Anzac Day - Donald Tuke

Today is Anzac day in Australia and New Zealand so I thought it appropriate to post the information I have on Donald Tuke.

There was only one D Tuke listed in the CWGC. At first I thought it was the wrong man as he was Australian but I checked it out with the australian archives (excellent, loads of ww1 records freely available online) and found that he was born in Liverpool! I think this is the right person :)

Donald Tuke

click here to see the CWGC entry for D Tuke

Donald Tuke was born 17th August 1895 in Pudsey, Yorkshire and was baptised in a non-conformist church.

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

 As shown below in the 1901 census return, his family were living in West Hartlepool and his father was the manager of a boot shop.

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

In the 1911 census return (below) his father was still the manager of a boot (& shoe) shop but the family were now in Liverpool.

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

Donald then emigrated to New South Wales, Australia where he worked as a salesman.

On the 12th May 1917 he enlisted and put his place of birth as Liverpool.

Source: National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

His papers show he wasn't the model soldier:

Source: National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

Donald went AWOL a few times during his training in England, was caught out of bounds without a pass and failed to obey an order. Nothing too serious (or not to us civilians anyway!)

He arrived in France 14th May 1918 and was killed in action on 9th August 1918.

The 18th Battalion were involved in the Battle of Amiens which began on 8th August in the first phase of the '100 days offensive' which ended the war.

There are some interesting records in Donald Tuke's file, including an insight into the paperwork involved, one shows that his mother enlisted the Australian Department of Defense to help track down Donald's belongings which he left behind in Australia, and his savings bank also got in touch requesting proof of his death.

Source: National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

There is also correspondence with a Miss F Warden of Clarence River, New South Wales who wanted to know Donald's service number so she could write to him. Sadly her letter was dated 16th August 1918, after his death. Was she his sweetheart?

Source: National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

 Finally, some information about what happened to his body: "This soldier was killed by shell fire on 9th Aug 1918 during attack on FRAMERVILLE.    His body was left with two others in a gun pit about 200 yards West of La FL OILMILL [?] There is no record of burial."

Source: National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

There is also this record of his body being exhumed and buried in the cemetery North of Harbonnieres as is recorded on his CWGC record.

Source: National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

Rifleman John James Corkish 203097

John James Corkish

There were 2 John J Corkish records on the CWGC database but one was from Douglas, I.O.M. and the other from Liverpool.

John J Corkish was born on May 7th 1878 and baptised on 29th December 1881 in the Church of St George, Walton on the Hill (Liverpool). His parents were Margaret Ann (Curphey) and John James  Corkish, a policeman, both originally from the Isle of Man. The baptism record shows that they lived in Fairy Street (which no longer exists.)

 The 1881 census  also shows they lived on Fairy Street (This was in the Everton area of Liverpool)

At the time of the 1891 census they lived in Faraday Street, Everton. This street still exists. Margaret's brother Thomas Clague lived next door and was also a policeman from the Isle of Man, his son Louis was enumerated at the house of the Corkish family.

At the time of the 1901 Census  John was a grocer and an employer and lived in Liscard, Wallasey.

In the 1901 census return  John, aged 22, and 5 of his siblings, were enumerated at 37 Rudgrave Square, Liscard, their parents weren't at home.  John was a grocer and an employer - possibly employing his younger brother Charles (aged 16) who was described as a grocer's assistant. 

On 1st February 1903 John James Corkish married Edith Ann Donkin in St John's,Egremont. 

By the time of the 1911 census they lived in Parkgate, Cheshire. John was still a grocer and an employer and they had three children:
Edith Sybil Fletcher Corkish  born 1904
Gladys Louisa Ridley Corkish born 1906
Mary Goodwin Corkish  born 1910, died 1914 aged 4. The family were living at 59 Whitefield Road, Everton and May was buried in Walton Park Cemetery.

I have been told by a member of the Corkish family that John called himself a master grocer for a while but then went bankrupt and went to live in Marlborough Road, Wallasey.

Military Service

Below is John's medal card, it shows that he was a private in the Liverpool Regiment and his number was 203097

Death and Commemoration

Click here to see John James Corkish's entry in the CWGC database.

This record shows that he was killed on 20th Sept 1917, aged 39 and was a rifleman. He was in the 5th Battalion of the King's (Liverpool Regiment) His family paid for the following inscription to be added to his CWGC headstone:

Sadly Missed by Wife and Children, Thy Kingdom Come, Oh God.

The recently-added information from the CWGC archives show that John J. Corkish's remains were among the thousands exhumed from their battlefield burials, identified (he was identified by means of an ID tag) and buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium.

His entry in UK Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919 gives the following information: note that the regimental number is incorrect.

Name:	John James Corkish
Birth Place:	Liverpool
Residence:	Liverpool
Death Date:	20 Sep 1917
Death Location:	France & Flanders
Enlistment Location:	Liverpool
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Battalion:	5th Battalion
Number:	203007
Type of Casualty:	Killed in action
Theatre of War:	Western European Theatre

Movements of the 5th Battalion:

1/5th BattalionAugust 1914 : formed in St Anne St, Liverpool. Part of Liverpool Brigade, West Lancashire Division.

