Pte 22393 Joseph Hanley

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 16th September 1916
• Commemorated at: Loos Memorial
  Panel Ref: P27-30

Joseph Hanley was born in 1892 in Liverpool and was the son of the son of Edward and Bridget Hanley (nee Roache). His parents had married at the West Derby Registry Office in 1891 and shows the surname spelt as Hanly.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 18 Pallar Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool.  His father, Edward, is aged 36, born in Ireland in 1865 is a dock labourer, his mother, Bridget, is aged 30, born in Ireland in 1871 and has no occupation listed. They have five children, Joseph aged 9, born 1892, Maggie aged 7, born 1894, James aged 3, born 1898, William aged 2, born 1899 and Edward born 1901.

There is no trace of Joseph in the 1911 Census (being a steward he was probably away at sea).

Gores Liverpool Directory in 1914 has the family at 28 Othello Street.

He enlisted on the 05^th November, 1914 in Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 22393. He  gave his age as 23 years and his occupation as a steward. He was described as  being five feet five and half inches tall, weighed 126lbs, fresh complexion, brown eyes, brown hair and gave his religion Roman Catholic. A further army form B. 121. gives his occupation as an actor and his age as 22 years and 8 months. Service records give next of kin as Edward Hanley, 18 Othello Street, Kirkdale.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

07.04.15: Absent from 10.30pm 3^rd April to 5^th April 1915: Confined to barracks for three days and forfeiture of three days pay.

27.08.15: Absent from midnight 24^th August 1915 until 8pm 25^th August 1915: Confined to barracks for three days and forfeiture of a day’s pay.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

Joseph was was killed in action on the 16th September, 1916 aged 23 during the Somme offensive. His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France.

The Loos Memorial commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave, who fell in the area from the River Lys to the old southern boundary of the First Army, east and west of Grenay, from the first day of the Battle of Loos to the end of the war. On either side of the cemetery is a wall 15 feet high, to which are fixed tablets on which are carved the names of those commemorated. At the back are four small circular courts, open to the sky, in which the lines of tablets are continued, and between these courts are three semicircular walls or apses, two of which carry tablets, while on the centre apse is erected the Cross of Sacrifice.

The memorial was designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Charles Wheeler. It was unveiled by Sir Nevil Macready on 4 August 1930.

He was reported killed in action in the Liverpool Daily Post on 07th December 1916.

Soldiers effects to his father Edward and pension to his mother Bridget.

We currently have no further information on Joseph Hanley, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.