Pte 57020 William Edwin Fulcher

• Age: 23
• From: Croydon, Surrey
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 1st August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

William Edwin Fulcher was born 28^th August 1893 in Croydon and was the son of Andrew Fulcher and his wife Fanny Abigail (nee Chappell). His parents married in the September quarter of 1892.

On the 1901 census the family are living at "Fernside", Temple Rd, Croydon.His father, Andrew, is a 39 year old collector for Croydon Gas and was born in Shipdham, Norfolk, whilst his mother Fanny A. is aged 32 and was born in Croydon. Their children all born in Croydon are listed as; William E. 7, Thomas L. 6, Joseph Norman 1.

On 27 August 1901 William & Thomas were admitted to Archbishop Tenison's Boys School, Croydon, from a private school. Both left on 23 July 1904, and WE Fulcher appears on the Whitgift Middle School list for the third term of 1904 as a member of the Middle Second Form. As one TL Fulcher joined Whitgift Middle in late 1905 we are confident that William was a pupil at Pump Pail. Both boys are last mentioned in the school roll of second term 1907, and, after 15 months at a private school in South Croydon, William became a pupil at Whitgift Grammar School in North End, Croydon, in January 1909. He did not stay long, departing on 11 December, presumably to join the Croydon Gas Company in Katherine Street where their offices & showroom were sited.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 1 Temple Road, Croydon. His  father Andrew is now aged 49, born 1862 and is a collector for Croydon Gas Company, whilst his mother Fanny Abigail is aged 42, born 1869 with no occupation listed. They have been married for 18 years and have had four children of which one had died. Those listed on the Census are;  William Edwin aged 17, born 1894 and is a ledger clerk for the Croydon Gas Company, Thomas Leonard aged16, born 1895 is a student and Joseph Norman aged 11, born 1900 is at school.

He enlisted on the 24^th October at Croydon aged 22 years and one month and gave his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet ten inches tall, weighed 126lbs, had a fresh complexion, blue eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England.

Allocated service no. 11047 he joined the Royal Flying Corps’ No. 9 (Wireless) Squadron, the School for Wireless Operators, the following day based at the Town Hall in South Farnborough. The squadron’s main aim was to provide instruction in the field and to fly with other RFC squadrons to provide communication with allied forces on the ground. Whether William was unable to meet the exacting standards for a wireless operator, or there were health issues, he was discharged on 29 February 1916 as: “Unfitted for the duties of the Corps.” The surviving records then state that William transferred to the London Regiment as Private no. 3484. Although no battalion was entered in his record or his service prior to joining the King’s Liverpool Regiment, further research indicates William joined the 2nd/25th (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment (Cyclist) in March 1916. 

He was then transferred to the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Pals) who had suffered heavy casualties during the Battle of the Somme, and a large number of cyclists were transferred from various brigades to fill the gaps, among them men from the London Cyclist Company, landing in France on or around 12 December 1916.

William was serving with the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 57020 when he was killed in action by a shell on the 01st August 1917, aged 23, during the third Battle of Ypres, more commonly known as Passchendaele.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, 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.

William earned two medals the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Soldiers Effects to father Andrew, no Pension record found (S/E state 31st July as date of death)

William is also commemorated on the War Memorial at Archbishop Tenison's CE High School, Selbourne Road, Croydon.

Probate of his estate: Fulcher William Edwin of 1 Temple Road, Croydon, Surrey. Private 17^th King’s Liverpool Regiment died 3 August 1917 in France of wounds received in action. Administration (with will)  London 18 January to Andrew Fulcher, collector gas company. Effects £164 8s 6d.

His father died in the December quarter of 1938, aged 76.

His mother died in the December quarter of 1939, aged 71. 

Grateful thanks are extended to Mark Gardiner for further detail concerning William's service with the RAF, the London Cyclists and the Liverpool Pals.

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