22 February 1915 : landed at Le Havre and transferred to 6th Brigade, 2nd Division.
15 December 1915 : transferred to 99th Brigade in same Division.
7 January 1916 : transferred to 165th Brigade, 55th (West Lancashire) Division.

Extracted from 1/5 KLR War Diary
Vlamertinghe Tuesday  18/9/17 X Day. Battalion Moved up to trenches right sub-sector Potijze for the night. Sick nil.
Wednesday 19/9/17 Y Day. Battalion moved up to the forming up place in front of Pommern Castle for the attack the next morning. Supporting  the 7th KLR. 

Thursday 20/9/17  Z Day. The Battalion attacked at 5.40am passing through the 7th KLR and taking the Green Line, consolidating this position which ran from Hill 37 on the left to Zevencote on the right. Casualties:  officers - 4 killed, 5 wounded ; Other Ranks - 41 killed, 7 died of wounds, 7 missing and 114 wounded.

The following  has been transcribed from the Regimental History by Everard Wyrall:-
THE BATTLE OF THE MENIN ROAD RIDGE: 20TH 25TH SEPTEMBER 1917
"At the beginning of September," said Sir Douglas Haig, "the weather gradually improved, and artillery and other preparations for my next attack proceeded steadily. Both the extent of the preparations required, however, and the need to give the ground time to recover from the heavy rain of August, rendered a considerable interval unavoidable before the new advance could be undertaken. The 20th of September was therefore chosen for the date of our attack, and before that day our preparations had been completed."
The front selected for the attack extended from the Ypres - Comines Canal, just north of Hollebeke, to the Ypres - Staden Railway north of Langemarck - a distance of just over eight miles. The average depth of the operations was one thousand yards, widening to the depth of a mile in the eighbourhood of the Menin Road. "Zero" hour for the attack was fixed at 5.40 a.m. The particular sectors of the front  of special interest to the King's Regiment were the Reutelbeek sector (south of the Polygon Wood) into which the 4th King's of the 33rd Division moved on the 24th of September; the line immediately south east of St. Julien (from which the King's men of the 55th Division, as well as other troops of that division, attacked the enemy at "Zero" hour), and the Langemarck sector in which the I 2th Battalion (20th Division) were in support on the 23rd of September. The King's men of the 55th Division were, however, the only battalions of the regiment which went forward to the attack at "zero" hour. After the Battle of Pilkem the 55th Division had been relieved, and the three brigades moved back to the Tournehem-Recques-Nordausques area for training. The remainder of August and the first fortnight of September were thus spent. . . The 165th Brigade was to attack with the 1/7th King's on the right and the 1/9th King's on the left; the 1/5th and 1/6th King's right and left support respectively. There were three objectives: Red Line, Dotted Line, Yellow and Green Lines. The 1/7th and 1/9th were to capture the Red and Yellow Lines, and the 1/5th and 1/6th the Green Line. Every effort was to be made to capture Hill 37. Other strong points to which particular attention was to be paid were Gallipoli, Hill 35 (Lens), Iberian, Delva and Capitol."

EMAIL FROM A RELATIVE OF J J CORKISH:

Amanda

It's good to hear from you.

If it's of interest, John James Corkish (1878 - 1917) is named on the war memorial
at Ballaugh, Isle of Man, which is the family origin (Ramsey / Ballaugh area - they had a farm at Black Wood Ballaugh).


His father was John James Corkish (1856 - 1898), a Police Officer in Liverpool. I don't know why he died at 42 years
of age.

His grandfather was another John James Corkish from IOM. They were just trying to confuse me!

I've found that
JJ 3rd was born at 11 Fairy Street, mother being Margaret Ann (Nee Curphey) born West Derby but retired to Kirk Michael
IOM, where her family came from.

JJ was a grocer at Parkgate Wirral, the business failed and he became an insurance
salesman residing at 8 Marlborough Rd Wallasey before conscription to 5th Bn, KLR.

He was married to Edith Donkin, also from West Derby.


** additional information received from Bob Gilston**

John James and Edith Ann had a fourth child John Stanley Gover Corkish born 5th Jan 1912 on the Wirral.

In 1921 he lived at 8 Marlborough Road, Wallasey.

In 1939 he lived at 159 Seaview Road, Wallasey and was a Grocer's Assistant.

In 1941 he married Esther Harrington in Caernarvon and lived the rest of his life in North Wales.

Private Thomas William Halpin 9243

Thomas William Halpin

There was only one record for Thomas W Halpin on the CWGC website and he was in the King's (Liverpool) Regiment.

born 1st October 1883 in Liverpool to parents Agnes Ann and Thomas Halpin (a coppersmith) of Roscoe Lane. He was baptised on 15th October 1883 in Liverpool Parish Church of St Peter. See baptism record below.

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

In the 1901 census return the family were living at 91a Rathbone Street, Thomas Halpin Senior was now a dock labourer. Thomas William was 17 years old and out of work, at the time of this census he was the eldest of 7 children at home.

