Pte 235221 Hyman Davies

• Age: 37
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 1st August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Hyman Davies was born 23^rd December 1879 in Manchester and was the son of Isaac Davies and his wife Sarah (nee Solomon).

On the 1881 Census the family are living at 51 Moreton Street, Cheetham. Head of the household are Sarah's parents, Isaac Solomon  a 44 year old cap maker born in Russian Poland, and wife Rosa Solomon  also 44  and born in Russian Poland. Their children, all born in Russian Poland are listed as; Sarah 25, Hannah 17, Ellen 13, Lewis 10. Also declared are their son-in-law and Hyman's father Isaac aged 26 and a tailor also born in Russian Poland, their children both born in Manchester are listed as; Joseph  aged 3 and Hyman 1.

On the 1891 Census the family are living at 13 Berkley Street, Cheetham. Father Isaac is 38 and a tailor, mother Sarah is 35. Also declared are their seven children, Hyman 11 scholar, Harry 9 scholar, Morris 7 scholar, Rachel 5 scholar, Abraham 3, Louis 1, Annie 2 weeks, and a boarder is also declared.

Hyman was educated at Manchester Jews School

On the 1901 Census the family have moved and are living at 46 Townley Street, Cheetham. Father Isaac now 44 is a waterproof garment maker, mother Sarah is 44, they have ten children listed in the household as; Hyman 21 waterproof garment maker, Harry 19 tailors machinist, Morris 17 tailors machinist, Rachel 15 tailoress, Abraham 13 butchers assistant, Louis 11, Reuben 9, David 7, Samuel 3, and Sampson 1.

He married Annie Levey in 1905 in Manchester.

The 1911 Census shows Hyman and his family living at 136 Pemberton Street, Cheetham.  Hyman is aged 31, and is a waterproof garment maker. His wife Annie is aged 30, born in Leeds in 1881 with no occupation listed. They have one child David aged 2, born 1909 in Manchester and a boarder named Myer Davies aged 24, born 1887 who is also a waterproof garment maker and a resident of Sweden.

Two more children were born of the marriage: Rachel born in the March quarter of 1913 and Cecil born in the March quarter of 1915.

Hyman originally served in the Yorkshire Regiment and following a transfer he was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 235221 when he was killed in action on the 01st August, 1917 aged 37 during the third Battle of Ypres.

His body was not found 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.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Annie and children David, Rachel and Cecil.

Annie never remarried and is recorded on the 1939 register at 5 Ashbourne Grove, Salford. Annie Davies, widow, born 24th December 1880 and her son Cecil Davies, single, born 12th December 1914, waterproof garment maker

He is also commemorated on the Rydal Mount Synagogue, Manchester now located at Cheetham Hebrew Synagogue, Cheetham Hill Rd, Manchester.

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