Pte 10630 John Farrell

• Age: 35
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 2nd August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

John Farrell was born on 11th August 1881 at Liverpool and was baptised 27th August 1881 at  Our Lady of Reconciliation de La Salette, Liverpool. He was the son of John and Margaret Anne Farrell (nee Doyle). 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 20 Court, Hornby Street, Liverpool. His  father, John, is aged 32, born 1859 in Dublin and is a general labourer, whilst his mother Margaret Anne is also aged 32, she born in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. They have two children at the time of the Census, Thomas aged 14, born 1877 and John aged 10, born 1881 and they are both at school and were both born in Liverpool. 

The 1901 Census shows the family now living at 23, Westmoreland Place, Liverpool. His father John is recorded as aged 39, (showing year of birth as 1862) he is a mason’s labourer and his wife Margaret Anne is also now aged 39 (her year of birth changing from 1859) and has no occupation listed. Their two sons, Thomas aged 22, (showing year of birth as 1879) is a dock board storekeeper and John aged 19, showing as born in born 1882 is a general labourer.

His mother Margaret Anne died in December 1903 aged 41 and his father John died in June 1909 aged 48.

He enlisted in Liverpool as Private 10630,  joining the 4th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment and his medal card shows that John arrived in France on 20^th April 1915. This was earlier than the Liverpool Pals battalions who did not depart from England until 07th November 1915. Given his service number of 10630 it is entirely probable that John was transferred as he was serving in the 20th Battalion as Private No 10630 when he was killed in action.

SDGW show his death on the 02nd July, 1917 whilst CWGC show his date of death as 02^nd August 1917 during the opening days of the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

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