Pte 300596 William Henry Graham

• Age: 30
• From: Altrincham, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

William Henry Graham was born in Altrincham in the March quarter of 1888, the son of Helena/Ellena/Ellen/Eleanor Graham (nee Eddleston) who married 1884 in Altrincham.

The 1891 Census shows William Henry aged 3 living as a boarder with his married mother, Helena aged 30, a laundress maid born in Blackburn in 1861 shown as married, and sister Mary S at the home of John Pierpoint and family at Lloyd Street, Altrincham.

His father died in the September quarter of 1898, aged 42.

On the 1901 Census the family are sadly located in the District Workhouse situated at St John the Baptist, Knutsford. Mother, Eleanor, is aged 39 and a laundry worker, children Mary Elizabeth 16, William Hy 14, and Eleanor 10.

The 1911 Census shows William as a 22 year old railway porter living with his widowed mother Ellena 49, and two sisters at 9 No.1 Court, Chapel Road, Sale. His mother advises that she has had five children, three of whom have survived. His sisters are shown as; Mary born at Broadheath, Cheshire in 1886 and Ellena born at Knutsford in 1890.

His prospective wife Ada Mary Newnham married Albert Jolley in 1908 but he died soon after in 1910 aged 46.

He originally served as Private 51765 of the Cheshire Regiment and following a transfer was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300596 when he was killed in action by shellfire on the 29^th April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. Details of the action were recorded in the battalion diary:

By the 25^th April the battalion had taken up positions of readiness in the Voormezeele sector. According to the battalion War Diary, on the night of the 27^th, at 8.30 p.m. they moved to the line to relieve 4^th Bn, relief completed about 1 a.m.

28^th – At about 1 p.m. a company of composite battalion gave way on the left of our line and the Bosche penetrated from the Canal Bank to the left of my battalion front, which position he maintained despite 5 hours fighting. My reserve company was ordered to counter-attack and restore the position at 7.45 p.m. but enemy laid down a barrage at 7.43 a.m. and the counter attack was unable to proceed. The enemy bombardment lasted until 10.30 p.m. and I then organised a defensive flank.

29^th – At 3.30 a.m. heavy enemy bombardment opened, followed later (9.00 a.m.) by enemy attack and our line was forced back to G.H.Q.1 where I organised and held on to the position. The enemy got through on both flanks practically surrounding 2 of my companies. ‘A’ company was actually surrounded and after severe fighting were captured. 

William Henry's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he 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.

Soldiers effects and pension were sent to his widow, Ada Mary (S/E states he was "killed by shells").

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