L/Cpl 13624 Edward Joseph Lanigan

• Age: 24
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Edward Joseph Lanigan was born in Liverpool in the March quarter of 1893, the son of Patrick Lanigan and his wife Catherine (nee McCabe).

His father, Patrick, aged 38, was a resident of the Liverpool Workhouse, run by the Liverpool Board of Guardians in 1888 - 1890. 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Cellar 27, Shelley Street, Toxteth Park Liverpool. His father is a 40 year old dock labourer, born in Liverpool in 1851, whilst his mother is 36(33 really) years of age, also born in Liverpool in 1855. Their son, Michael  is 2 years of age. Also living with them is Margaret McKay a 16 year old assistant in rope walks and described as sister in law. This could be a transcription error as the taker of the Census may have mis-heard McCabe and recorded McKay.
Brother Richard was baptised on the 29th Aug 1894 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, parents Catherine and Patrick, address 41 Park Street.

 
The family cannot be traced on the 1901 Census and no positive death record can be found for father Patrick.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 10 in 2 Court Mill Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool.

His mother, Catherine, is a widow who is shown as aged 43, born in Liverpool in 1868 with no occupation listed. She advises that she had been married for 22 years and had four children. All are living in the home address at the time of the Census and are listed as; Michael aged 21, born 1890 and Edward aged 18, born 1893 are both newspaper vendors and Thomas aged 13, is at school. Her fourth son Richard aged 16, born 1895 has left the address and is recorded as living at the Compton Hotel.

Edward enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 13624 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917, aged 24, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

18^th Battalion

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

Edward's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927. 

Soldiers Effects to brother Thomas, Mrs Margaret Edwards(at request of brother Michael), Martha Lanigan(at request of brother Richard), Pension to Thomas Lanigan 10 Lansdowne St off Sussex Street

Liverpool Echo 16th Nov 1915 - Mother dies tragically
THE RECENT TRAMCAR ACCIDENT.

It was stated in the report of an inquest held by the City Coroner on the 11th inst. on Catherine Lanigan, that while the car was travelling at the rate of seven miles an hour the deceased "commenced to descend from the top deck, but fell headlong into the street." The tramway authorities state this statement is incorrect, and that the woman got on the platform and then fell into the street, the car being still motion. The conductor was inside collecting fares the time, or otherwise he would have prevented her. The verdict of the jury was "Accidental death."

Brother Michael has service records and he served as Pte 58808 3rd Battn. King's Liverpool Regt, address 17 Warren St, and declaring his next of kin as Aunt Margaret Edwards, 10 Lansdowne St. (she was nee McCabe, his mother's sister). He went with the B.E.F. on the 16th Sept 1916, wounded 19th Oct 1918 with gsw to arm, but discharged with shell shock receiving pension.

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