Why are Canadians buried in Kirkdale Cemetery Liverpool

[amanda.oconnor1]

As a relatively new member of the forum I am just beginning to learn about the great war.

Today I was in Kirkdale cemetery in Liverpool I noticed a number of ww1 war graves, 20 of them where Canadian soldiers,with about six or so other nationalities.

Can anyone tell me why this small group are buried here?

Thanks

Mandy

[Stephen Nulty]

Mandy

Welcome to the forum.

If you look on CWGC for Kirkdale, you'll find the following narrative

Historical Information

In December 1914, Liverpool became one of the 21 Auxiliary Patrol Bases and in February 1915, the base of the 10th Cruiser Squadron. During the Second World War, Liverpool was headquarters of Western Approaches Command and a manning depot for officers and men of the Merchant Navy who agreed to serve with the Royal Navy for the duration of the war.

A large Canadian hospital, which became No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, opened at Kirkdale in July 1917 and of the 386 First World War burials in Liverpool (Kirkdale) Cemetery, more than 100 are Canadian. Of the remainder, 82 are of officers and men of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment. About half of the graves from this period are scattered throughout the cemetery and the rest are contained in two war graves plots, where the names of the dead are recorded on Screen Wall panels. There are also 115 Second World War burials in the cemetery, nine of them in one of the First World War plots, the rest scattered.

This cemetery also contains nine war graves of other nationalities. Originally, there were many more, including American and German from the First World War and Belgian from both wars, but these were later removed to other national cemeteries in the United Kingdom or repatriated to their home country.

[amanda.oconnor1]

Thank you Stephen

That is good to know I was walking to a grave and was stopped by this grave it brought a tear to my eye. I did know there were military graves here but I had never really looked at them before

[KevinBattle]

KEAN, J F. Rank: Lance Corporal. Service No: 602143. Date of Death: 10/08/1918. Age: 30.

Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry 60th Bn.

Grave Reference: II. R.C. 127. Cemetery: LIVERPOOL (KIRKDALE) CEMETERY.

Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Mary Kean, of Manchester, England; husband of Mary Kean, of Ingersol, Ontario.

(ironically, that's the only incorrect spelling of Ingersoll, Ontario, there are 47 other casualties from that town.....)

JOSEPH FREDERICK KEAN Date of Birth 16 April 1888

Wife Mary, 204 Russell Street, Woodstock, Ontario.

Enlisted 14 January 1915, fair complexion, hair "dowdy red", blue/grey eyes.

And I wonder if this chap is related, both from Manchester and both married in Canada...

KEAN, JOHN. Rank: Private. Service No: 210488. Date of Death: 14/02/1917. Age: 34.

Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry 58th Bn.

Grave Reference: IV. D. 8. Cemetery: ECOIVRES MILITARY CEMETERY, MONT-ST. ELOI.

Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kean, of Salford, Manchester, England; husband of Alice Kean, of York and Perry Streets, Orchard Park, St. Catharines, Ontario.

[GrahamC]

There are a lot of Canadians buried in Buxton (Derbyshire) Cemetery for a similar reason - see here - most died in the Canadian Military Hospitals in the town, having been re-located from Ramsgate, which is an interesting story in itself - see here .

[regimentalrogue]

Private .E. Gunn of The Royal Canadian Regiment is buried at Kirkdale. His grave registration form notes that he dies of "Influenze & Pneumonia" at No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Kirkdale.

[ralphjd]

Far far from home but Not Forgotten

[Verne Kean]

I just came across this article on Canadian soldiers buried in the Kirkdale Cemetery in Liverpool.  Believe it or not, the photo of J.F. Kean's tombstone taken by Mandy, is my Grandfather.  It is amazing that she chose his stone for the photo.

I have been there and was amazed at how the Canadian soldiers burial site was kept up.

Hopefully Mandy will see this and respond.

Verne Thomas Kean - Ontario, Canada

 

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. @amanda.oconnor1 last visited the forum in July, so my tag should alert her to your post. 

[amanda.oconnor1]

Thank you for acknowledging my post. 
I am glad that your grandfather’s name lives on. 
The war grave is close to my parents grave so I stop and say a prayer when I visit the cemetery 

I hope this brought a warm glow to you Verne 

[Verne Kean]

I just came across this article on Canadian soldiers buried in the Kirkdale Cemetery in Liverpool.  Believe it or not, the photo of J.F. Kean's tombstone taken by Mandy, is my Grandfather.  It is amazing that she chose his stone for the photo.

I have been there and was amazed at how the Canadian soldiers burial site was kept up.

Hopefully Mandy will see this and respond.

Verne Thomas Kean - Ontario, Canada

 

[Verne Kean]

Hi Mandy.  Thank you for your reply.  You have no idea how you made not only my day, but my son and brothers.  When I visited the cemetery a few years ago, the only time that I was in Liverpool, was on a cruise ship.  A friend of mine arranged with his granddaughter to pick us up at the ship and take us to the cemetery.  A wonderful gesture on her part.

The day she picked us up, it was pouring rain and we needed umbrellas.  She took my wife and I to the cemetery in the pouring rain.  The rest of the story is spiritual to say the lest.  When we drove into the cemetery it stopped raining immediately.  For the next hour and a half, we looked for my Grandfather's grave.  After we found it and took pictures and said a prayer, we headed back to the car.  When we drove out on to the street, it started to pour again. It was like we had been in a dome.  Scary.

My father was born after my Grandfather left Canada to fight, so he never seen him at all.  He never knew where he was buried in England.  My wife and I are the only family members that have been to the Kirkdale Cemetery.

I can't thank you enough for sharing your story with us.

Wishing you all the best....Verne

[Verne Kean]

9 hours ago, Michelle Young said:

Welcome to the forum. @amanda.oconnor1 last visited the forum in July, so my tag should alert her to your post. 

 

[Verne Kean]

I was told that ever Canadian soldier had his picture taken when they enlisted.  My family does not have any photos of my Grandfather, Joseph Frederick Kean.  Is it possible that this wonderful organization might have photo of him?

Thank you for letting me join such a great historic organization. 

[Scott Kean]

@amanda.oconnor1 Hi Mandy    May I ask who's in your profile picture?    My Great Grandfather was Joseph Frederick Kean, the tombstone you posted.   We have been trying to locate a picture of him and some history of his time in WWI.   

[Michelle Young]

Verne, 
Not sure about the photo, but here’s his service papers 

https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Search?DataSource=Genealogy|Military|PfFww&LastName=Kean+&SearchIn_1=RegimentNumber&SearchInText_1=602143&num=25&start=0&enviro=prod

9 minutes ago, Scott Kean said:

@amanda.oconnor1 Hi Mandy    May I ask who's in your profile picture?    My Great Grandfather was Joseph Frederick Kean, the tombstone you posted.   We have been trying to locate a picture of him and some history of his time in WWI.   

Amanda’s photo shows a man in the machine gun corps. 

[amanda.oconnor1]

Thank you for acknowledging my post. 
I am glad that your grandfather’s name lives on and you appreciate the photo of his grave 

The photo on my  profile is my Dads dad John O’Connor. Both my grandfathers saw action in WW1 my mums dad was wounded

unfortunately I am unable to help with a photo of you grandfather maybe Ancestry.com may hold something more