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- 8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion, Kings (Liverpool) Regiment during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion, Kings (Liverpool) Regiment



   8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion King's (Liverpool) Regiment, was a unit of the Territorial Force which had its HQ at 75 Shaw Street Liverpool. It was made up of Companies A to H. They were serving with Liverpool Brigade, West Lancashire Division. When war broke out in Auguat 1914 they had just arrived at the annual summer camp, they were at once recalled to base. In February 1915 the Liverpool Irish transferred to North Lancashire Brigade then on the 18th of April they transferred with the Liverpool Brigade to the Highland Division, with the brigade being retitled the 3rd Highland Brigade, in less than a month they would be retitled 154th Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division. They proceeded to France on the 3rd of May 1915, landing at Boulogne. The Division concentrated in the area of Lillers, Busnes and Robecq and were rushed to the defence of Ypres, being in action until the 19th of May when they moved to Estaires on the River Lys. They were in action in the The Battle of Festubert and The Second Action of Givenchy before moving south to The Somme taking over the line near Hamel. On the 17th of January 1916 they transferred to the newly reformed 165th Brigade, 55th (West Lancashire) Division in the Hallencourt area. On the 16th of February 1916 the Division relieved the French 88th Division south of Arras, they moved to The Somme in late July taking over a section of front line near the village of Guillemont. They were in action at the The Battle of Guillemont, The Battle of Ginchy, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and The Battle of Morval. The Division moved to Flanders in october 1916 and took over the front line between Wieltje and Railway Wood. In 1917 they were in action at Pilkem Ridge and Menin Road Ridge during the Third Battle of Ypres. They moved south to Cambrai where they suffered very heavily during the German Counter Attacks on the 30th of November 1917. On the 31st of January 1918 they transferred to 171st Brigade, 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division. They were in action during the Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, including assisting in the capture of Cambrai in October, The occupation of Lille and the Final Advance in Artois. At the Armistice the Division was at rest in the eastern suburbs of Lille. They moved to Arras on the 21st of November to assist with the clear up and the Division was demobilised between March and July 1919.

3rd May 1915 Buried Alive

5th May 1915 On the Move  location map

6th May 1915 Orders  location map

8th May 1915 Orders

9th May 1915 In Reserve

10th May 1915 In Reserve

11th May 1915 In Reserve

12th May 1915 In Reserve  location map

13th May 1915 In Reserve

14th May 1915 On the March  location map

15th May 1915 In Reserve  location map

16th May 1915 In Reserve  location map

17th May 1915 In Reserve  location map

18th May 1915 Orders Received  location map

19th May 1915 Reliefs  location map

21st May 1915 Trench Work

22nd May 1915 Trench Work

23rd May 1915 Some Shelling

24th May 1915 Intermittent Shelling

25th May 1915 Occasional Shelling

26th May 1915 Intermittent Shelling

27th May 1915 Heavy Shelling  location map

28th May 1915 Quiet Day  location map

29th May 1915 Line Advanced  location map

29th May 1915 Instructions  location map

30th May 1915 Order Received  location map

1st Jun 1915 Reliefs

2nd Jun 1915 Trench Work

3rd Jun 1915 Trench Work

4th Jun 1915 Reorganisation

5th Jun 1915 Quiet

6th Jun 1915 Relief Complete

7th Jun 1915 Orders Received

8th Jun 1915 Orders

9th Jun 1915 Preparations

10th Jun 1915 Preparations

11th Jun 1915 Preparations

12th Jun 1915 Orders  location map

13th Jun 1915 Artillery Active

14th Jun 1915 Artillery in Action

14th Jun 1915 Orders  location map

15th Jun 1915 In Action  location map

15th Jun 1915 Attack Made  location map

15th Jun 1915 Report  location map

16th Jun 1915 Attack Made  location map

16th Jun 1915 Attack Made  location map

16th Jun 1915 Communication  location map

16th Jun 1915 Report  location map

16th Jun 1915 Orders  location map

17th Jun 1915 Reliefs  location map

18th Jun 1915 Orders Received  location map

19th Jun 1915 Artillery in Action  location map

23rd Jun 1915 Trench Work

24th Jun 1915 Orders

25th Jun 1915 Orders Received

26th Jun 1915 Reorganisation

27th Jun 1915 On the Move

28th Jun 1915 HQ Moves  location map

29th Jun 1915 Orders Issued

30th Jun 1915 Mine Explodes

8th Nov 1915 

4th Aug 1916 Reliefs Complete  location map

14th Oct 1916 Reliefs  location map

15th Oct 1916 Reliefs Complete  location map

22nd Oct 1916 Reliefs  location map

7th Nov 1916 Reliefs  location map

18th Dec 1916 Reliefs

12th Oct 1917 Reliefs

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion, Kings (Liverpool) Regiment?


