Pte 22854 Harry Sutton

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 7th May 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.F.22

Harry Sutton was born 27th June 1892 in Liverpool. He was the fifth son of Frederick and Elizabeth Ann Sutton(nee Smith). Elizabeth died in 1894 and Frederick then married Emily Frances Williams in Liverpool in 1896. Harry was educated at Clint Road Council School, Edge from 1899. 

In 1891, Frederick and Elizabeth Ann lived at 19a Reservoir Street, Everton, when Frederick was shown as an electrical engineer. They then had five children, all boys, one of whom, Theophilus (named after his grandfather) was to die in 1895. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 84 Needham Street, Liverpool. His father, Frederick, is aged 41 was born in Liverpool in 1860 and is employed as an electrical engineer. His mother, Emily, is aged 28 was born in 1873 in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. They have eight children all are living at home; Frederick aged 18, born 1883 is an apprentice in the printing industry, James aged 14, born 1887 is an apprentice to bakers, Ernest aged 11, born 1890, Walter aged 9, born 1892, Harry aged 8, born 1893 both from Frederick's first marriage, Eleanor aged 4, born 1897, Isabella aged 2, born 1899 and Doris born in 1901. The children were all born in Liverpool. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 19 Cotswold Street, Kensington, Liverpool. His father, Frederick, is now aged 51 and is employed as an electrical engineer for a steam ship company. His mother, Emily, is aged 39 and has no occupation listed. They have been married for 15 years and have had seven children of which one had died. At the taking of the Census, they have eight children living at home, which include Walter aged 20 who is employed as a shop assistant for an ironmonger, Harry aged 18, is a shop assistant for a pawnbroker and both sons are from Frederick’s first marriage. The remaining six children are from his second marriage to Emily, Eleanor aged 14, has no occupation listed, Isabella aged 12, Doris aged 10, Cecile aged 7, born 1904, and Emily aged 6, born 1905 are at school and Harriet aged 1, born 1910.

On 10^th November 1914, Harry Sutton enlisted at Liverpool, giving his age as 22 years 4 months, his occupation as a clerk and his next of kin as his father, Frederick, of 19 Cotswold Street.

On 04^th October 1915, he forfeited 3 days pay and was confined to barracks for 14 days after going AWOL from 2^nd to 4^th October 1915.

He served in France from 07^th November 1915, earning all three medals.

He was killed in action on 07^th May 1916, aged 23, and is buried in Cerisy-Gailly Cemetery, Grave II F 22.

Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme and the following small cemeteries:- MARICOURT MILITARY CEMETERY was at the South-East corner of the village, on the road to Clery. It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron. It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July, 1916. It contained the graves of 887 French soldiers, 260 from the United Kingdom and six German.

The cemetery now contains 745 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 114 of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties buried at Maricourt and Ste. Helene whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Harry's effects were sent to Mrs Elsie Sutton, 62 Conyers Street, Kirkdale, as were his medals.

In November 1920, his sister in law, Eunice Sutton, presumably the wife of his older brother Frederick, of 62 Conyers Street, completed the sworn declaration of relationship, stating that his father, Frederick, still lived at 19 Cotswold Street; his mother was deceased; he had 4 surviving brothers and making no reference to his half-brothers or sisters.

In 1923, his brother, Frederick, wrote to Military Records stating that they had received Harry’s medals but no plaque or scroll - there is no reply on file.

Another of Harry’s older brothers, James, born 1887, enlisted in the Border Regiment on 16^th November 1915 but was placed on the reserve. He was mobilized as Private 203287 on 15^th May 1915 and then served in France.  On 27^th May 1918, having been posted as Missing, it transpired that he had been taken prisoner. He was released on 13^th December 1918 and demobilized in 1919, when he went to live with his wife in Janet Street, Edge Hill, and obtained employment as a baker with a bakery in Prescot Road.

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