L/Cpl 15799 Alexander Edwin Fletcher

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Alexander Edwin Fletcher was born in Liverpool on 19th January 1893, the son of Alexander and his wife Elizabeth Alice (née Purcell) who were married on the 10th November 1888 at St Cuthbert's Church, Everton. Widowed Alexander was a 31 year old master painter of 9 North View, Edge Hill, father Alexander deceased, whilst Elizabeth was aged 23 of 54 Burleigh Road South, father Edwin.  His father was born in Glasgow, and his mother in Liverpool. When his parents married in 1888 his father was a widower with a daughter Margaret.  Together they had six children. Their first child, Edwin Alexander, born in 1889, died in infancy. Alexander had an older sister Vera, and younger siblings Osman Norman Sibley (who died at age 1), William Horace, and Laura Gertrude Irene. At the time of his baptism in St Cuthbert's Church the couple were living at 9 North View Edge Hill. 

By the time of the 1901 census the family were living at 11A Mount Vernon Road. Alexander senior, who was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, was working as a house painter. The couple had three children in the household; Margaret aged 19, Vera 10 and Alexander Edwin aged 8.

In the 1911 census the couple are living at the same address. 18 year old Alexander is working as a house painter like his father, who is 53 years old. His mother is aged 44. His half-sister Margaret, 29, has no occupation, William is 13 and Irene 9.  Also in the household is a visitor, Emily Louise Horth, age 9.  His sister Vera, 20, is working as a laundry matron in the Liverpool Juvenile Reformatory School for Girls in Mount Vernon Green.

Alexander enlisted on 03rd September 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool, joining  the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 15799. He gave his age as 21 years and 226 days and his occupation as a decorator. He was described as being five feet eleven and a quarter inches tall, weighed 141lbs, 37" chest, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin as his father, of 11a Mount Vernon Road, Liverpool. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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. 

07.11.15: He embarked for France with his battalion.

04.12.15: Sick admitted to Field Ambulance. 

05.12.15: Admitted to 96 Field Ambulance with Impetigo.

16.12.15: Discharged to duty

10.4.16: Sick to Field Ambulance with Urticaria (hives).

11.4.16: Admitted to 55 Field Ambulance.

19.4.16: Rejoined unit.

29.5.16: Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 23, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

17th Battalion Diary 

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.    

He was remembered in the In Memoriam section of the Liverpool Echo on 21st August 1916:  

Lance Corporal A.E. Fletcher (“Pals”) son of Mr and Mrs A Fletcher, 11a Mount Vernon Road, Liverpool. Educated at Liverpool Institute and was afterwards in business with his father. 

Also in the Liverpool Courier of 22nd August 1916:

Lance-Corporal Alexander E.Fletcher (24), Liverpool Pals, of 11a,Mount Vernon-road, was educated at the Liverpool Institute and afterwards joined his father in business. He was killed while trying to rescue a wounded officer.

He was also reported as killed in action in the Liverpool Daily Post on 12th September 1916: 

Killed. 

King’s(Liverpool Regiment) Fletcher, 15799, Lance-Corpl. A.E. (Liverpool);  

Alexander's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Mr. [sic] V. Fletcher, (possibly his sister Vera) 17 Parliament Street, Liverpool, contacted the International Red Cross requesting information on Pte.15799 “probably killed in July 1916 (off.)” but any hopes of Alexander being alive and held as a prisoner were dashed in a reply of 25th September, saying they held no information on him.

His father received his son’s Army effects and a War Gratuity of £8-10s. A pension card cannot be found, suggesting that Alexander had no dependants. 

Probate of his estate was granted to his father, effects of £515.

Probate of his estate was granted to his father, effects of £515. 

FLETCHER Alexander Edwin of 11a Mount Vernon Road Liverpool painter and decorator lance-corporal 17th The King’s Liverpool regiment died 30 July 1916 in France Probate Liverpool 8 September to Alexander Fletcher painter and decorator. Effects £515.

In 1919 his parents still lived at the same address, with Vera, 28, William, 21, and Irene, 18.

Alexander earned his three medal which were found offered for auction in 2014.

His brother William served in the 10th Bn K.L.R. and survived the war.

His father died in 1923, aged 65 and his mother in 1932, aged 66.

Alexander is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 64.

Liverpool Institute plaque which following the closure of the school has now been restored and can be seen in the atrium of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

Also on the family grave at Toxteth Cemetery:-

In loving memory of  

Alexander FLETCHER,  

beloved husband of Elizabeth Alice (Bessie) FLETCHER,  

who passed away 5th April 1923, aged 65 years.  

Also Margaret, his mother,  

who died 19th September 1886, aged 53 years.  

Also Margaret, his daughter,  

who died 6th September 1917, aged 36 years.  

Also Alexander Edwin, his son,  

killed in France 30th July 1916, aged 23 years. 

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