John attended St. Lawrence’s C of E School, in Croylands Street, Kirkdale, and left school when he turned 14 in January 1910.

The family are at the same address in 1911. His father, 54, and Andrew, 26, are iron moulders, his  mother is 55, Helen, 22, is a restaurant waitress, James, 19, is an apprentice blacksmith, Mary, 17, has no occupation.  John is 15, employed as a telegraph messenger (for the Post Office), Robert is 13, at school.  Also in the household is grandson William Muirhead, age 2. His parents have been married for thirty yeras and have had nine children.

 

He enlisted in Liverpool, the amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in late 1915 when he was 19.

He was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 31656 when he was killed in action on the 28^th March, 1918 aged 22, during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion Diary gives an insight into the chaotic events of the day

28^th March

At about 6am the enemy commenced to shell heavily the whole of the forward line and brought Trench Mortars and MACHINE Guns into action.

FOLIES was shelled and the area in the rear of the village as far back as LE QUESNEL.

Rations were received at dawn and parties were organised to carry them to the Companies on the right. Owing to the heavy fire, however, it was not possible to get them up.

Heavy fighting was in progress on the right from soon after dawn and at 8am the enemy was reported to be in possession of BOUCHOIR and progressing towards the BEETROOT FACTORY. About 10am  the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.

At noon the enemy was bombarding the village and vicinity heavily and reports were received that he was in occupation of WARVILLERS on the left and ARVILLERS on the right.

The front line East of FOLIES continued to resist until about 2pm when the order was received from the 89^th Infy Brigade to the effect that the Battalions were relieved by the French and would withdraw at once to MEZIERES, where the men would be fed. Companies withdrew under some shellingand very heavy M.G. and rifle fire from the left , through K10 -K3 – North side LE QUESNEL to the main ROYE road and reorganised about D.29 c. The march from this point was conducted in good order despite the congested roads.

At MEZIERES it was decided to continue a rearward movement and the march was resumed via VILLERS-MOREUIL – MORISEL – ROUVREL, which village was reached about 7pm and the Battalion billeted. The men had marched 13 miles from the left position in good order and with practically no straggling. They were exhausted on arrival at ROUVREL, but in good heart.

Echelon ‘A’ of the Transport joined the Battalion at this village and the men were fed immediately on arrival. The night passed without incident.

John has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

He was officially declared killed in action between 21st and 28th March 1918.

 

His parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 23rd April 1918:

“March 21-28, killed in action, aged 22 years, Private John (Jack) Muirhead, K.L.R. (late G.P.O.), fifth beloved son of William and Helen Muirhead, 24, St. Hilda Street, Kirkdale.”

Reported killed in the Weekly Casualty List 14th May 1918 - King's (Liverpool Regt.) - Muirhead 31656 J. (Liverpool);

 

His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £11 went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 9/- a week from October 1918.  After her death his father William received the pension.

 

His brother James served in the Royal Navy (R.N.D.) and was demobbed in March 1919.

 

His mother died in 1937, aged 80, and his father in June 1939 at the age of 82, still living in St. Hilda Street.

 

Jack is commemorated on the following memorials -

Liverpool Post Office Staff

St. Lawrence’s School, Kirkdale

St. Chad’s Church Roll of Honour

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 17.