There are:5298 items tagged 8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion, Kings (Liverpool) Regiment available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion, Kings (Liverpool) Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Barnard William. Pte. (d.8th September 1915)
  • Baxter Edward Felix. Lt. (d.18th April 1916)
  • Brewer Frederick Knott. Pte. (d.5th Oct 1918)
  • Brewer Frederick. Pte. (d.5 October 1918)
  • Bush Henry. Pte.
  • Bush Henry. Pte.
  • Clitheroe Harry. Pte.
  • Condon James. Pte. (d.12th September 1916)
  • Cruickshank Arthur Lewis. Pte. (d.8th Aug 1916)
  • Davies MM. Walter Henry. Cpl. (d.18th Aug 1916)
  • Free William Albert. Cpl.
  • Joicey Thomas. Pte. (d.31st July 1917)
  • Neale Algernon Hastings Campbell. Lt.Col.
  • Redmond Michael John. Pte. (d.9th Sept 1915)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion, Kings (Liverpool) Regiment from other sources.


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  Lt. Edward Felix Baxter 1st/8th Btn. King's (Liverpool) Regiment (d.18th April 1916)

Edward Baxter was killed on 18/4/1916 aged 30 years and is buried in the Fillievres British Cemetery in France. He was the son of Charles and Beatrice Baxter, of Hartlebury, Worcestershire; husband of Leonora M. Gray (formerly Baxter), of 10 Bungalow, R.A.F., Uxbridge.

An extract from The London Gazette, dated 26th Sept., 1916, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery. Prior to a raid on the hostile line he was engaged during two nights in cutting wire close to the enemy's trenches. The enemy could be heard on the other side of the parapet. Second Lieutenant Baxter, while assisting in the wire cutting, held a bomb in his hand with the pin withdrawn ready to throw. On one occasion the bomb slipped and fell to the ground, but he instantly picked it up, unscrewed the base plug, and took out the detonator, which he smothered in the ground, thereby preventing the alarm being given, and undoubtedly saving many casualties. Later, he led the left storming party with the greatest gallantry, and was the first man into the trench shooting the sentry with his revolver. He then assisted to bomb dug-outs, and finally climbed out of the trench and assisted the last man over the parapet. After this he was not seen again, though search parties went out at once to look for him. There seems no doubt that he lost his life in his great devotion to duty."

s flynn






  Pte. William Barnard 8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion Kings Regiment (Liverpool) (d.8th September 1915)

William Barnard was my grandmother's brother. I have the form from my great grandmother confirming acceptance of her son's personal effects.

Harry Spooner






  Pte. Henry "Aich" Bush 8th (Liverpool Irish) Btn. Kings (Liverpool) Regiment

Henry Bush was taken prisoner on 8th of August 1916 near Guillemont France. Interned in Dulmen Camp.

John Ward






  Pte. Frederick Brewer 8th Battalion Kings Regiment (Liverpool) (d.5 October 1918)

Frederick Brewer lost his life on the 5th of October 1915.

Joanne Brewer






  Pte. Henry Bush 8th (Irish) Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment

Henry Bush served with the Kings Liverpool (8th Irish) Regiment. Henry was taken POW at the battle for Guillemont on the Somme in August 1916. Henry was subjected to field punishment number one on two occasions due to insubordination. He was a feisty man and could use very colourful language at times. He survived the war and died in Speke, Liverpool in 1975.

The Division occupied the trenches opposite the village of Guillemont on 30th of July 1916, and spent a week preparing for the attack in which two and a half infantry battalions of the King's Regiment took part. 8th King's, the Liverpool Irish, were to attack to the north of the village, to capture Guillemont Station. The 5th King's and half of the 6th King's were to attack the Guillemont-Hardecourt Road. The attack was planned for 4.30am on 8th of August 1916.

