Resiting of War Memorial

[Stephen Nulty]

Article from “Liverpool Echo” dated today, 6th April 2004.

“A new home has been found for a tribute to fallen war heroes which was uncovered in a derelict social club.

The two oak-panelled plaques honour 10 young footballers from Orrell FC who fought in the trenches during World War One and never came home.

The plaques had originally been on display on a memorial gate but were stored for safekeeping after being targeted by vandals. They we recovered 15 years later in the disused Leisure Time Social Club, Litherland, by former manager John Thompson.

He approached Sefton Council which has now found a permanent home for the memorial at nearby Orrell Mount Pavilion. The council is now appealing for realtives of the 10 players to get in touch. “

The soldiers are:-

Pte F Arthur Seanor, of Bootle. Kings Liverpool Regiment. Died 01/01/1916, aged 28.

L/Cpl Ivor Owen, 19th Btn, KLR. Died 30/07/1916, aged 25.

Pte Ernest Brookes, 1st/7th Btn, Lancashire Fusiliers. Died 20/12/1915.

Pte Charles A Boosey, 18th Btn, KLR. Died 09/07/1916, aged 20.

Sgt James G Paterson, 1st/10th KLR. Died 29/07/1915, aged 26.

Cpl Charles Constantine, 1st/10th KLR. Died 16/06/1915

Sgt G Harold Barlow, 19th KLR/ Died 30/07/1916, aged 23

Pte James Clarkson, 1st/10th KLR. Died 16/06/1915, aged 22

Pte Albert Price, 14th KLR. Died 14/09/1916.

H P Fairgrieve

[Old Chap]

Nice to see something positive happening with the memorial. Just a little side note regarding one the men mentioned on the memorial.

17044 Pte. Charles Boosey served in the 18th Liverpool Pals and was killed by the same shell which killed Lt.Col.E.H.Trotter of the Pals, at the Glatz Redoubt. There is an interesting write up regarding Pte.Boosey in Graham Maddocks's, BNattle groung Europe book, Montauban p154-156.

I seem to recall there being a picture of L.Cpl.Owen in the Liverpool Echo some years back as well.

Regards,

Bill

[john w.]

A good one to read I hope all goes well with it in the future and the relatives contact the right people.

John

[michaeldr]

It’s nice to see that this memorial is to be set up properly again and these men will not be forgotten. I notice that they all served in the Kings Liverpool Regiment, bar two, one of whom served with the Lancashire Fusiliers. The last man H P Fairgrieve has no details quoted

The CWGC lists 17 men of that name who fell in WWI, none of whom have both the initials which match this man, however there are two with the single initial P

Peter Fairgrieve, Pte. S/29967 Cameron Highlanders DoD 31/7/17 Ypre Memorial

& P. Fairgrieve, Pte. S/3612 Black Watch DoD 17/7/18 Cologne Southern Cemetery

It is not at all clear if either of these two men are the Fairgrieve remembered at Orrell

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Stephen Nulty]

Michael

Some months ago, there was an article in the same paper when the Memorials were actually found (the one referred to here is about the resiting).

At the time of the original article, the Echo asked for any known details of relatives of the men and I supplied all the information I could find from CMGC, also referring the author to SDGW. I mentioned the difficulty in identifying H P Fairgrieve. Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, no follow up article appeared with details of relatives being found, although it's possible that they were.

Old Chap - what's the write up on Mr Boosey to which you refer?

Stephen

[Old Chap]

Stephen,

Here's some of the write up,

'Lieutenant-Col. Trotter's servant, Pte Charles Arthur Boosey, is buried not far away from him in the same plot. Aged twenty at his time of death, Charles Boosey came from Kirkdale (Liverpool), where he lived with his parents. The same shell which killed his Colonel also killed Second Lieut.N.A.S.Barnard, Pte. Boosey and one other Pte. and mortally wounded the C.O. of the 18/Manchesters, Lieut-Col. W.A.Smith. The records of the CWGC erroneously state that Boosey was killed the following day, however.

It was only some time after Boosey's death that a remarkable story emerged involving Capt.J.H.Worthington, who had commanded A Company of the 16/Manchesters in the attack on Montauban. Worthington had been badly wounded in the assualt, in the right lung, left hand and thigh. Whilst lying on the battlefield, he had been discovered by Boosey who was almost certainly reconnoitiring the situation for his Colonel.. The story is best told by Boosey's father MR.Z.Boosey over the course of the next two years. It began with a letter to Capt. Worthington written on 18 Jan.1917.'

I quote from the letter.

' Dear Sir,

Would you please inform me if you are the Captn. Worthington wounded in Somme Battle July 1st who gave his glasses and an ox tongue to a Private of the King's L'pool Reg, if so i would like to write further to you,

Yours most faithfully,

Z.Boosey.'

'Hubert Worthington replied in the affirmitave and ten days later recieved a more informative letter from the grieving father.'

I've shortened the reply letter.

'Dear Sir,

I think it's best to make a general statement. My son was killed on the Somme July 8th last. In due course we recieved from the War Office, a wallet containing photos and a small diary. An enrty reads thus, Captn Worthington of the Manchesters gave me an ox tongue and his glasses.'

