Pte 50289 Ralph Shorrock

His parents lived in 29 Bright Street, Darwen, since at least 1881, and Ralph lived there throughout his childhood.  In 1891 his father is a fitter in an iron foundry.  An older daughter Nancy, 19, is in the household, and is a cotton weaver.  Nancy’s birth record can not be found; her parentage is not known.  Nella, although only 10, is also listed as a cotton weaver. Grace is 7, and Ralph 5. Also widowed maternal grandmother Hannah Chadwick, 70, living on her own means.

 

They are still at 29 Bright Street in 1901. His parents are both 53; his father John is an engineer/fitter, Nella, 20, and Grace, 17, are linen weavers, and Ralph is 15, a barber’s assistant.  Also in the household is grandson John Shorrock, 6.

 

His mother died in 1905, aged 58.

 

The 1911 census finds them at 60 Sudellside Street, Darwen. Ralph is 25, a hairdresser working at home on his own account, Bertha is 26, a cloth weaver, and daughter Bertha is 2.

He was conscripted in Darwen and originally served as Private 38025 in the East Lancashire Regiment.

A small draft of East Lancashire Regiment soldiers who conscripted in March 1917 and "graduated" into the East Lancashire Regiment but did not serve overseas with that unit. The 15 recruits, all of similar background (East Lancashire Regimental numbers, age and geography) appear on an alpha-numeric list created at 30 IBD, Etaples in June 1917 where they received new numbers. Those with surnames A-L (became 50224-50258) and went to 17th Battalion King's (Liverpool Regiment) and those with surnames M-Z (became 50259-50293) and went to 20th Battalion King's (Liverpool Regiment).

Ralph was serving in the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50289 when he died of wounds on the 06^th January 1918 aged 32.

He now rests at Outtersteene  CC Ext Bailleul, France. 

Outtersteene was captured by the III Corps on 13 October 1914 but no Commonwealth burials took place there for nearly three years. In August 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres, the 2nd, 53rd and 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Stations came to Outtersteene, and the first and last of these remained until March 1918. The hamlet was captured by the Germans on 12 April 1918, and retaken by the 9th, 29th and 31st Divisions, with the ridge beyond it, on 18 and 19 August, but the cemetery was not used again during hostilities. After the Armistice, over 900 graves of 1914 and 1918 were brought into Plots I, II and IV from the battlefields surrounding Outtersteene and from certain small cemeteries. In the Extension, on the East side of the Communal Cemetery, were buried 17 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Australia, who fell in August and September 1918. 1,147 German graves were initially concentrated into Plot III. These were later removed to Steenwerck German Cemetery. The extension was used again in 1940, for the burial of those killed in the fighting which covered the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force to Dunkirk. Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension now contains 1,393 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 499 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 14 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Second World War burials number 72, of which 23 are unidentified. The extension was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His sister Grace was a vocalist and just two months after Ralph's death she put her talents to good use as reported in the Preston Herald of 16th March 1918

ROYAL ARTILLERY PRISONERS OF WAR FUND

One of the finest orchestral concerts held in the public hall for some considerable time was given on Thursday evening. The items of the band of the Royal Regiment of Artillery were varied by several vocal items by Madame Grace Shorrock of Darwen, and Mr Charles Critchley of Preston. The former took the place at short notice of Miss Lillian Whiteside, who was prevented from singing by throat trouble. Mr Edward Richardson was the accompanist and performed his task in a very creditable manner. The concert, which is in aid of the Royal Artillery Prisoners of War Fund was organised by Mr H.S.D. McNeal R.F.A., in conjunction with Messrs. Norwood and Sons. It is hoped the sum of about £300 will accrue.

His daughter was 9 years old when Ralph died. His widow Bertha received his Army effects, a War Gratuity of £3 (which suggests that Ralph had served less than a year when he died).  Bertha received a pension of £1-0s-5d for herself and child until daughter Bertha turned 16 in 1924, after which the amount of the widow’s pension is not specified on the pension card. 

 

She remarried Richard Pinder in 1920.  He had served with the R.A.M.C. 1914-1919 in Gallipoli, Egypt and Salonica. 

 

Bertha died in 1927, age 42. 

 

Ralph’s daughter Bertha married, remained in Darwen, and died in 1994.

 

Ralph is commemorated on the Redearth Road Primitive Methodist Church Plaque (Replica)

 

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