Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 300540 Frederick Eccleston

Age: 30
From: Marylebone London
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
Panel Ref: P21-23

Frederick Eccleston was born on 31st May 1888 at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, St John's Wood, the son of mother Lucy Eccleston in Marylebone, London. He was baptised in St. Mark’s Church, St. John’s Wood, London, on 7th June 1888 as Frederick Oxley Eccleston, and was known as Fred.

Neither Frederick nor Lucy can be found on the 1891 census.

His mother Lucy married George Wesley Butcher in Newport Pagnall in 1897 and in 1901 Frederick, 12, place of birth London, and listed as nephew, is living in Tolland Lane, Hale, Cheshire, with Lucy and her husband. George Butcher is 29, a domestic groom, and Lucy is 30, place of birth Whitchurch, Shropshire. They have two daughters, Nellie, 3, and Maggie, 1, both born in Bedfordshire.

In 1911 his mother is living in Church End, Wavendon, near Woburn, Bedfordshire, with her husband George, a horsekeeper, and their three daughters Nellie, Maggie, and Lucy.

A Frederick Eccleston, age 22, place of birth Woburn Sands, Bedfordshire, is found on the 1911 census employed as an asylum attendant in the Cheadle Royal Lunatic Asylum near Manchester. There are no births in the Woburn district of the right age, and since his stated place of birth is close to his mother’s place of residence, this is possibly Fred.

He married Sarah Coyne in the summer of 1913 in Prescot district. Their son Frederick was born in 1914 but sadly died at the age of one.

Fred enlisted in Knowsley in the 1/1st Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry as Private 989. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for 43 months, enlisting soon after war was declared. He disembarked in France on 9th November 1915. He was transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 300540 and was serving in in 3 Company, 12th Platoon when he was killed in action on the 28^th March 1918, aged 30, during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion Diary gives an insight into the chaotic events of the day

28^th March

At about 6am the enemy commenced to shell heavily the whole of the forward line and brought Trench Mortars and MACHINE Guns into action.

FOLIES was shelled and the area in the rear of the village as far back as LE QUESNEL.

Rations were received at dawn and parties were organised to carry them to the Companies on the right. Owing to the heavy fire, however, it was not possible to get them up.

Heavy fighting was in progress on the right from soon after dawn and at 8am the enemy was reported to be in possession of BOUCHOIR and progressing towards the BEETROOT FACTORY. About 10am the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.

At noon the enemy was bombarding the village and vicinity heavily and reports were received that he was in occupation of WARVILLERS on the left and ARVILLERS on the right.

The front line East of FOLIES continued to resist until about 2pm when the order was received from the 89^th Infy Brigade to the effect that the Battalions were relieved by the French and would withdraw at once to MEZIERES, where the men would be fed. Companies withdrew under some shelling and very heavy M.G. and rifle fire from the left , through K10 -K3 – North side LE QUESNEL to the main ROYE road and reorganised about D.29 c. The march from this point was conducted in good order despite the congested roads.

At MEZIERES it was decided to continue a rearward movement and the march was resumed via VILLERS-MOREUIL – MORISEL – ROUVREL, which village was reached about 7pm and the Battalion billeted. The men had marched 13 miles from the left position in good order and with practically no straggling. They were exhausted on arrival at ROUVREL, but in good heart.

Echelon ‘A’ of the Transport joined the Battalion at this village and the men were fed immediately on arrival. The night passed without incident.

Fred was initially declared Missing between 21-28 March 1918.

In the Runcorn Guardian on 21st June 1918:

“Mrs. Sarah Eccleston, 48 Bridge Street, has received official intimation that her husband, Private Fred Eccleston, is missing. He formerly lived in London but on his marriage five years ago took up his residence in Widnes. In civil life he was employed as a barman at the Market Hotel.”

His wife Sarah contacted the International Red Cross but received a reply on 6th June notifying her that they held no information on Fred.

His name appeared in the list of Missing in the Weekly Casualty List on 2nd July 1918. His death was later presumed, for official purposes, as having occurred on 28th March 1918.

Fred has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

He earned his three medals. His widow Sarah received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £20-10s, as well as a pension of 13/9d a week.

His stepfather George Butcher enlisted, or was recalled, in October 1914, at the age of 42, in the Reserve Cavalry, citing previous service in the 12th Lancers from 1890 until 1902. He was demobbed in February 1919, his home address Burney Cottage, Wavendon, near Woburn, Buckinghamshire.

On the 1921 census mother Lucy b.1869 Whitchurch, appears in Newport Pagnall with spouse George Wesley b.1870 Wavendon, Bucks, daughters Lucy b.1901, Margaret Alice b.1899.

Fourteen years after she was widowed, in 1932, Sarah married Patrick Gaynor. They had no children. In 1939 on the eve of the Second World War, they are living at 48 Bridge Street, Widnes. Sarah died in 1976.

Fred is remembered on the St Mary’s Church War Memorial, West Bank, Widnes.

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

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