L/Cpl 24634 William Thoel

• Age: 27
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

William Thoel was born on 27 February 1891, the son of Theodor Thoel and his wife Hannah (nee O’Donnell). His parents, who had married 19th July 1891 at St John's Church. They were living at 3 Shallcross Street; his father was a greengrocer. His father was born in Germany, his mother in Liverpool. William was baptised in St. Chrysostom, Everton on 26^th April 1891. His siblings were Katey, Mary, Thomas,  Hannah, Fanny, Charles, and Nelly.

A sister Hannah was born in 1884 but died in infancy.

On the 1891 Census the family are living at 3 Shallcross Street, Everton.
The father Theodore is aged 48, a greengrocer who was born in Germany, and his wife Hannah is aged 32 and born in Liverpool. They have four children, all born in Liverpool, Mary 8 a scholar, Katey 3, Thoedore 1, and William aged 1 month. 

A daughter Fanny was born in 1895 but does not appear on the census until 1911.

On the 1901 Census the family are now living in 3/5 Shallcross Street, the premises of their combined greengrocery and cookshop.
The father Theodore is aged 58, a greengrocer/cookshop owner though born in Germany is a British Subject) his wife Hannah is aged 42. They have six children, Mary 18, Kate 13, Theodore 11, and William 10, Hannah 8, and Charles 4. 

A brother John died in June 1901 in infancy

His father died at the age of 65 in September 1908 and he was buried at Anfield Cemetery on the 22nd Sept 1908.

In 1911 the family have moved to 4 Jasmine Street, Everton.
Widowed mother Hannah is 51, children William is 20, and employed as a warehouseman for horticultural sundries, Hannah 17 domestic servant, Fanny 15 shop assistant in confectionery, Charles Edward Victor 13 at school and butchers errand boy, Nellie 9, also grandson Charles Mohin(Kate's son) 1. 

William enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 24634 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918, aged 27, during the German Spring Offensive. 

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew. They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity. 

William has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

He had been engaged to be married when he was killed. A notice was placed in the Liverpool Echo on 24th May 1918:  

“In loving memory of my dear boy, Lance-corporal W. Thoel, who fell in action April 29, 1918. –

Not dead to those who love him,

Not lost, but gone before.

He lives, to me, in memory still,

And will for evermore.

-          His sorrowing fiancée Beaty and all at 14 Breckfield Road North.”

His family placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 19^th June 1918:

 “In loving remembrance of my dearly beloved second eldest son William, aged 27 years, K.L.R., killed in action, April 29, 1918. – Ever remembered and deeply mourned by his sorrowing Mother and Sisters, 18 Jasmine Street.”

The notice appeared together with a remembrance for his brother Charles.

“In loving 21^st birthday remembrance of the dearly-beloved son, Battery Sergt. Major Charles E.V. Thoel, killed whilst doing his duty in France, September 24, 1917. – Ever remembered and deeply mourned by his sorrowing Mother and Sisters, 18 Jasmine Street.”

Sgt. Major Charles E.V. Thoel, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, was killed on 24^th September 1917, age 20. He lies in Croonaert Chapel Cemetery, Flanders.

On the Service records of Acting Battery Sgt Major, 60045, Charles E.V. Thoel, his mother Hannah, 18 Jasmine Street, declares the family on the 16th May 1919 as follows:-

Theodore Thoel, 29, 12 Handfield Rd, Liverpool.

Mary Eliz. Housbey, 37, Oakfield Rd

Kate Mohin, 32, 32 Harewood Rd

Hannah Carter, 25, 9 ?ate Rd,

Fanny Lewin, 24, 18 Jasmine Street

Nellie Thoel, 19, 18 Jasmine Street

Soldiers Effects and the Pensions of William and Charles went to mother Hannah.

Older brother Thomas Theodore served as Pte 45699, South Wales Borderers, and died in 1927. 

Their mother, Hannah, died in 1928, having lost all three of her sons. She was buried at Anfield Cemetery on the 24th May 1928.

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