Grave Registration Report Forms (Liverpool area)

[PaulC78]

The subject of the CWGC's Grave Registration Report Forms came up recently, specifically with regard to entries that were struck out during the verification process and whether or not any of these had any merit as non-coms. Since I am already researching non-coms in the Liverpool area I thought I'd take a look at those cemeteries and see what's there.

[PaulC78]

Starting with Liverpool (Ford) Roman Catholic Cemetery, the first struck out entry is for J Cook 481028 RAMC:

As the note on the form indicates, this was a simple case of misidentification and he is actually buried at Greenock Cemetery: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/664411/john-cook/

Although Cook has a Commission headstone at Greenock, he still has an alternative commemoration on the screen wall at Liverpool:

The man actually buried at plot RD/271 is John James Cook 129448 RAF, he is listed on a subsequent schedule and has his own commemoration elsewhere in the cemetery: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/374406/john-james-cooke/

[PaulC78]

This entry for G McAleavey 17628/DA RNR was struck out but is maked "stet" (Latin for "let it stand"), and he was evidently retained.

McAleavey is listed on CWGC and is commemorated on the screen wall: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/374486/george-mcaleavey/

[PaulC78]

Several names that were struck out are just duplicates in the schedule, the last name of interest is Pte D McDonald 6058 2nd KLR buried at plot R/398:

The burial register for Ford identifies him as David Christopher McDonald aka James Jones of Rainhill Asylum, who died age 33.

FMP have a service record for James Jones 6058 KLR of Liverpool, he enlisted on 10 May 1898 and was discharged insane on 16 Mar 1901. He also has an entry in the Soldier's Effects Register. It doesn't seem likely that he would have served during WW1. His grave at Ford is unmarked.

[PaulC78]

One item of interest at Bootle Cemetery:

Samuel Evan Jones 27178 KLR, service papers show that he enlisted on 25 Mar 1915 and served overseas for all of ten days, during which he received a GSW to the knee at Bethune. He was discharged as medically unfit on 5 Jun 1916, besides the GSW he also had a history of bronchitis and emphysema which was aggravated by service. Pension card gives his cause of death as bronchopnuemonia which would probably not satisfy the CWGC criteria. He is buried in an unmarked public grave.

There is one further struck out entry here which is merely a duplicate in the schedule. Two other unstruck names refer to family memorials of men buried overseas, they are:

Peter MacLachlan, Mercantile Marine: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/116568/peter-maclachlan/

Ross Hamlet Penny, 22805 KLR: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/260735/ross-penny/

Edited 7 August , 2022 by PaulC78

[PaulC78]

Several struck off entries at Liverpool (Everton) Cemetery:

Herbert Cave Padmore 34577 RAMC, enlisted on 9 Sep 1914 and served in France & Belgium from Jan 1915 to Oct 1918 as a general duty orderly and stretcher bearer. He was discharged on 30 Dec 1918 due to goitre and tonsilitis caused by the strain of military duties. Cause of death not known. His grave has a headstone:

[PaulC78]

The other man struck off from the schedule is Daniel Williamson 1951 KLR. His service record on FMP shows that he enlisted on 23 Sep 1874 and was posted overseas for about fifteen years, serving in the Burma campaign 1885-87 and Afghanistan 1878-80. He was discharged upon termination of engagement on 22 Sep 1906. Cause of death not known, and I couldn't find any record of service during WW1. He also has a headstone and is buried in a plot adjacent to Padmore:

Elsewhere in the schedules for Everton is an unstruck entry for Frank Bertram Robinson 4138 RAMC who died after the cut-off on 8 Nov 1921. He is included on the screen wall and is presumably classified by the CWGC as a non-World War grave.

The only other struck out entry here is a family memorial for G Williams 434233 RE who is buried overseas: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/472698/g-williams/

Edited 7 August , 2022 by PaulC78

[8055Bell]

Hi Paul,

This is interesting and thorough research.  It leads to the conclusion that the edits and deletions were accurate and not taking out men who were entitled to commemoration.

Good work

Tim

[PaulC78]

Liverpool (West Derby) Cemetery:

John Ernest Rutland 701732 Labour Corps (GRR form gives the number as 701722, screen wall below gives the regiment as KLR), died 16 Jan 1920 age 18. The only military records I can find are four pension cards, these only state that he died from disease and do not give any disabilities. His entry on Find-a-Grave says that he died from tuberculosis. He was apparently the step-son of Joseph Marland 19054 South Lancs, who was killed in action on 27 Aug 1916. Although struck from the GRR form, he is included on the RC screen wall and is therefore presumably classed as a non-world war grave.

Edited 21 August , 2022 by PaulC78

[PaulC78]

Next one is James Vernon 3464 RGA, who died on 18 Aug 1916:

Service record shows that he was formerly 99091 Royal Artillery, attested on 7 Sep 1893. He served in Malta from 1898 to 1902, and in India from 1902 to 1906. On 17 Jul 1910 he appears to have attempted suicide while suffering from melancholia, and sustained gunshot wounds to the forehead and chest. He was discharged as unfit on 20 Sep 1910. Despite this, he re-attested with the RGA on 13 Oct 1914 and served at home until he was again discharged as unfit on 23 Nov 1915. Disability and cause of death not known, I can only find one pension card which does not add anything. He is buried at plot CE 3/1397 but is not named on the headstone. I think Mary and William Walker were his sister and brother-in-law.

[PaulC78]

This one is a bit of a mystery:

Percy Poulton, died on 28 May 1920, death registered at Prescot. The GRR form does not give any service details and I can't find anything definite, but the burial register states that he was a soldier, age 38, living at 2 Tillotson Street. He is buried at plot RC 8/1292 but the grave is unmarked.

[PaulC78]

Benjamin Gibson 16570 KLR, died 14 Dec 1918 age 24 (date on GRR form is date of burial):

Service record has survived, he attested on 1 Sep 1914 and served in France from 7 Nov 1915 to 8 Jul 1916. He received a GSW to the left thigh at Mericourt on 28 Jun 1916 and was discharged as unfit on 16 May 1917. Pension card states only that he died from disease. Buried at plot NC 5/200, an unmarked grave directly to the right of Pte A G L Leggett 214058 Ox & Bucks LI.

[PaulC78]

Last struck out entry for West Derby is Richard Hutchinson 268156 KLR, died 16 Dec 1918 age 20:

He enlisted on 2 Jun 1917 and was discharged on 7 Aug 1917 without serving overseas. Cause of discharge was VDH aortic incompetence which originated at Liverpool six years prior and was not the result of nor aggravated by active service. Cause of death not known, pension card says only that he died from disease. Buried in an unmarked public grave at plot CE 1/712.

One further entry which has not been struck out is for George Scattergood 87383 RAF (formerly 55091 Leicester Regt), who died after the cut-off on 20 Oct 1921. He is included on the CE screen wall and would therefore be classed as a non-world war grave.