Cpl 27540 Peter Staunton

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

The family name is Staunton.

Peter Joseph Staunton was born in Liverpool, on 24th March 1894 the son of the Thomas Staunton and his wife Mary (nee Morrison) from Louisburg, County Mayo, Ireland. Thomas Michael Staunton and Mary Morrison married in Liverpool in 1882. The surname appears as Stanton in many records. He was baptised in St. Joseph's Church, Liverpool, on 01st April 1894. They had 12 children; birth or baptism records have been found for 11.  Peter had elder siblings Michael Joseph, Bridget, James, Walter Joseph, Mary Ann, Myles Thomas, and Christina Catherine, and younger siblings Patrick Joseph, Kathrine/Catherine Elizabeth, and Charles Thomas.

His father is found on the 1891 census at 64 Juvenal Street, age listed as 34, a provision merchant born in Ireland; his wife Mary, 28, assists in the business. They have five children: Michael, Bridget, James, Walter, and Mary Ann. Also in the household are Catherine Morrison, 21, from Ireland, a domestic servant, and three boarders.

His sister Mary Ann died in 1897 at the age of 7 and his father died six months later in March 1898 when Peter had just turned 4, his age given on the burial record as 48 (but 52 in the newspaper). His father, listed as a pork butcher, left over £1,300. Youngest brother Charles died in 1899 aged 20 months.  

At the time of the 1901 census his widowed mother is still at 64 Juvenal Street, with nine children ages 3 to 17 and two servants.  She is 39, a provision merchant and employer. Michael, 18, works with his mother, and James, 16, is a provision salesman. Peter is 7. His uncle Patrick Morrison, a provision salesman, lives with them. They have two visitors, both provision salesmen/merchants. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 42 Everton Brow, Everton, Liverpool, an 8 room house. His mother Mary is a widow aged 49, born 1862 occupation, and a housekeeper. She advised that she had been married for twenty nine years and had twelve children of whom three had died. She has seven children living with her, Michael aged 28, born 1883 and James aged 25 born 1885 are shop assistants for a pork butcher, Myles aged 19, born 1892 is a ship steward, Christina aged 18, born 1893 is a shop assistant in a confectionary shop, Peter aged 17, born 1894 is an apprentice printer and Patrick aged 15, born 1896 is an errand boy for a rubber stamp maker. She has her brother Patrick Morrison a widower aged 54, born 1857, occupation agent for Singer Sewing Company and who was born in Ireland living at the address.    

Peter enlisted in Liverpool, volunteering in about June 1915, and arrived in France some time in 1916. He was serving in the name of Stanton in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Corporal No 27540 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917, aged 22, during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). 

18^th Battalion

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

Military records show him as Missing, and his death assumed to have occurred on or since 31st July 1917.

Peter's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as 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.

Peter's death was reported in the local press:

STAUNTON - July 31, killed in action, age 22 years, Corporal Peter Staunton, K.L.R. (one of the best.) RIP - Ever remembered by Mother, Sisters and brothers (in France) 273 Athol Street, Liverpool.

The family notice says "brothers in France", it may be younger brother Patrick who served with the KLR but there was also Michael and Walter.

Mrs Staunton of 273 Athol Street, Liverpool, has received news that her son, Corporal Peter Staunton, aged 22, of the King's Liverpool Regiment was killed instantly in action in France. A printer in the service of Mr Smith of Bootle. Staunton joined the army on the outbreak of war and had been at the front two years. In a letter to his mother, one of his officers wrote: "He was killed whilst leading his section most gallantly. Everybody thought the world of him."

Soldiers Effects went to his mother who also received his outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £10-10s.

Peter's loss was not the only burden for the family to bear as his elder brother James was killed in action on 12th April 1918 serving as Private 359437 with the 10th Battalion (Liverpool Scottish) of The Kings Liverpool Regiment. He also has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial in France. 

Their mother Mary was awarded a combined pension of 10/- a week for both sons in March 1918, by then living at 98 Flinders Street in Kirkdale. She died in 1946 aged 78 in St. Vincent's Hospice after a long illness.

Peter and James are both remembered at St Anthony's RC Church, Scotland Road under the name Staunton. 

And on the family gravestone in Ford Cemetery -

ALSO JAMES & PETER STAUNTON

  SONS OF THE ABOVE THOMAS

  WHO WERE KILLED IN ACTION

    "MAY THEY REST IN PEACE"

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