ 3” tall, weighing 105 lbs, with a 34” chest and gave his religion as Church of England.. He gives his next of kin his as his father, Alfred, at 8 Cranbourne Street. He was posted to the 11th King’s Liverpool Regiment on 27th August 1914. The 11th Battalion was formed at Seaforth on 23 August 1914 and attached to the 14th (Light) Division. They were converted to a Pioneer Battalion on 11th January 1915.
On 28th December 1916 he was deprived of 3 days’ pay, for being continually late on parade.
In 1917 they fought in the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, the First and Third Battles of the Scarpe at Arras, the Battle of Langemarck and at Passchendaele.
The battalion went into action at Hooge. They were in action again in the attack on Bellewaarde. In 1916 at the Somme they were involved in the Battles of Delville Wood and Flers-Courcelette.
28/12/1916 deprived of 3 days’ pay, continually late on parade
In 1917 they fought in the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, the First and Third Battles of the Scarpe at Arras, the Battle of Langemarck and at Passchendaele. It was during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele), on 12th October 1917 that Joseph was posted to 20th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment Upon the disbandment of the 20th Battalion on 07th February 1918 he transferred to the 17th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment.
Joseph was killed in action on the 27th March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive.
The Battalion diary for 27th March 1918 gives an insight into the events of the day
FOLIES
Orders received that Battalion with the exception of 2 Companies at ROUVROY were to march to HANGEST and take up defensive positions there. H.Q. Company went forward. The remaining Company on arriving at Strong point near wood in K.15 were ordered by Genl Stevens (90th Brigade) to man that strong point.In the afternoon, orders were received to occupy position E. of BOUCHOIR -WARVILLERS road with this Company in conjunction with 18th KLR and 2nd Bn Yorks Regt. Part of H.Q. Company returned at about 5.30pm the remainder having been ordered to take up defensive position in HANGEST. Hostile shelling continued during the night, increasing in volume the following morning.
Joseph has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France.
The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.
The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.
His family placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 6th May 1918:
“March 27, killed in action, age 23 years, Joseph, the beloved nephew of John and Lena Danby. Fondly remembered by Aunt, Uncle, and Cousins. One of the best.”
We currently have no further information on Joseph Danby, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
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