Pte 51653 William Douglas Brougham Neligan

• Age: 29
• From: Liverpool
• 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

William Douglas Brougham Neligan was born 31^st October 1887 at Liverpool and was baptised 02^nd February 1888 at Brook Road Methodist Church, Walton, Liverpool. He was the son of Oliver Goldsmith Hudson Neligan and his wife Isabella Heywood (nee Brougham). His parents married in 1879 in Birkenhead. His father gained his master mariners certificate on the 15th September 1877. He has crew records for 1889 (Sphynx).

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 47 Weldon Street, Walton, Liverpool.  His mother Isabel H. is aged 27, born 1864 no occupation who was born in Tranmere. She is living with her four children, Ruby aged 8, born 1883, Sydney aged 5, born 1886 both are scholars, Douglas aged 3, and Reginald aged 1, born 1890. At the time of the Census they had a visitor Minnie Brougham aged 25, born 1866 at the address.

Prior to the outbreak of war he had been employed by Great Central Railway as a clerk.

He enlisted in Liverpool as Rifleman 4929 joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked from Folkestone-Boulogne on 19th July 1916, reaching the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 20th July, proceeded to 11th Entrenching Battalion on 02nd August, then proceeded to 17th Battalion K.L.R. on 05th August and was posted to the 17th Battalion K.L.R. from 05th September 1916 as Private No 51653.

He was killed in action on the 04th August 1917, aged 29, 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. 

William 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.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 31st October 1917 under the header:

Soldiers Effects to mother Isabella, Pension to mother, and father Oliver G.H.

Douglas is commemorated on the following Memorials;

St Paul And St John United Reformed Church

His mother died on the 15th July 1924, aged 67. 

His father died in the March quarter of 1932 aged 78. 

Grateful thanks are extended to Kevin Shannon the author of the book The Liverpool Rifles for providing details of Douglas' service with the 6th Rifles.  

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