L/Cpl 24638 George Edward Eccleston

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: V.A.25

George Edward Eccleston was born on the 22nd July 1896 in Liverpool, the son of George Eccleston and his wife Annie (nee Williams) Eccleston who were married on the 13th June 1892 at St Matthew's Church, Toxteth. George was a 21 year old platers helper of 39 Brunton Road, father John, whilst Annie was an 18 year old of 49 Miles Street, father John Robert. 

George was baptised on the 20th September 1896 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool, father was a labourer of South Street.  

The 1911 Census shows the family are still living at 38 Miles Street, Toxteth, Liverpool. His father George is aged 41, born 1870 and is a dock labourer. His wife Annie is aged 37, born 1874. They have four children, John aged 18, born 1893 occupation warehouse labourer, George aged 14, born 1897 and occupation shop boy, William aged 12, born 1899 and Elizabeth aged 8, born 1903 of school age. Also living at the address was a boarder named Michael Cox, a widower aged 73, born 1838 and occupation Pedlar.

George enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 24638.

His mother, Annie, died aged 40 in the June quarter of 1915. 

He had reached the rank of Lance-Corporal No 24638 when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916, aged 20, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

He was reported missing in the Liverpool Daily Post 16h Nov 1916 

His death was later presumed to have occurred on 12th October 1916.

George now rests at Warlencourt British Cemetery, France.

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified.

George is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 4.

His father died, aged 50, in the March quarter of 1918.

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