Pte 57787 Henry Ferguson Garnham

• Age: 19
• From: Chester Le Street Durham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Sunday 5th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Ljssenthoek
  Panel Ref: XVII.B.7

Henry Ferguson Garnham was born in 1897 in Edmondsley, Chester Le Street, the son of Thomas Garnham and his wife Hannah Jane (nee Ferguson) of Dawdon, Seaham Harbour, County Durham.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 15 Newfield, New Pelton, Chester Le Street, Durham. His father is aged 35 and employed as a coal miner, and his mother is aged 43  and has no occupation listed. At the time of the Census they have seven children living in the household; John aged 14, employed as a colliery labourer above aground, Catherine aged 12, Mary Ann aged 10, Sarah Jane aged 9, Errington Thomas aged 6 and Henry Ferguson aged 3.  

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved and are living at 41 Stone Row, Grange Villa, Court Durham. His father is aged 45, born in County Durham in 1866 and is a coal miner, and his mother, Hannah Jane, is aged 43, born 1868 in County Durham. They have been married for twenty four years and have had ten children of which two have died. The surviving children in the household are: John aged 24, born 1887 is a coal miner, Kathleen(named Catherine in 1901 Census) aged 22 born 1889, Mary Ann aged 20, born 1891 and Sarah Jane aged 19, born 1892 have no occupation listed, Errington Thomas aged 17, born 1894 works in a colliery, Henry Ferguson aged 13, is at school, Florence aged 15, born 1896  no occupation and Perry aged 7,  born 1904 all born in County Durham.

Henry was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 57787 when he died of wounds on the 05th August 1917, aged 19, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

He now lies in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“WE SHALL MEET BEYOND THE RIVER”

During the First World War, the village of Lijssenthoek was situated on the main communication line between the Allied military bases in the rear and the Ypres battlefields. Close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations. The cemetery was first used by the French 15th Hopital D'Evacuation and in June 1915, it began to be used by casualty clearing stations of the Commonwealth forces.

From April to August 1918, the casualty clearing stations fell back before the German advance and field ambulances (including a French ambulance) took their places.

The cemetery contains 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 24 being unidentified. There are 883 war graves of other nationalities, mostly French and German, 11 of these are unidentified. There is 1 Non World War burial here.

The only concentration burials were 24 added to Plot XXXI in 1920 from isolated positions near Poperinghe and 17 added to Plot XXXII from St. Denijs Churchyard in 1981.

Eight of the headstones are Special Memorials to men known to be buried in this cemetery, these are located together alongside Plot 32 near the Stone of Remembrance.

The cemetery, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, is the second largest Commonwealth cemetery in Belgium.

Soldiers Effects to his mother Sarah Jane and pension to sister Kathleen, mother and father.

The Chester-Le-Street Chronicle of 07th February 1919 has him listed as H.E.Garnham of Grange Villa.

Henry's loss was the second to befall the family as his brother Private Errington Thomas Garnham 27/1487, Regiment Northumberland Fusiliers, 27th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion, died on o1st July 1916, aged 22,  on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Henry is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Weslyan Methodist Church Roll of Honour Chester Le Street, Beamish,

Sons of Temperance Roll of Honour, Grange Villa, St Hild

St Helen Memorial, Dawdon.

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