Pte 46416 Thomas Alexander Dangerfield

• Age: 19
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Monday 12th November 1917
• Commemorated at: Lijssenthoek M C Poperinghe
  Panel Ref: XXVII.A.16

Thomas Alexander Dangerfield was born 08^th February 1898 at Liverpool and was baptised 16^th February 1898 at St Saviour’s C. of E. Church, Liverpool. He was the son of John and Alice Dangerfield (nee Harrow), of 26, Lonsdale St, Liverpool. He was educated at St Saviour School, Falkner Square, Huskisson Street.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 26, Lonsdale Street, Liverpool. The father John aged 47, born 1854 is a coal carter and was born in Liverpool. His wife Alice is aged 40, born 1861 and has no occupation listed. They have five children living with them at the time of the Census, John aged 17, born 1884 is an errand boy, Elizabeth aged 15, Florence aged 6, born 1895, Thomas aged 3, born 1898 and George born 1901 who were all born in Liverpool. They also have a stepson Arthur McConvill aged 21, born 1880 in Liverpool and he is employed as a coal carter.

The 1911 Census shows the family still living at 26, Lonsdale Street, Liverpool. The father John aged 58, is employed as a carter and his wife Alice is aged 51 and has no occupation listed. They have been married for 17 years and have five children. At the time of the Census, they have two children living with them, Thomas aged 14 and George aged 11.

His father John aged 58, born in Liverpool in 1853 is a coal carter, while his mother, Alice, is aged 51, born 1860 in Liverpool as were their children. They have been married for seventeen years, Thomas Alexander is aged 14, and George aged 11, born 1900.  

His mother Alice died June 1913.

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 46416 when he died of wounds after a receiving a gunshot wound to the chest and passed away at 12.20pm on the 12^th November 1917 aged 19

He now lies in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, Belgium.

During the First World War, the village of Lijssenthoek was situated on the main communication line between the Allied military bases in the rear and the Ypres battlefields. Close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations. The cemetery was first used by the French 15th Hopital D'Evacuation and in June 1915, it began to be used by casualty clearing stations of the Commonwealth forces.

From April to August 1918, the casualty clearing stations fell back before the German advance and field ambulances (including a French ambulance) took their places.

The cemetery contains 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 24 being unidentified. There are 883 war graves of other nationalities, mostly French and German, 11 of these are unidentified. There is 1 Non World War burial here.

The only concentration burials were 24 added to Plot XXXI in 1920 from isolated positions near Poperinghe and 17 added to Plot XXXII from St. Denijs Churchyard in 1981.

Eight of the headstones are Special Memorials to men known to be buried in this cemetery, these are located together alongside Plot 32 near the Stone of Remembrance.

The cemetery, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, is the second largest Commonwealth cemetery in Belgium.

He is also commemorated on the war memorial at St Saviour’s School, Liverpool.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his father John.

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