Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

L/Cpl 30839 Albert Edward Highcock

Age: 21
From: Liverpool
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
K.I.A Friday 22nd March 1918
Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
Panel Ref: P21-23

Albert Edward Highcock was born on the 17th March 1897 in Liverpool and was the son of John Highcock and his wife Mary Jane (née Morris), who were married in 1886 at St Anne's Church, Stanley. He was baptised on the 28th April 1897 at Christ Church, Kensington, his father was a labourer and the family were living at 17 Clyde Road.

On the 1901 Census the family are living at 9 Clyde Road. His father John is aged 39, born in Salford and a foreman spinner in a hemp manufacturers. His mother, Maggie(sic) J. is aged 34 and was born in Liverpool as were all of their children. William 14 a rope worker, Annie 10, Emma 7, Albert 4, Robert 2, Harry 11 months. Also declared is his father's widowed mother Sandonia Highcock aged 67 and born in Moulton, Cheshire.

His father John drops off the electoral roll in 1901/2 at 9 Clyde Road. There is a possible death for John Highcock in the June quarter of 1901, his death registered in Prestwich.

On the 1911 census the family have moved to 18 Vincent Street, Wavertree. His widowed mother Mary Jane is aged 42, she advised that she has had 10 children 7 of whom have survived. Those children declared in teh household are; William (widowed) a 24 year old railway labourer, Emma 17 a rope worker and James 5. Also family member Mary Jane Morris 20 a rope worker.

Albert is a 14 year old inmate at Ripley Hospital and Charitable School for Orphans and Fatherless Children, Ashton Road, Lancaster.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in 4th Company, 16th Platoon of the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 30839 when he was killed in action on the 22^nd March 1918, aged 21, during the German Spring Offensive. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for 30 months, enlisting in about August or September 1915. He shipped to France on 29th December 1915.

Albert was originally declared as Missing on 22nd March 1918. The Battalion diary provides an insight into the fighting of that date:

22^nd GERMAINE – HAM- MOYENCOURT

The battalion moved up accordingly being in position at 6:30 a.m. About 3pm the enemy attacked the left of our position and advanced on our left flank towards FLUQUIERES. At 4:30 pm an attack was launched on our front and the enemy forced his way through on our right. The remainder of the Battalion was forced to retire to south of FLUQUIERES. During this engagement the Battalion lost 11 Officers and About 21 O.R. The order was given to retire to the defences at HAM. The Battalion by this time was very weak, and passing through the 20^th Division took up positions in HAM, as ordered, getting into position at 2am.

He was declared Missing in the Liverpool Echo on 06th May 1918 with an appeal for information;

Missing March 22, Lance Corporal A. E. Highcock. News welcome, 266 Binns Road, Old Swan.

His mother, wrote to the International Red Cross in hopes that Albert had been taken prisoner. A reply in the negative was sent on 29th May 1918. His death was later presumed, for official purposes, as having occurred on or since 22nd March.

Albert's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

Albert is also commemorated in the Hall fo Remembrance inside Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 51 Right.

He earned his three medals.

His mother Mary Jane received Albert’s Soldiers Effects and a War Gratuity of £15. The pension card shows she received a pension of 6/- a week from 03rd December 1918, increased to 11/- from 11th April 1919 for 14 months.

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

89th Brigade On This Day.

110 Years Ago.
The Battle of the Transloy Ridges begins. more....

Killed On This Day.

(110 Years this day)
Monday 16th October 1916.
Pte 22929 Edward Bird
19 years old

(110 Years this day)
Monday 16th October 1916.
Pte 16795 William Frederick Collister
23 years old

(109 Years this day)
Tuesday 16th October 1917.
L/Cpl 49038 Ernest Yardley
31 years old

(108 Years this day)
Wednesday 16th October 1918.
Pte 85187 James Hoy
31 years old

(107 Years this day)
Thursday 16th October 1919.
Pte 36438 Hugh Morris
23 years old