Pte 41925 George Henry Fox

• Age: 36
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

George Henry Fox was born on the 10th December 1880 in Liverpool, and was the son of Richard and Catherine Ann (nee Gregson) Fox who were married on the 31st Jan 1872 at St Paul, Tranmere. He was baptised at St Peter's Church, Everton on 24th March 1881 where the records show that Richard is a pawnbroker and that the family lived at 291 Fountains Road, Kirkdale.

The 1881 census shows the family still living at this address too. His father, Richard, is 33 years old and his wife Catherine is 34. The couple have three children, Charles aged 8, Emily 6 and George is just 4 months old. All the family had been born in Liverpool. Also living in the household is a servant 24 year old Winifred Roberts and a pawnbrokers assistant 16 year old Robert Dyer.

By 1891 the family had moved to a house called Villa Helena which was on Cropton Road in Formby. George has another sister called Elsie who was born in 1886 in Formby so the family had lived there some years. George and Emily are at school and Charles has started work as a drapers assistant. There are several adverts in the Liverpool newspapers for Richard’s pawnbrokers which is at 34 Rose Place, Liverpool. There’s also one seeking an apprentice “to live in or out; Protestant”

Richard died, aged 54, in March 1901 so Catherine was only recently widowed when the 1901 census was completed. George has left home and is living at 77 Peel Street, Bootle. He’s recorded as a pawnbrokers manager, the address is probably a pawnbrokers shop as also in the household is a salesman and two 17 year old apprentices as well as a housekeeper. Catherine is living with her other three children at Egerton Park, Rock Ferry together with a cook and a housemaid.

The 1911 census shows the family are living at 2 St Mary's Terrace, Waterloo Park, Lancashire. George Henry is back living with his widowed mother and two siblings. He is now 30 years of age and is recorded as a pawnbrokers manager. His siblings are listed as; Charles James aged 38 also a manager and Emily Kate who is now 36 years of age. Also present are two servants. 

A notice in the deaths section of the Liverpool Echo on 21st April 1917 records that Catherine died suddenly at her home; Normanhurst, 2 Park Terrace, Waterloo Park, Waterloo on April 19th 1917. This address was a house and shop.  

George enlisted in Bootle, Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 41925 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 36 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18th Battalion was part of 21st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar

Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2nd Lieut. Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken. Not far away from this action, an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men were wounded. They were relieved on the 2nd August.

George has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres in Belgium.

Soldiers Effects to brother (not named but is elder brother Charles James) but no Pension record found. 

Deatails of his probate were published in the Liverpool Evening Express on 12th September 1919: 

George Henry Fox of Normanhurst, 2 Park Terrace, Waterloo Park, Waterloo, near the Liverpool, a Private of the 18th Battalion, the King’s Liverpool Regiment, died in France on July 31 last, left £3,022. 

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