Loyal North Lancs mystery?

[Old Chap]

My local cemetery (St.Michaels, Great Lever, Bolton)

has a few Great War men buried in it, so one day i decided to head off with the relevent CWGC book and try to track the soldiers down. I searched for the CWGC headstones and found all but one soldier. Determind to find him i retraced my steps, there he was, in a family grave. The age of 17 years struck home and i was quite saddened to see 3848685 Pte. E.Northey, Loyal North Lancs wasn't in a CWGC grave. Maybe a family decision?

I checked the CWGC site which have his age at 18 years and also tried without success to find him on the documents on line (mic).

I research the Liverpool Pals but would would like to know if anyone has any information on Pte.Northey. Would be have fought over seas? why is there no mic?

Cheers,

Bill

[CROONAERT]

My local cemetery (St.Michaels, Great Lever, Bolton)

has a few Great War men buried in it, so one day i decided to head off with the relevent CWGC book and try to track the soldiers down. I searched for the CWGC headstones and found all but one soldier. Determind to find him i retraced my steps, there he was, in a family grave. The age of 17 years struck home and i was quite saddened to see 3848685 Pte. E.Northey, Loyal North Lancs wasn't in a CWGC grave. Maybe a family decision?

I checked the CWGC site which have his age at 18 years and also tried without success to find him on the documents on line (mic).

I research the Liverpool Pals but would would like to know if anyone has any information on Pte.Northey. Would be have fought over seas? why is there no mic?

Cheers,

Bill

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bill.

There is a very strong possibility that he had no part in the Great War whatsoever, hence no MIC. He'd have only been 15 in November 1918 and is probably a post-war enlistment. His Armynumber is the 1920-1950 issue (as they all were in Oct 1920) but the actual number indicates a 1919 or even 1920 enlistment for the 2nd Battalion of the Loyal Regiment* (don't forget that they could join the army at 15, but couldn't (officially) serve in a combat zone until they were 19).

Dave.

* the regimental title had changed to "The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)" in 1920.

[Terry Denham]

The private headstone would, indeed, have been a family decision - probably erected before the CWGC official stones were available.

[Old Chap]

Dave/Terry,

Many thanks for the replies. I'll have to pay a visit to the Bolton Archives and see if there's any mention in the local papers. I thought Pte.Northey had a very high service number which would indicate a late war/home service. A very sad story with his parents dying relatively young as well.

Regards,

Bill