5th King's and Liverpool Rifles quickly achieved their objectives, linking up with the French Army, and established telephone communications back to Brigade HQ, no mean feat!

An hour after attacking, the Liverpool Irish reported that they were in Guillemont Station. Unfortunately, the Battalion tasked to take Guillemont village became stuck on barbed wire and withdrew. There was nobody to support the Liverpool Irish, who were being fired on by a machine gun from Guillemont village, so they started to bomb their way down the trenches to the village. The smoke from the guns and the dust thrown up by explosions seems to have disorientated them and they were isolated by the failure of other units to achieve their objectives.

Germans in underground positions waited for them to pass over before emerging to attack them in the rear.

The Liverpool Irish were eventually cut off and forced to surrender the following day, the survivors could be seen marching to captivity and there was nothing their fellow Liverpool Territorials could do about it. The fighting around Guillemont was severe and tested the Liverpool Territorials. They lost 219 officers and 3,907 other ranks (including those killed, missing, wounded and prisoners of war).

He served his time as a POW at Dulmen POW camp in Germany. He was returned to the UK in December 1918.

Henry re-enlisted in the 6th Kings Liverpool Regiment, in 1921.

D Bush






  Pte. Frederick Knott Brewer 8th (Liverpool Irish) Btn. Kings (Liverpool) Regiment (d.5th Oct 1918)

Frederick Brewer was my Grandfather. Killed in Action on 5th of October 1918.







  Cpl. William Albert Free 8th Btn. C Coy. King's Regiment (Liverpool)

William Free was captured on the 31st of July 1917 near Ypres and held as a prisoner of war at Dulmen Camp.

Mark Jones






  Pte. Harry Clitheroe 8th Btn. King's (Liverpool) Regiment

I thought I would try and piece together my great grandfather Harry Clitheroe's World War 1 and World War 2 history. I'll be happy to receive any input from people.

Harry was born in 1898. In 1917 he is 18 years old and he joined up and was at 60th Training Battalion, 20th Welsh Regiment, Kimmel Barracks, North Wales. (Not sure what date he joins up for here.) But he then joins the 8th Battalion King's Liverpool (Irish) Regiment, enlisting at Preston on 24th February 1917. (I will be looking at which battles he took part in.) He was a private and his service number was 88329.

Harry was discharged after service on 18th February 1919: remarks 2 Blue Chevrons in France. The day after - 19th February 1919 - he enlists in the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, as a Private, with the service number 3435140. He served for 2 years and 41 days and was discharged on 31st March 1921. He was a 1st Class rifle shot and 1st Class Lewis Gunner.

When World War 2 started he found himself with the RASC in Belgium. When the Germans invaded he narrowly escaped and had to get to Dunkirk - some 20 miles away.

John Melling






  Pte. Arthur Lewis Cruickshank 8th Btn. King's Liverpool (d.8th Aug 1916)

My great great Uncle, Arthur Cruickshank was born in Sherbrooke, Canada to an Irish mother, Louisa Kinkead. My daughters and I just visited the Thiepval Memorial in Flanders, and saw his name on the memorial.

Oddly, we have records showing that he enlisted in the US Army in 1901 and then must have joined the 8th King's for the war. He was killed in an attack on the village of Guillemont.

Judy






  Lt.Col. Algernon Hastings Campbell Neale 8th Btn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)

Lt.Col. Neale was the husband of Katherine E. Neale. He was 57 when he died of wounds and was buried in the Relizane Communal Cemetery in Algeria.

S Flynn






  Pte. Michael John Redmond 8th Btn. Kings Liverpool Regiment (d.9th Sept 1915)

Michael Redmond is buried at Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension in France.

Caroline Redmond






  Pte. Thomas Joicey 8th Battalion King's Regiment (Liverpool) (d.31st July 1917)

Thomas Joicey served with 8th Battalion King's Regiment (Liverpool) and had formerly served in the Yorkshire Regiment. He was aged 22 when he died on 31st July 1917. He was born in Dunston, Gateshead in 1895, son of George and Phillis Joicey (nee Hopper). He lived and and enlisted in Jarrow. On the 1911 census he is recorded as Thomas Joicey age 15 Steel Worker at Steel Works is with his parents John and Elizabeth Bond and family at 53 Walter Street, Jarrow.

Thomas is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial and is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow.

Vin Mullen






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