Pte 202812 John Henry Gill

• Age: 37
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

John Henry Gill was born on the 19th Jan 1881 in Liverpool, the son of Edward and Catherine (nee Gratton) Gill who married on the 12th Dec 1880 at Holy Trinity, Birkenhead. He was baptised on the 19th Feb 1881 at St Francis Xavier's. 

On the 1891 Census the family were living at 20 Boundary St. East, Kirkdale.

The father Edward aged 41 is a general labourer who was born in Douglas, Isle of Man, and his wifer Catherine is aged 34 and was born in Liverpool. They have three children all born Liverpool, John H. aged 10 is a scholar, Edward J. 4, and Elizabeth E. 1.

On the 1901 Census the family have moved to 20 Summer Gardens, Kirkdale, but John is not present. 

The father Edward aged 51 is a fitters labourer,and his wife Catherine is 44. They have four children living with them, Edward 14 employed as a railway cart boy, Elizabeth 11, Catherine 9, and Agnes 6.

He is most probably the John Gill living with his widowed Aunt Elizabeth Roberts at 18 Carnarvon St, Kirkdale. He is a nephew, occupation grain carter. 

He married Alice Henry on the 11th Aug 1907 at St Joseph's, he gave an address of 36 Wyatt St, and Alice 45 Alexander Pope St. 

A daughter Ellen Catherine died in infancy in 1909.

On the 1911 Census the family were living at 49 Midghall St, Liverpool.
John Henry is aged 30 an office porter,  and his wife Alice is 26. They have been married three years,and have had three children,of which one had died. Their children  Elizabeth Mary 1, and Josephine a few days old were born Liverpool.

A daughter Ellen was born in 1912, and a son John Henry was born in 1914

Prior to enlistment he as a Porter for a shipping company. He was married to Alice and he left four children behind. 

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 202812 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. 

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew. They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity. 

John Henry has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

A newspaper report of his death was printed under the header shows the anxiety placed on his wife:

MISSING "PAL".

Private J.H.Gill , K.L.R. ("Pals" Battalion), is reported killed in action on April 29 last. Any information regarding his death will be gratefully received by his wife and four little ones at 49 Midghall Street, Liverpool.  

Soldiers Effects to and Pension to widow Alice and children Edith(sic) Mary, Josephine, Ellen and John Henry.

His father died in 1916 aged 67 and his mother died in 1936 aged 79.

His widow Alice was buried at Ford Cemetery on the 18th March 1954 at the age of 69, her address was 107 Rice Lane.

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