Pte 24931 Abraham Deason Cummings

• Age: 31
• From: Newton in Furness
• Regiment: 2/7 KLR
• Died on Tuesday 3rd September 1918
• Commemorated at: Blargies Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: III.B.5

Abraham Deason Cummings was born in Newton-in-Furness, a village outside Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire in the September quarter of 1886, the eldest son of John Cummings and his wife Sarah Ann (née Deason), although the civil marriage register shows her surname as Simpson. No previous marriage for either parent has been found. His parents married in the Barrow area in 1875. The marriage was announced in the Liverpool newspapers, describing his father as a wine and spirit merchant of Liverpool. Daughters Mary, 1876, and Elizabeth, 1878, were born in Liverpool, with mother’s maiden name shown as Simpson.  After a gap of eight years, Abraham was born in Newton, after which his parents returned to Liverpool, where Violet, 1888, and John, 1891, were born, also to mother Deason. 

He was named Abraham after his maternal grandfather.  

The 1881 census shows John, 35, a manager/licensed victualler, and Sarah, 29, living in Walton Lane, Kirkdale, but with no children in the household. 

The family has not been found on the 1891 census. 

His father died in early 1898, aged 52, when Abraham was 11 years old. 

In 1901 his widowed mother, 48, is running a lodging house at 64 Gray Street, Bootle, with three boarders, working on her own account.  Abraham is 14, a railway labourer, Violet 13, and John is 9. 

His mother remarried on December 31st 1901 to William Martin, a mariner.  

When Abe was 23 he married Lydia Gould, 20, in St. Leonard’s Church, Bootle, on 02nd October 1909, giving his residence as 64 Gray Street, and his occupation as warehouseman.  Their son John was born on 29th March 1910. 

The 1911 census finds Abraham, 24, and Lydia, 22, with son John at 88 Keats Street, Bootle. Abraham is a dock labourer for steamship company. His mother, 57, married but husband away at sea, is still at 64 Gray Street, with Violet, 23, and John, 19. 

Another son, William, was born later that year, on 26th September 1911, followed by Abraham on 29th July 1913. 

Abe enlisted in January 1915 in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of the Kings Liverpool Regiment as Private 24931. His brother John enlisted in the same battalion, the 17th (Pals), on 8th January 1915, with regimental number 24866, around the same time, if not on the same day, as Abe.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

7.11.15: Abe and John embarked for France with their battalion and disembarked at Boulogne.

He later transferred to the 2/7th Battalion of The Kings Liverpool Regiment and sadly died of wounds on the 03rd September 1918, aged 31.

His death was reported in the local press:

THE PRICE OF VICTORY

BOOTLE KINGSMAN DIES OF WOUNDS

"There have been great days of victory but as i stood at your husbands side I realised the other side of victory" wrote the Rev. J. McCardel, to Mrs M Cummings of 88 Keats-street, Bootle, when conveying the sad intelligence that her husband Pte. Abraham Deason Cummings, K.L.R., had died from wounds received in action.

"Your husband gave his life for the greatest of causes" added the chaplain, "but yours is the greatest sacrifice".

Pte Cummings was seriously wounded on September 3rd and was put on a hospital train for the base, but en route his condition became very much worse, and he was removed from the train and taken to a Stationary Hosptial where he died the same evening. "He sent his love to you" wrote the Matron of the Hospital to Mrs Cummings, "but otherwise he did not leave any message".

Pte. Cummings was 31 years of age and was an "old boy" of Gray-street School, afterwards joining the employ of the C.P.R. He joined the Army in January 1915 and had been three years in France. For gallant conduct and devotion to duty in the field on June 28th of this year he received a certificate and the congratulations of the Brigadier General. 

The deep sympathy felt for his young widow and three children will be accompanied by the fact that on the evening of the day that Mrs Cummings was notified of her gallant husband's death, she received information that her mother had passed away.  

Abe now rests at Blargies Communal Cemetery Extension in France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"NEVER FORGOTTEN" 

Blargies became in 1916 an important centre of British and native labour attached to the dumps and depots at Abancourt; and in the same year it was found necessary to open an Extension of the Communal Cemetery for the burial of men who died in the hospitals of the Camp. The Extension was used until 1920. There are now nearly 250, 1914-18 and a small number of 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. The grave of a Bermudan soldier was brought in from the COMMUNAL CEMETERY after the 1918 Armistice; and those of twelve German prisoners, four Italian laboureres and one American Y.M.C.A. worker were removed to other burial grounds. The Extension covers an area of 1,998 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall on three sides.

The Bootle’s Fallen website states that, 

“Abraham was given an award and mention in Despatches for Gallant Conduct and Devotion to Duty in the field on the 27-28th June 1918, he received a certificate and congratulations from the Brigadier-General.” 

The award has recently come to light following contact from Marion Smyth whose husband, Kevin, was a great nephew of Abe's it is reproduced below:

Name No. 24931 - Pte A Cummings

Regiment King's Liverpool Regiment

I have read with great pleasure the reports of your Commanding Officer and Brigade Commander and congratulate you on your

Gallant Conduct and Devotion to Duty in the field on 27th/28th June 1918 at Rossignol Wood

Cecil Wray Brigadier General

Commandg 57th Division

His family paid tribute to Abe in the Liverpool Echo on 14th September 1918:   

“In loving memory of Private Abraham Cummings, aged 31, formerly with Liverpool “Pals”, who died of wounds at stationary hospital, Oboncourt, France, Sept. 3. (Until the day breaks.) - From Mother and John, 64 Gray Street, Bootle.” 

“September 3, died of wounds, aged 31 years, Private Abraham Deason Cummings, K.L.R., formerly with Liverpool “Pals” (Our Dear Abe), the most dearly beloved and eldest brother of Elizabeth and John Schofield, of 57, Warbreck Road, Orrell Park, Aintree, late of 17, Rufford Road, Bootle.  (One of the best.). -  Deeply mourned by his sorrowing Sister and Brother-in-Law.” 

His sons were 7, 6, and 5 years old when their father died

Lily ? War Gratuity of £17.

Lydia of 88 Keats Street, was awarded a pension of £1-9s-7d a week from March 1919, later amended to £2-10s-2d. 

Abe earned his three medals. 

Abe’s brother John Cummings (Marion's husband’s grandfather) served alongside him in the Pals until he was injured in the operation to clear Trones Wood between 10th/11th/12th July 1916. He was transported back to England on 22nd July 1916 and invalided out of the army having been awarded the Silver War Badge.

His mother appears to have died in 1921 aged 67. 

Lydia never remarried. In 1939 Lydia, 50, and son Abraham, are found at 56 Moore Street, Bootle.  Abraham,  26, is studying for the ministry. Lydia died in 1965 aged 76. His three sons all remained in the Liverpool area and lived into the 1990s. 

Abe is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Gray Street School Memorial

Bootle Civic Memorial.

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

Grateful thanks are extended to Joe Devereux for permission to use the photograph of Abe now shown on the site. 

Further thanks are extended to Marion Smyth for permission to use the details contained in Abe's citation on this website.