Pte 22059 Frederick Carus Downey

• Age: 19
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 18th March 1917
• Commemorated at: Agny New Military Cem
  Panel Ref: G.7

Frederick Carus was born in the March quarter of 1897 the son of Frederick Downey and his wife Alice Jane (nee Lowe) who were married in 1895 in Toxteth Park. He was known as Eric. Carus was a family name on his mother's side.

The 1901 Census finds the family resident at 3 Modred Street, Toxteth. Parents with children Frederick Carus aged 4 and Norman aged 1. His father's occupation is commercial correspondent. They have a boarder, a 29-year old bookkeeper, Mary Elizabeth Bridger.

The 1911 Census shows the family are now living at 19 St Michaels, Church Road, Liverpool. His father, Fredrick, is aged 40, born 1871 in Liverpool is a shorthand clerk for a chemist manufacturer, whilst his mother, Alice Jane, is aged 39, born 1872 in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. They have been married for 15 years and have two children, Frederick Carus aged 14, born 1897 is an office boy and Norman Percival is aged 11, born 1899 and he is at school. Both children were born in Liverpool. They also have a visitor Mary Helen O’Connor aged 24, born 1884 in Liverpool, who is employed as a domestic servant

Frederick joined the 20th Battalion of The Kings Liverpool Regiment as Private 22059 on the 06th November 1914, giving his occupation as a clerk. His age is not legible on the attestation page (? years and 10 months), but another page of his record shows 19 years and 10 (months?). He evidently lied about his age in order to serve overseas as he would have been 17 years and 10 months old.
He was described as being 5' 3 and a half inches tall, and weighing 112 lbs. He gave as next of kin his father Frederick at 4 Sunbourne Road, St. Michael, Liverpool. He served in No.1 Company.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th 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. He arrived in France on 07^th November 1915.

From 29th May 1916 to 29th June1916, he attended a course of instruction at the 4th Army School.

He was granted leave to the U.K. from 29th December 1916 to 08th January 1917.

Eric was killed in action on 18th March 1917 aged 19.

The 20th battalion took up front line duties on 07th February 1917, near Agny. The Germans had begun their retirement to the Hindenburg Line but the main withdrawal was to begin on 16th March. Frequent patrols were necessary to establish whether the enemy trenches opposite were occupied.

On 18th March the battalion War Diary records:

1 a.m.  Each company in front line sent out numerous patrols but found the enemy still holding trenches ...
3 a.m.  Patrols were again sent out ... returned with information that portions of enemy front line were unoccupied.
10 a.m.  Fighting patrols crossed the Racecourse and entered enemy trenches [...]
10:40 a.m. Enemy support line reached and found unoccupied, but enemy reported to be holding MALABY TRENCH and MADRAGNE TRENCH. Orders were at once issued for patrols to be advanced with a view to establishing position in these trenches.
11:05 a.m. [...] Fighting patrols were ordered to be sent in direction of MERCATEL, the object being to discover whether or not this village was occupied by the enemy.
[...]
3:10 p.m. Owing to several traps - bombs and aerial torpedoes, etc. under trench-boards - having been discovered, Companies were warned against occupying enemy's trenches, and advised to dig in on a line approved by them separately.
5:05 p.m. [...] Reports received from Companies testified to the satisfactory spirit and condition of all ranks.

The battalion established an Observation Post on the eastern side of Mercatel and dug in for the night in open country. The advance continued for the next three days.  Casualties 18th-21st March:  7 O.R. Killed; 18 O.R. Wounded;  1 Officer and 5 O.R. taken prisoner;  1 O.R. Missing, believed POW.

His death was announced in the Liverpool Daily Post on 07th April 1917:

"March 18, killed in action, Private F. C. Downey (Eric), eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Downey, 69b, Berkley Street. (Deeply mourned by Father, Mother, Norman, and Winnie.)"

He was reported killed in the Freemans Journal on 20th April 1917

IRISH NAMES IN BRITISH REGIMENTS

King's Liverpool - Downey 22059, F.

He now rests at Agny New Military Cemetery in France.

Agny New Military Cemetery was begun by French troops, and used by Commonwealth units and field ambulances from March 1916 to June 1917. Two further burials were made in April 1918, and in 1923-24, 137 graves were brought in from the battlefields east of Arras. The 40 French graves have been removed. Agny Military Cemetery contains 408 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 118 of them unidentified, and five German graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. 

In April 1917 his father notified Infantry Records that the family had moved from 4 Sunbourne Road to 69B Berkley Street.

Soldiers Effects to father Frederick and pension to mother Alice Jane, 69b Berkley Street, Liverpool, a pension card in the name of his mother does not specify the amount of pension awarded. Eric's outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £10-10s went to his father. 

He earned his three medals.

Eric's personal belongings were sent to his parents in July 1917: 1 Match box, 1 Disc, 1 Pocket book, Letters, Photos, 1 Whistle, 1 Flash lamp, 1 Note case, 1 Cig. case, 1 Knife, 1 Case for cig. holder, 1 Fountain pen, 1 Note book, Foreign stamps, 1 Small cross.

On the first anniversary of his death his loved ones placed an In Memoriam notice in the local papers:

"In loving memory of Eric, the dearly-loved son of Frederick and Alice Downey, who made the supreme sacrifice on March 18, 1917 ("Thy will be done.") - Father, Mother, Norman, Auntie Lizzie, and Auntie Nelly."

His name appeared again in the Liverpool Echo on 18th March 1918 with an In Memoriam notice on the second anniversary of his death: 

DOWNEY - In loving memory of Eric the dearly loved son of Frederick and Alice, who made the supreme sacrifice on March 18th 1917 (“Thy will be done”) Father, Mother, Norman, Auntie Lizzie and Auntie Nelly

In 1939 his parents and Norman still lived at 69a Berkley Street. His father, 68, was working as a general clerk, his mother was 67.  Norman, 40, was married, and a greengrocer.

His parents lived through the Second World War. His father died in 1949 aged 78, and his mother in 1958 at the age of 86 .

Frederick Carus Downey is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall Panel 6 (as F.C. DOWNY).

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