Pte 31013 John Askew

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 26th June 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.L.24

John Askew was born in the March quarter of 1896, the youngest of five children born to William, a cowkeeper and his wife Margaret Matilda (nee Jones). His parents married at St. Anne's Church, Stanley, Liverpool in 1885.

The 1891 Census shows the family are living at 23 Kensington Street (off Kensington), Liverpool.  John's father, William, is a 27 year old milk cowkeeper born in Liverpool, whilst his mother, Margaret, is 29 years of age and was born in Birkenhead. They live with their three eldest children; Isabella 4, Thomas 2, Catherine Jane 8 months. 

His father William died in the June quarter of 1898, aged 34.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 19 Mill Yard, Knotty Ash, Liverpool. John;s widowed mother, Margaret Matilda, is 37 years of age and is a charwoman, she is living with four of her children; Isabella 15 is a domestic servant, Catherine  aged 10, William aged 8, and John who is 5. All the children were born in Liverpool.

In the 1911 Census the family have moved again to 1 Spring Court, Prescot Road, Liverpool, her eldest son having married in 1910 and moved out, Matilda lives with her other 4 children. John is employed as a butcher’s boy while his elder brother, William, aged 19 years, is an Assistant Rope Maker. 

John’s Service Record is unavailable but he served in France from 1916, earning 2 medals with the 20th Battalion, of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 31013. 

John was one of 9 Pals of the 20th Battalion killed in action on 26^th June 1916. He was 20 years of age.

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals describes how during that evening the 20^th Battalion relieving the 2^nd Bedfords in the front line near Maricourt was subject to a severe German bombardment which killed nine other ranks, fatally wounded 2^nd Lieutenant William Hall Jowett who died 2 days later, and wounded 3 other officers and 47 men.  John Askew was amongst the 9 killed, the others being Privates W.H.Aitken, M. Bennett, W. Bowden, J. Colligan, F. Davis, A. Howell, P. Prince and P. Simmons. 

All of these men now rest at Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery.

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.

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. It contained the graves of 887 French soldiers, 260 from the United Kingdom and six German. 

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.

John was reported killed in the Liverpool Daily Post 18th July 1916

His death was also reported in the Liverpool Echo on 05th August 1916

KILLED WHEN CARRYING RATIONS

News has been received by Mrs Askew of 149 Prescot Road, Knotty Ash, of the death of her youngest son Private John Askew K.L.R. (the "Pals"), who was killed in action. A comrade, in a letter to Mrs Askew, wrote:  "Your son did noble a task, namely carrying rations to his comrades while under shellfire."

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Margaret.

His family paid tribute to John on the first anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Daily Post on 28th June 1917

ASKEW - In loving memory of John (our Jack), aged 20 years, killed in action June 27th 1916, youngest son of Matilda and the late William Askew.

And with the morn that angel's face will smile

Which we have loved long since and lost awhile.

In life faithful, in death peacefully sleeping.

- From his sorrowing Mother, Sisters, and brothers (serving) of 149 Prescot Road, Knotty Ash.

John is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St John the Evangelist Church of England Memorial, Knotty Ash

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 16 Right. 

His mother died in the September quarter of 1926, aged 64. 

It is possible that his brother, William, served as Private 2832 with the 22^nd Battalion KLR, enlisting on 10^th December 1915, aged 22 years 9 months, a farm teamsman, and giving his next of kin as his mother, Matilda, 149 Prescot Road, Liverpool. In April 1917 he was posted to the Household Battalion Reserve (an infantry battalion)at Windsor and on 23^rd August 1917 embarked for France and was posted to the Guards Entrenching Battalion, but “retaining Household Cavalry pay”. On 25^th January 1918 he was posted to 1^st Battalion Welsh Guards whom he joined in the field on 3^rd April 1918. William was demobilized on 31^st March 1920.

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