Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 32963 John Sefton

Age: 29
From: Kirkdale, Liverpool
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
K.I.A Monday 9th April 1917
Commemorated at: Neuville-vitasse Rd Cem
Panel Ref: A.4

John was born in Kirkdale in 1888 the son of William Pearson Sefton and his wife Mary Ellen (née Magill). Both his parents were from Liverpool, and married in 1883 at St Mary's Church, Kirkdale. His father had been married before and was widowed in 1876 with two children, Isadora Matilda born in 1872, and William Pearson 1876.

John had an elder sister Esther, born in 1886. His father appears in the Census before John’s birth as a painter; he died before John was a year old, in 1889 at the age of 38.

The 1891 census finds his widowed mother, 33, working as a laundress, at 4 Barlow Square, Kirkdale. His half brother William is 15, an errand boy in the port, Esther is 5, and John 3.

In 1901 they are living at 29 Summer Garden, Kirkdale, His mother. 43, and Esther 15, are soap machinists, John is 13.

By the time of the 1911 census his mother, 53, is an inmate in the West Derby (Walton) workhouse and sister Esther is living with cousins in St. Hilda Street.

It has not been possible to definitively identify John in 1911, however two possibilites are:

John Sefton, age 22, born Liverpool, 2nd Bn Devonshire Regiment Pte. 641, bandsman, St. George’s Barracks, Malta.

J. Sefton, address 2 Kempton Road, New Ferry, waiter on the “Carmania” age 23.

He enlisted in Liverpool and served with the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 32963. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in about October 1915.

He was reported as wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post on 29th November 1916:

WOUNDED

King's (Liverpool Regiment) - Sefton, 32963, J.;

John was killed in action on 09th April 1917, aged 29.

Arras 09^th April 1917

Details of the circumstances the 18^th Battalion had to contend with are illustrated below:

The battalion formed the left assaulting battalion of the brigade, the 2^nd Wiltshire Regiment being on the right, the 19^th Manchester Regiment being in support and 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment furnishing “moppers -up” for the two assaulting battalions. The brigade advance was timed to begin at ---- hour after “Zero”, suited to conform with the movements of 56^th Division and other divisions on our left further north (near Arras). This battalion’s objective was the front-line system Lion Lane on the left (exclusive) to Panther Lane on right (exclusive). This sector included the strongpoint known as “The Egg”.

The brigade advanced at prearranged time, i.e., 11.38 a.m, from position of assembly trenches south of Neuville Vitasse to German front line. This necessitated an advance across the open of at least 2,000 yards. This area up to Neuville Vitasse- Henin road was crossed in artillery formation; after this, owing to machine-gun fire and considerable resistance from German posts forward in the sunken roads, it was found necessary to deploy. During the whole movement across the open the advancing columns had been under considerable artillery fire from guns of all calibres. On gaining the position immediately in front of German line it was found that the wire was practically uncut; this wire formed two strong belts in front of German trenches. Two small gaps were eventually discovered and Second-Lieut H.F.Merry gallantly led a bombing party through them, but his three remaining men were killed as they reached the German trenches.

From the moment the battalion was “held up” in front of German wire Capt. R. W. Jones, the senior company commander on the spot, at once began the work of consolidating in front of German wire. The battalion held on in this position for the remainder of the day, until relieved by the 16^th Manchester Regiment about 3 a.m. on the 10^th of April, all the time under intense machine-gun and rifle fire.

Between 9th-10th April, 1917, the 18th King's lost 2 officers 2nd Lt. F. Ashcroft and 2nd Lt. H.G. Ewing and 59 other ranks killed. 8 other officers were wounded.

John now rests at Neuville Vitasse Road Cemetery in France at plot A.4 where his headstone bears the poignant epitaph:

"NEVER ONE DAY WITHOUT REMEMBRANCE. MOTHER AND ESTHER".

The village of Neuville-Vitasse was captured by the 56th (London) Division on 9 April 1917, almost entirely lost at the end of March 1918, and cleared at the end of the following August. The cemetery was made by units of the 33rd Division after the first capture of the village, and two other burials were added in June 1917. Neuville-Vitasse Road Cemetery now contains 86 First World War burials, 11 of them unidentified. The cemetery was designed by G H Goldsmith.

His mother was living at 31 Milman Road, Walton, Liverpool at the time she received notification of John's death.

John is commemorated at St Luke's Church, Goodison Road, Walton.

Army effects were shared by his mother and half brother William. The War Gratuity of £6 went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 6/- a week from July 1921, her address shown as 15 Heathfield Road, Birkenhead and later as 25 Zante Street, Liverpool.

His mother lost her only other child when daughter Esther died in 1926 aged 40.

The 1932-35 electoral rolls show his mother at 25 Zante Street. She is not at this address in 1939.

John's half brother, William, had a son Edward who served in WW2 in the RAF Volunteer Reserve as a Sergeant. He was a rear gunner in a Halifax bomber. He was mortally wounded after a bombing raid over Berlin. The details of the filght are as follows:

Took off 22nd November 1943 from Breighton. Very seriously damaged by flak over the target and on regaining the East Anglia coast, the pilot attempted tomland at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk.

Edward died of his wounds on 22nd January 1944. He was 24 years old, and is commemorated in Kirkdale Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"BRAVE IN SPIRIT, KIND IN THOUGHT AND DEED, HE DIED THAT WE MAY LIVE"

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

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A total of 20 Pals were killed on this day. View All