Cpl 265006 John Gilduff

• Age: 33
• From: Kirkintillock, Dumbartonshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 20th September 1917
• Commemorated at: Bridge House Langemarck
  Panel Ref: B.16

John Gilduff was born 18th November 1883 in Kirkintillock, Dumbartonshire, the son of the late Edward and Elizabeth Gilduff (nee Young), of 14 Prince Rupert St, Everton, Liverpool. They had married in West Derby Registry Office, Liverpool in 1883. Edward died in ecember 1894. John's Catholic confirmation took place 30th October 1894 at St Joseph's Church, Liverpool.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 15 Grosvenor Street, Liverpool. His father, Edward, is aged 29, born in Liverpool, in 1862 is a stonemason, his mother, Elizabeth, is aged 27, born in 1864 in Newcastle and has no occupation listed. They have three children at the time of the Census, John aged 7, born 1884 in Liverpool (parish records show Kirkintilloch, Scotland), Elizabeth aged 3, born 1888 in Todmorden and Edward aged 1, born 1890 in Bradford.   

The 1901 Census shows the family living at their grandmothers house in 21 Grosvenor Street Liverpool.  His grandmother, Bridget, is a widow aged 73, born 1828 and is a dealer in second hand clothes and was born in Ireland. His mother Elizabeth is aged 37, born 1864 and is a char woman born in Northumberland, John aged 17, born 1884 is a dock labourer, Edward aged 11 and Ethel aged 4, born 1897.

The 1911 Census shows John living as a boarder at 57 Ogwen Street, Liverpool and he is aged 27 and his occupation is dock labourer. 

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Corporal 265006 when he was killed in action on the 20^th September, 1917 aged 33 during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). (He enlisted at the same time as his brother Edward as they have consecutive service numbers).

Details of the attack in which John was killed were recorded in the battalion diary:

19^th September 1917 – In support in Denys Wood.  Battalion relieved 17^th KLR in front line. Relief complete about 11 p.m.   

20^th September 1917 – A raid was carried out by a party of the battalion of 25 OR under Capt. C. Laird, just before 6 a.m. on The Twins. Enemy machine gun fire, however, proved too much for them, although several attempts were made to reach the objective.  Capt. C. Laird was killed in the operation, also 6 OR, and 14 OR were wounded.

Graham Maddocks in “Liverpool Pals”, p.178, explains:  “The remainder of September was fairly uneventful for the rest of the Pals Battalions, except for two trench raids made by the 19^th Battalion on 20 September 1917, which, elsewhere on the Salient, was the opening day of the phase of the offensive later referred to as the Battle of the Menin Road. These raids were made for two purposes. The first was an attempt to confuse the enemy as to the intensity and direction of the main attack, and the second was to try to capture two blockhouses known as ‘The Twins’, which commanded the 19^th Battalion’s trench front, and thus was able to dominate all its movement. The raiding party, consisting of Captain C. Laird, and twenty-five other ranks left the British front line at 6.00 a.m. and moved into No Man’s Land. However, it was soon spotted, and machine guns opened fire from the blockhouses. Despite a most determined effort to carry the objectives, the situation was hopeless from the start, and Laird and six other ranks were killed and fourteen more soldiers were wounded.”

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on the 12th October 1917:

GILDUFF - September 20, killed in action, aged 33 years, Corporal John Gilduff, eldest son of the late Edward and Elizabeth Gilduff - sadly mourned by Mother, Sisters and Brother Ted (with the colours).

John now rests in Bridge House Cemetery, Langemarck, his headstone bears the epitaph:  

“SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY ON HIM R.I.P.”

Bridge House Cemetery, named after a farmhouse, was made by the 59th (North Midland) Division at the end of September 1917. All the graves but five are those of soldiers of that division, and all except one date from 26-28 September and the Battle of Polygon Wood. The cemetery contains 45 First World War burials, four of them unidentified. The cemetery was designed by A J S Hutton.

Hisbrother Ted Sergeant #50 and #265005 2/7KLR  then commissioned 2/Lt King's Liverpool Regt., survived the war and applied for medals from Pemberton, W.Australia]

He was reported killed in the Weekly Casualty List on the 30th October 1917 as J.W.Gilduff

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Elizabeth.

His mother Elizabeth died December 1932, aged 68.

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