Pte 24359 Arthur Crumbie Ledger

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• D.O.W Thursday 8th November 1917
• Commemorated at: Toxteth Park Cem Liverpool
  Panel Ref: L.CE.473

Arthur Crumbie Ledger was born on 12th December 1894 in Liverpool the son of William and  Margaret Ann Ledger (nee Crumbie). He was baptised 10^th February 1895 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool. At the time of his baptism his parents lived in Greta Street, and his father was a window blind maker. William and Margaret Ann Crumbie were married in 1888 in the Toxteth Park district of Liverpool. They had nine children; Arthur was the oldest surviving son. He had older sisters Margaret (who died at age 4), and Annie. Twins William and Freddie were born in 1893 but both died at 12 months.  His younger sister Dorothy died at six months. He had younger brothers Cyril, Percy, and Albert.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 28, Greta Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. His father, William, is aged 35 and is a window blind maker, his mother, Margaret Ann, is aged 35, and has no occupation listed. They have three children at the time of the Census, Annie aged 8, Arthur Crumbie aged 6, and Cyril born 1901.

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved and are living at 171 Rice Lane, Walton, Liverpool. His father, William, is aged 45, born in Liverpool in 1866 is a window blind maker, his mother, Margaret Ann, is aged 45, born in Liverpool in 1866 has no occupation listed. They have been married for twenty two years and have had nine children of which four had died. Those children recorded are; Annie aged 19, born 1892 no occupation, Arthur Crumbie aged 16, born 1895 is a shipping clerk, Cyril aged 10, born 1901 and Percy aged 8, borm 1903 are at school and Albert is aged 4, born 1907. Their children were all born in Liverpool.

He enlisted in Liverpool in about December 1914, joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 24359.
Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at 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.

Arthur did not ship overseas with his battalion on 07th November 1915 but arrived in France on 20th December 1915.

The 20th Battalion saw action at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and the Battle of Arras in April 1917.

The Third Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele) began on 31st July 1917.  At 5:40 a.m. the 20th Bn. formed up in assembly positions in shell holes in Maple Copse. Enemy shelling began at 7:00 a.m. causing 15-20 casualties. At 7:50 a.m. the battalion moved forward and reached the enemy’s front and support lines. Progress was halted at 10:10 a.m. by heavy enemy machine gun fire.

The 20th Battalion War Diary records for August 01st -08th -

“The battalion continued to hold the position taken up on the morning of the 31st July.  After the first day the weather was very wet and the going very difficult, but the men’s spirits remained wonderfully good. From time to time there was very heavy enemy shelling, and in addition to this machine guns and snipers were very active. The work of communication was extremely difficult and the wires to Companies and to Battalions on our flanks were repeatedly cut, and were only kept going by most excellent work by our linesmen, who suffered very heavy casualties, as also did the runners.”

Arthur was wounded on 02nd August 1917 and evacuated to England.  He was transferred to the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury on 20th October, and later to Eastbourne Military Hospital where he died of his wounds over three months after being wounded, on 08th November 1917.  His body was returned to Liverpool and he was laid to rest on 12th November 1917 in the family grave in Toxteth Park Cemetery.  

The inscription on his headstone reads:

“DUTY NOBLY DONE A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY LEFT BEHIND”

There are 288 First World War burials in the Cemetery.

His death was announced in the Liverpool Echo on 09th November 1917:

DIED FROM WOUNDS

LEDGER - November 8, from wounds received August 2,  at Eastbourne Military Hospital, aged 22 years, Private Arthur C. Ledger (K.L.R.), eldest son of Mr and Mrs W. Ledger of 171 Rice Lane, Walton. Interment at Smithdown Road Cemetery on Monday next at 2:30 p.m.

His father died four months after Arthur’s death, in April 1918 at the age of 53.

His mother Margaret received his Soldiers Effects, Army pay and a War Gratuity of £13-10s and was awarded a pension of 11/- a week from May 1918.

On the first anniversary of his death his family placed an In Memoriam notice in the Liverpool Echo on 08th November 1918:

LEDGER - In sad but loving memory of Private ARTHUR CRUMBIE LEDGER (Pals), who died from wounds November 8, 1917, aged 22 years. (Dearer to memory than words can ever tell.) - Sadly missed by his Mother, Sister and Brothers late, of Rice Lane, Walton.

Arthur is commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 65 Right, and on the Eastbourne Central Military Hospital War Memorial (now in Redoubt Military Museum, Eastbourne) -

  THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED TO THE 
MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DIED IN THE
        CENTRAL MILITARY HOSPITAL
                      EASTBOURNE
           DURING THE GREAT WAR
                        1916 - 1919

 GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN
THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE
                  FOR HIS FRIENDS

His youngest brother Albert served in the Merchant Navy in the Second World War.  In 1941 he was assistant steward on S.S. Nerissa, a passenger and cargo steamer that had been converted into a troop transport.

On her thirteenth war time Atlantic crossing she left Halifax, Nova Scotia on 21st April 1941 bound for Liverpool carrying Canadian troops, British Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel, as well as American pilots, Norwegian servicemen, and 20 civilians.  On 30th April 1941, northwest of Ireland, she was escorted by R.A.F. Coastal Command planes until darkness fell.  At 21:40 she was sighted by U-552.  One torpedo struck the Narissa astern and six minutes later, when the crew were launching life boats, she was struck again on the starboard side. The 84 survivors were rescued the following morning;  207 lives were lost.  Albert was one of the 66 crew killed.  He was 34, married with two children, and is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London.

His mother had died just two weeks before, aged 76, and was buried with her husband and son Arthur.

Grateful thanks are extended to Arthur's great, great nephew Ashton Ledger who contacted us from New Zealand and provided us with Arthur's Medal Index Card which confirmed Arthur's qualifying date of 20th December 1915 and the fact that Arthur earned all three medals, his 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.   

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