Z.Boosey wrote to a friend of his sons who confirmed that his son had attended to the Capt. and dressed his wounds 'under very heavy shell fire and as a mark of esteem gave him his glasses.'

The letter continues,

'Now, Sir as a parent, the statement greatly impressed me,a sit was a tribute to his manhood and the last action i heard of him doing in this world.'

Z.Boosey finishes the letter by saying he would try to return the glasses if forwarded by the War Office to himself.

Two years passed before the Capt. recieved another letter from Z.Boosey on 26th July 1918,

'Dear Sir,

The field glasses you gave my son on the battle field in July 1916 came into my possesion yesterday, having been forwarded by the Adjt. of the 18th King's L'pool Regt.

it would give me great pleasure to forward them, on hearing from you. I had despaired of ever getting them, but am more than satisfied, now that the enquires made have produced such a good result.

Yours faithfully,Z.Boosey.'

Hubert Worthington was finally reunited with his field glasses which are still in the family. The above was taken from the Battleground Europe series, Montauban by the late Graham Maddocks.

This would make a good article for the Liverpool Echo to run. Very sad but with an ending which no doubt pleased Z.Boosey.

Regards,

Bill

[Guest Pete Wood]

Bill, I have to say that just reading the first few lines - I thought Boozy had been rather hard done by. It seemed to suggest that, for rescuing Worthington, he had received a pair of spectacles and a ham sandwich.

It turned out to be a sweet story. Thanks.

[Stephen Nulty]

All

Many thanks for your contributions to this. I'll forward the details of the "specs and sandwich" to the Liverpool Echo and keep you in touch with it.

Regards

Stephen

[Old Chap]

Stephen/Racing Teapot,

Glad you enjoyed the story. The Glatz Redout were Pte.Boosey and the Colonel were killed is still on the approaches to Montauban.

Charles Boosey lived at, 46 Derby Road, Kirkdale, Liverpool, and is buried in Peronne Road.

Stephen if the Echo should runa story would you please save me a copy as i no longer reside in Liverpool.

Regards,

Bill

[Stephen Nulty]

Bill

No problem. I'll keep you in touch.

Stephen

[Old Chap]

There's also a picture of Charles Boosey in 'Cunard Clerical Staff by Land and Sea.' I was at the Maritime museum archives last week, but due to copyright i wasn't allowed to re-produce the picture. I'll try to copy a picture from another source and post it on this thread.

Bill

[hmsk212]

Hi

Using the on-line mics there is a Private Herbert P Fairgrieve who was 15817 in the King's Liverpool "City" Battalion. He later served as Corporal 16287 in the Army Pay Corps. Maybe he died after the War during the Flu Epidemic.

Steve

[Old Chap]

Pte.Fairgrieve was an original Liverpool Pal. His next of kin was his father, William Hartley Fairgrieve.24 Warbreck Road, Aintree,Lpool.

Bill

[Promenade]

Steve,

This is indeed the right man. As most of the men are from the Liverpool Regt I am in contact with the chap that is organising the resiting of the plaques. I have recently sent him a write up of all the Kingsmen on the plaques from my database. This includes Fairgieve - I reproduce my write up (draft) below. I know you are interested in MGC - there is one member of the MGC (he is not Kings Regt as first thought) which I also include below - can you add anything?

Joe

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There is no known Great War Casualty with the name HP Fairgrieve. However it is almost certain that this is Private Herbert Pulford Fairgrieve who served as No 15817 with 'D' Company 17th King's (Liverpool) Regt - 1st 'Liverpool Pals'. He enlisted at St George's Hall, Liverpool on 3 September 1914 and was drafted to France with his Battalion on 7 November 1915. At enlistment he gave his father's (William Hartley Fairgrieve) address as 24 Warbreck Rd, Aintree. He finished the war as No 16287 Army Pay Corps. A check of the 1901 Census reveals the following; William Fairgrieve, aged 57, Ship Steward, Eliza Fairgrieve, aged 57, Eliza Fairgrieve, aged 29, Herbert Fairgrieve, aged 16,and Walter Fairgrieve, aged 13. It is possible that Herbert died from the effects of the war after the conflict - his name also appears on the war memorial preserved in St John The Evangelist Parish Church, Rice Lane, Walton-on-the-Hill. It is interesting to note that a search of the Commonwealth War Graves Registers reveals a Sergeant (Pilot) Eric Pulford Fairgrieve, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who died on 21 May 1942. He was the son of Mrs. E. E. Simpson, of West Kirby, Cheshire, England and is buried in Weyburn (Hillcrest) Cemetery, in the UK (Herbert’s son?).

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Albert Price was born in Bootle in 1893 the son of Mr. and Mrs. Graham Price. He was possibly predeceased by his mother as just after the war his father was a widower living at 42, Bedford Rd., Bootle. Albert enlisted in Liverpool as No 42687 in the Lancashire Fusiliers and was subsequently transferred to 32 Battalion Machine Gun Corps with No 116719. He died of wounds in hospital in Rouen on 2 October 1918 and is buried in St Sever Cemetery, Rouen Plot III, Row I, Grave 3.