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 17371 Henry Ledsome Hughes
- Age: 24
- From: Rock Ferry, Cheshire
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
- K.I.A Thursday 18th October 1917
- Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 31-34
Henry Ledsome Hughes (known as Harry) was born in Rock Ferry on 21st July 1893, the eldest son of Thomas Hughes and his wife Winifred Elizabeth (née Ledsome) who were married on the 24th September 1889 at St Paul’s Church, Tranmere. Thomas was a 30 year old printer of 36 Rockville Street, his father, James, was a deceased warehouseman, whilst Winifred was aged 21 of 418 New Chester Road, her father, Henry, was a milk dealer. Thomas was born in Liverpool and Winifred in Bebington, Cheshire, and they had 12 children, 3 of whom died young. The surviving children were: Winifred and Harry born in Rock Ferry, Jane/Jenny, Lucy, and Charles born in Seacombe, John, Arnold, Gabriella Joy, and Albert born in Wigan.
Formed on 07th September 1914 the 19th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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. He arrived in France on 07th November 1915 disembarking at Boulogne.
His father aired his views about the council in the Birkenhead News on Saturday 07th October 1916:
Sir,-I shall be obliged if you will allow me space to air the following grievances.
We have on our Borough Council a number of men put there to watch the interests of the borough, and to try to promote the welfare of the whole people, but one only needs to look at their actions to see that they do not understand their business. If we think of almost any one of the committees into which the councillors are divided we find a general disinclination to do their work in a sensible manner. The Ferries and Gas Committee's performances have been the laughing-stock-of the town for years, but I wish to direct special attention now to the brilliant strategy of the Libraries Committee. Their giant intellects have ordered the Reference Library to be closed at the time when most people require it, viz., the evenings. For rank stupidity this surely cannot be beaten. The Library contains the best magazines published in the country, and the object of any Library Committee worth the name would be to induce the common people to read them, very especially at a time like the present, with the streets in darkness,
very large numbers of men living in lodgings, soldiers away from home and needing all the refining help they can get; in fact, all the conditions of the times point one way, namely, make it as easy as possible for our men to live a refined life.
The action of our Libraries Committee is without a vestige of excuse. We have the books, we have the buildings, we have the people needing the education and anxious to get it. I trust that this outrage on public policy will be at once put among the things of which we are ashamed.
- Yours truly, 60, Westbourne-road, Birkenhead.
T. HUGHES.
Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.
The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.
The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.
De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour (volume four, page 89) contains the following biography.
HUGHES, HENRY LEDSOME, L.-Corpl., No. 17371, 19th (Service) Battn. The King's (Liverpool Regt.), s. of Thomas Hughes, of 60, Westbourne Road, Birkenhead, Furniture Salesman, by his wife, Winifred, dau. of Henry Ledsome; b. Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, co. Chester, 21 July, 1893; educ. Wigan Grammar School; was a Clerk in the employ of Messrs. Joseph Bibby & Sons, Liverpool; enlisted in the Liverpool Regt. 30 Aug. 1914; served with the Expeditionary Force in France from 1 Nov. 1915, being employed first as a sniper, and then as a signaller, and was killed in action near Ypres 16 Oct. 1917. Buried behind the line there; unm.
His death was reported in the Birkenhead News on Wednesday 31st October 1917;
Killed by a Shell.
Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, of 60, Westbourne-road, have received official news of the death in action of their son, Lance-Corpl. Harry L. Hughes. It appears that he was in a working party, and was hit by a shell, dying instantly. He joined the Liverpool "Pals" at the outbreak of war, and went to France in November, 1915, and had been there ever since. Prior to joining the Army he was employed on the office staff of Bibby's, Liverpool, and resided with his parents at 60, Westbourne-road, Birkenhead. Lance-Corporal Hughes was an old Wigan Grammar School boy. He was well known in the town, and his death will be deeply regretted by his many friends.
A memorial to Harry was reported in the Wigan Examiner on Saturday 19th July 1919;
OLD BOYS' MEMORIAL.
Wigan Grammar School's Tribute.
Four marble memorial tablets, recording the names of masters and old boys of the Wigan Grammar School, who have fallen in the war, were unveiled on Thursday afternoon by the Rev. E. F. Forrest, M.A., Vicar of Pemberton, who delivered an address in connection with the occasion. Alderman A. S. Hilton, J.P., a member of the Grammar School Governing Body, presided over a large attendance of parents, friends, and boys in the School Hall.
The following are the names of Old Boys engraved on the three tablets affixed to the wall on the lower staircase, the dates indicating the years during which the boys were respectively at the school:-
To our Schoolmates Fallen in the War.
Harry Ledsome Hughes, 1907-09, Lance-Corpl., King's Liverpool (Pals.)
On the 1921 Census at Jupiter Terrace, his father Thomas is aged 62, a shop manager, mother is Winifred aged 52, a commercial teacher, Winifred is 29, Jane 26, Lucy 25, Arnold 18, Gabrielle 15 and Albert 14.
We currently have no further information on Henry Ledsome Hughes. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(110 Years this day)Wednesday 16th August 1916.
2nd Lieut Bryn Atherton Brodie Thomas
19 years old
(110 Years this day)
Wednesday 16th August 1916.
Lance Serjeant 24726 Charles Fife
24 years old
(110 Years this day)
Wednesday 16th August 1916.
Pte 29706 Herbert Noble
38 years old
(109 Years this day)
Thursday 16th August 1917.
Pte 16529 Rupert King
34 years old
(109 Years this day)
Thursday 16th August 1917.
2nd Lieutenant Alexander Spears
24 years old
(109 Years this day)
Thursday 16th August 1917.
Pte 24567 Frederick Kennedy
35 years old