Pte 94184 Joseph George Aspey

• Age: 38
• From: Chester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Joseph George Aspey was born in 1879 in Chester, the son of Thomas Aspey and his wife Sarah Ann (nee Jay) who married in 1876 at St Oswald's Church, Chester.

His mother died in 1901 in Chester, aged 48.

In 1901 his widowed father Thomas, aged 39, a groom, is living at 34 Princess Street with his married daughter Jemima Duncalf 24, and his children William T. 22 a loco cleaner, Joseph George 21 a labourer, Frederick 18 a wagon maker, Albert 16 a groom, Alfred 14 a port boy, Sarah Ann 12, John Henry 13, Henry Ernest 9, and granddaughter Alice Duncalf 1. 

His father died in 1905 aged 53.

Joseph married Alice Donougher at St John's RC Church, Kirkdale on 12th March 1911, his brother John Henry of 35 Duke Street, Chester was one of the witnesses.

The 1911 Census shows Joseph George and his wife Alice are living at 63 Lambeth Road, Liverpool with his mother-in-law May Ann Donougher, a 56 year old widow, born in Birkenhead. Also present is Alice's brother, Matthew, a 34 year old car driver born in Kirkdale, Liverpool and her two sisters Mary aged 20 and a restaurant waitress and Elizabeth aged 16 who has no occupation listed. Joseph is 31 years of age and his occupation is shown as a restaurant waiter, his wife Alice is 24, born in Kirkdale and has no occupation recorded.

Joseph and Alice had a son Joseph George born on 16th May 1911 and baptised on 20th May 1911 at St John's RC Church. 

He enlisted in Liverpool and originally served as Private 244782, in the Cheshire Regiment and following a transfer was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 94184 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918, aged 38, during the German Spring Offensive.

Details of the action was recorded in the battalion diary:

By the 25^th April the battalion had taken up positions of readiness in the Voormezeele sector. According to the battalion War Diary, on the night of the 27^th, at 8.30 p.m. they moved to the line to relieve 4^th Bn, relief completed about 1 a.m.

28^th – At about 1 p.m. a company of composite battalion gave way on the left of our line and the Bosche penetrated from the Canal Bank to the left of my battalion front, which position he maintained despite 5 hours fighting. My reserve company was ordered to counter-attack and restore the position at 7.45 p.m. but enemy laid down a barrage at 7.43 a.m. and the counter attack was unable to proceed. The enemy bombardment lasted until 10.30 p.m. and I then organised a defensive flank.

29^th – At 3.30 a.m. heavy enemy bombardment opened, followed later (9.00 a.m.) by enemy attack and our line was forced back to G.H.Q.1 where I organised and held on to the position. The enemy got through on both flanks practically surrounding 2 of my companies. ‘A’ company was actually surrounded and after severe fighting were captured.

Joseph George has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to Widow Alice and child Joseph George, 63 Lambeth Rd, Kirkdale.

His son Joseph George married Ellen Thorne on 12th August 1931 at St Michaels Church, Liverpool. They had a daughter Patricia Ann in 1936 but sadly Joseph died in December 1937 and his widow Ellen re-married in 1940 to James Donnelly.

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