Pte 57859 Henry Arthur Dodd

• Age: 20
• From: Newcastle-on-Tyne
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 21st September 1917
• Commemorated at: Torreken Farm
  Panel Ref: E.14

Henry Arthur Dodd was born in the first quarter of 1897 in Newcastle, the son of Joseph Dodd and his wife Catherine (nee Reed), of 30 Suffolk Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, who were married in Newcastle in 1886. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 377 Scotswood Road, Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne. His father, Joseph, is a 50 year old clerk (in charge of a gun), his mother shown as Kate is 48 years of age. There are two children in the household; Henry aged 4 and Florence Jessie aged 3.   

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 10 Ivy Street Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. His father Joseph is shown as aged 49, born 1862 at Newcastle Upon Tyne and is a clerk. Henry's mother Catherine is shown as aged 50, born 1861 in Gateshead. They have been married for twenty four years and have had four children of which one had died. The children listen on the Census are: Henry Arthur is aged 14, born 1897, Florence Jessie aged 13, born 1898 and Eveline aged 9, born 1902 are at school. They were all born in Newcastle Upon Tyne.  

Henry Arthur enlisted in Newcastle and served with the Northumberland Divisional Cyclists as Private 1948 and the Army Cyclist Corps as Private 15860. His Medal Index Card indicates he arrived in France on the 18th April 1915, some six months before the 18th Battalion arrived. At some point he transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 57859 and was killed in action on the 21st September, 1917, aged 20, during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). 

18^th Battalion War Diary for 21^st September 1917

Parr Torreken Farm

9.30 pm

Relieved 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment in support to Left Battalion, Right Brigade. Enemy shelled area heavily during relief.

Casualties  

Killed

235281 Pte C. H. Bitten

29693 Pte J. Lyon

307277 Pte H. Clifford

57589 Pte H. A. Dodd

300042 Pte W.H. Reed

300040 Pte J. Boon

Henry Arthur now rests at Torreken Farm Cemetery No.1, Whytschaete, Belgium.

Wytschaete was taken by the Germans early in November 1914, and was recovered by Commonwealth forces during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917, but fell into German hands once more on 16 April 1918. The village was retaken for the last time on 28 September.  The cemetery, begun by the 5th Dorset Regiment in June 1917 and used as a front line cemetery until April 1918, contains 90 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 14 German war graves.

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