Pte 16806 Joseph Archibald Eady

• Age: 25
• From: Sheffield Yorkshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 29th January 1916
• Commemorated at: Carnoy Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: P.16

Joseph Archibald Eady was born in the December quarter of 1890 in Sheffield,  the only son of Joseph Eady, a Sheffield-born GPO letter stamper, and his wife Eliza Ann (nee Turton), also born in Sheffield. They married in Sheffield in 1882.

The 1891 Census shows them, recorded as Cady, living with Eliza’s 74 year old widowed mother Ann Turton and her two sons Joe aged 50 and Sam aged 34 at 20 Regent Terrace, Sheffield. Joseph A. is recorded as a new born his year of birth stated as 1891. His father is 31 and his mother 36, they also have a daughter Ann E. aged 5.

In 1901, Joseph and Eliza, with their two children and Eliza’s brother, Sam, aged 44, are living at 14 Kearsley Road, Sheffield. Joseph A. is aged 10 and his sister Ann Eliza is aged 15 and employed as a shorthand clerk.

The 1911 Census shows Eliza, now a 57 year old widow, living with her daughter Ann Eliza (25 years old and an invoice clerk) and her son, Joseph Archibald (20 years, a grocery shop assistant) at 130 Upper Aughton Road, Ormskirk.Eliza advises that she had been married for 29 years and had three children, two of whom survived.

As  J. Archibald Eady,  Joseph enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 03^rd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16806. He gave his age as 23 years 60 days, stating that he was born in Wavertree, Liverpool and was employed as a shop assistant. He gave his next of kin as his mother at 12 Strathcona Road, Wavertree, Liverpool, which might explain the confusion re his place of birth.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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 served with the BEF in France from 07^th November 1915 and was killed in action on 29^th January 1916 during heavy fighting when the Germans, in an attempt to take part of the French line near Frise.

On 28^th January, the German bombardment of the Allied line reached high intensity, when Brigadier Stanley estimated the German artillery fired 35,000 shells at the British and French positions. At about 1.0am on 29^th January, trenches occupied by the 18^th Battalion were subjected to a fierce bombardment and 3 Company were attacked in their trenches near Carnoy by more than 100 enemy armed with trench mortars and rifle grenades.  The members of 3 Company, under the command of Captain Arthur de Bels Adam repelled this attack, forcing the enemy to withdraw. Two members of the Battalion were killed - Privates 16806 Eady and 16808 Eaton.  This attack, it transpired, was an attempt by the Germans to mark the birthday of the Kaiser on 29^th January. Captain Adam was awarded the Military Cross but was himself killed on 01^st July 1916.

Archibald now rests at Carnoy Cemetery, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"BELOVED SON OF ELIZA ANN & THE LATE JOSEPH EADY OF SHEFFIELD"

Carnoy cemetery was begun in August 1915, by the 2nd King's Own Scottish Borderers and the 2nd King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, when the village was immediately South of the British front line. It continued in use by troops holding this sector until July 1916, when Field Ambulances came up and a camp was established on the higher ground North of the village. It was closed in March 1917. From March to August 1918, it was in German hands, and German (and a few British) graves were made between the British graves and the entrance, and also in a German Cemetery alongside; but the German graves and the German Cemetery were removed in 1924.

There are now over 850, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly 30 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 17 soldiers and one airman from the United Kingdom, known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery covers an area of 4,441 square metres and is enclosed by a red brick wall.

He was reported killed with Pte Reginald Eaton 16808 in the Liverpool Daily Post on 22nd February 1916.

Archibald Eady’s effects were sent with his 3 medals to his mother in April 1918, when she was living at 229 Liscard Road, Wallasey. She wrote to the War Office on 5^th May 1916 asking for proof of her son’s death for her son’s employers but the reply to this letter, sent to her Strathcona Road address, was returned with a note that she had left that address and was living in an apartment at 1 Rullerton Road, Wallasey.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Eliza Ann.

In her sworn declaration in 1919, Eliza made no reference to her daughter, Ann.

The CWGC site states that Eliza later lived at 63 Clarendon Road, Morecambe and that Archibald had been employed by Messrs Cooper & Co, Grocers, of Liverpool.

He is also commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 24 Right.

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