Pte 49047 John McLaren

• Age: 31
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

John McLaren was born in 1886 at Manchester and resided in Accrington and was the son of William and Annie McLaren (nee Gee), of 1 Churnet St, Collyhurst, Manchester, who had married in 1877 at St Mary's Church, Manchester. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 1 Churnet St, Collyhurst, Manchester.  

The father William aged 49, born 1852 is a compositor who was born in Manchester. His wife Annie is aged 42, born 1859 also in Manchester as were all their children. William aged 21, born 1880 is a warehouseman, Louisa aged 19, born 1882 is an embroideress, Annie aged 17, born 1884 is a shirt cutter, John aged 14, born 1887 is a printing apprentice, James aged 11, born 1890 and Lily aged 12, born 1889 have no occupation listed.

John was the husband of Lilian (nee Bird) McLaren, of 88, Dowry St, Accrington. He married Lilian in 1910 at St John the Evangelist, Accrington.

On the 1911 census his family are living at 19 Brighton St, Salford.

John aged 24, is a compositor and was born in Manchester, his wife Lilian aged 21 was born in Accrington. Lilian's 6 year old sister Agnes Mathew also born in Accrington is living with them.

He enlisted in Salford and was formerly 31951, Lancashire Fusiliers and serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 49047 when he was killed in action on the 4th August, 1917 aged 31 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

John was one of those casualties referred to in the Diary. 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.

Reported killed in the Weekly Casualty List 18th Sept 1917

King's Liverpool Regiment - McLaren, 49047, J. (Salford);

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Lillian, 88 Dowry St, Accrington

She is on the 1939 register at 67 Dowry St, dob 16th July 1889 and died in Accrington in 1953.

John's father William died in 1930 aged 78 and his wife Annie died in 1933 aged 74.

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