Pte 15217 David Ledger

• Age: 29
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: II.O.6

David Ledger was born in Toxteth Park, Liverpool on 01st April 1887 the fourth son of John Ledger and his wife Mary (née Parry) who were married on the 31st May 1869 at St Matthew’s, Toxteth. John was a venetian blind manufacturer of 27 St James Place, father Thomas, whilst Mary was of 26 Devonshire Rd, father Thomas deceased. David was baptised in St. Andrew's Church, Toxteth Park, on 11th September 1887, his parents at the time living at 84 South Street, and his father’s occupation listed as window blind manufacturer. Both his parents were born in Liverpool and married in 1869. David was the ninth of twelve children.  He had five brothers: John, Thomas, William, Herbert, and Arthur, and six sisters: Minnie, Caroline, Mary, Jane, Annie, and Dora.  

On the 1881 census before David’s birth his family lived at 84 South Street, where his mother is aged 33, his father, aged 39, was a Venetian blind manufacturer, running a business employing eight men and three boys. His grandfather Thomas also had a window blind business, at 27 St. James Place. 

By 1891 they are occupying the business premises at 27 St. James Place, in a commercial area near where the Anglican Cathedral stands today. His father is a window blind maker. They have nine children from 19 to one year old;  David is 4.

Daughter, Caroline, died at the age of 18 not long before the next census.

In 1901 his father is running the business in the same location. The have nine children at home. David, only 13, is working as a shipping clerk. 

In 1905 his father died in Cheshire Asylum in Chester. He was 64, occupation gentleman. He was buried in Toxteth Park Cemetery alongside his daughter Caroline.

By 1911 the family have moved across the river to Seacombe, Cheshire, living at 33 Annesley Road. 

His mother, Mary, is 62 years of age and is the head of the household. David is aged 24 and is employed as a Law Clerk. His siblings are listed as; Jane aged 31 is a shop assistant, Annie is 30 has no occupation, Thomas is 28 is a railway engine (illegible), William is 26, an accountant’s clerk, Herbert is 22, an estate agent’s clerk, Arthur, 18, is an engineer’s apprentice, and Dora is 14, at school. 

Prior to enlistment he was employed as a Law Clerk. 

He enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15217.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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. David arrived in France on 07^th November 1915. 

David was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916,aged 29, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

His death was reported in a brief notice in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on 14th August 1916 among other K.L.R. casualties:

“Private David Ledger, who lived at Annesley Road, Poulton, was shot through the heart.”

However, an online commemorative site (HistoryofWallasey.co.uk) quotes an undated article from a local newspaper:

Shot Through The Head

As was briefly intimated in our last issue, Private David Ledger, of the King's Liverpool Regiment (Pals") was killed in action on July 30th. No official information has yet been forthcoming at his home, 43, Annesley Road, Somerville, but the sad tidings were conveyed through the medium of a comrade, in a letter which runs as follows:-

"It is with very great sorrow I have to inform you of the sad news that David was killed in action on July 30th. We went up to the line on Saturday night and at 8 a.m. Sunday morning while attacking Dave was shot through the head with a bullet. It is a little comfort to know that he did not suffer as he was killed instantaneously. He was one of the most popular men in the platoon and I, who was with him a lot since he joined the Army, realise what a terrible loss it is for you... He was a son you might well be proud of, and he died bravely doing his duty."

Deceased, who was twenty-nine years of age, and enlisted at the commencement of war, was formerly connected with the legal profession. 

David was buried close to where he fell, and after the war, when graves were concentrated, his body was exhumed and reinterred at Guillemont Road Cemetery, where he now rests. 

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries.

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Bake

David earned his three medals.

His mother was awarded a pension of 6/- a week from May 1917. His Army pay went to his mother Mary and sister Jane in 1917.   The War Gratuity of £8-10s went to (sister?) Annie.  

He was remembered on his birthday in April 1917:

"Leger [sic]- In loving birthday remembrance of David (Liverpool Pals), who was killed in action, July, 1916. - Always remembered by all at 30(?), Hartismere Road [Wallasey] and Alf."

On the first anniversary of his death, tributes were paid to David in the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading Lost At The Battle of Guillemont:

“In loving memory of Private David Ledger, the fourth son of Mary Ledger of Wallasey, and the late John Ledger of Liverpool, who was killed in action July 30, 1916 - 33 Annesley-road, Wallasey ”

“In loving memory of Private David Ledger (17th K.L.R.), killed in action July 30, 1916. (Ever remembered by his Mother, Sisters, and Brothers.)”

He was also remembered on the second anniversary of his death in 1918:

"In loving memory of David (Liverpool Pals), fourth son of Mary and the late John Ledger, killed in action, July 30, 1916. - 33, Annesley Road, Wallasey."

David is commemorated on the following memorials -

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 65 Right 

Victoria Central Community Hospital, Wallasey.

David's loss was not the only one the family had to endure in the War as his younger brother Herbert died died of disease at Davidson Road War Hospital in Croydon on 27th October 1918  two weeks before the Armistice. He was aged 29 and was serving as Private 035836 with the Army Ordnance Corps Depot battalion at home. Herbert now rests at Croydon Queens Road Cemetery.   

His mother appears to have died in Kent in 1929, aged 80.

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