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

Fortunately, some of Thomas W Halpin's records survived in the pension records.
They show that Thomas William Halpin enlisted for short service (12 years) in the army on 7th April 1902 and was posted to the Derbyshire Regiment, the Sherwood Foresters, with the regimental number 7295. He enlisted for Short Service of 3 years with the colours and 9 with the reserve.

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

Thomas Halpin's pre-war service papers show that he was 18 years and 2 months of age when he enlisted, the medical report says he was 5ft 4 and 1/2 inches tall and weighed 130 lbs, he had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair and a scar on the bridge of his nose.

His service record shows that he attested on 7th April 1902 and was first posted as a private (depot) on 10th April 1902. He was transferred to the 2nd battalion The Sherwood Foresters on 7th July 1902
 and was granted Messing Allowance on 1st Nov 1902.
On 7th Dec 1902 he was posted as a private to 1st battalion The Sherwood Foresters
He was transferred to the Army Reserve 9th May 1905


His service history sheet shows that he served
home 7.4.02 - 7.12.03
During this time his army defaulters sheet shows that he was charged with being 'improperly dressed', 'absent from tattoo for 2h 40min' and 'fighting in the barrack room' all in 1902. His punishments were being confined to barracks for a few days.

China 8.12.03 - 6.12.04
Singapore Straights Settlements 7.12.04 - 8.5.05
  When in Singapore he was 'admonished for having a dirty cap during kit inspection'.Home 9.5.05 - 6.4.14 for his time in the reserve.
He fought in no campaigns and was not entitled to any medals or ribbons.

On transfer to the Army Reserve in 1905, Thomas's medical report shows that he was 21 years and 6 months old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, his chest measured 37, waist 33, helmet size 21 1/2 and boot size 7 1/2. His complexion was fresh, eyes grey and hair brown. His trade was carter and his 'intended place of residence' was 11 Roy Street, Liverpool. His distinguishing marks were scars on his left wrist and right forearm and on the bridge of his nose.

His family as listed in these records were:
Father Thomas W
Mother Agnes A
Brother Joseph J
Brother William J
Brother John
All the above of 91a Rathbone Street Toxteth, Liverpool

Wife:
Mary Catherine Tivney (spinster)
married at the Parish Church Liverpool 1st Jan 1906
witnesses Joseph Halpin, Catherine Casey

After being transferred to the Army Reserve, Thomas would have returned to living with his family and, in exchange for about 3 shillings a week he had to undertake some army training each year and be prepared for mobilisation in the event of war.

Marriage records show that Thomas did indeed marry a Mary Catherine Tivney on 1st January 1906 but finding out more about Mary Catherine has proven difficult. The marriage record shows that her father's name was Joseph and at the time of the marriage she was 18.

The 1911 census return shows Thomas William at the home of his parents, 51 Back Chester Street (this is in Toxteth, close to St James). He was listed as married but without his wife. His occupation was Dock Labourer. Thomas's entry shows that he had been married for 5 years and had one surviving child. Birth records show that this was most likely Mary Catherine Halpin, born in the last quarter of 1906. Presumable she was with her mother

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

Thomas William Halpin completed his 12 years engagement and was discharged from the Army Reserve on 6th April 1914 his service papers don't show that he extended his time with the reserve but it is possible that he did this, and was in the army reserve when war was declared. This would explain his early embarkation date, otherwise he must have volunteered early in the war.

Thomas's WW1 service was with the 4th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) which was an extra reserve battalion.
The medal card for Thomas's service in the Great War (below) shows that he was in the Liverpool Regiment as Private number 9243. It appears to show that he was awarded the British Medal and Victory Medal but then has a notation that the 15 Star, Victory Medal and British Medal were all returned.
The card shows that Thomas fought in France, joining this theatre of war on 4th March 1915. This is when the 4th battalion embarked for Le Havre and were attached to Sirhind Brigade, Lahore Division of Indian Corps. One-month later, on 24 April, a German offensive began Second Ypres, which became the 4th King's first major battle. In the second subsidiary action of the offensive, at Saint-Julien, the 4th King's sustained more than 400 casualties over a four-day period, the majority, some 374 of these while supporting the 1/4th Gurkha Rifles on the 27th April, the day that Thomas William Halpin was killed in action. He had survived less than 8 weeks in France.

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

The following information is from his entry in UK Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919

Name:	Thomas William Halpin
Birth Place:	Liverpool
Residence:	Liverpool
Death Date:	27 Apr 1915
Death Location:	France & Flanders
Enlistment Location:	Liverpool
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Battalion:	4th Battalion
Number:	9243
Type of Casualty:	Killed in action
Theatre of War:	Western European Theatre

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

Thomas W Halpin has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.
click here to go to Thomas William Halpin's entry in the CWGC database

Rifleman Henry Percy Clarke 1220

Henry Percy Clarke

Henry P Clarke was born in Liverpool on 13th May 1894 and baptised in St Philemon's Church, Toxteth on 11th July that year (see below)

Name:	Henry Percy Clarke
Birth Date:	13 May 1894
Baptism Date:	11 Jul 1894
Parish:	Toxteth St Philemon
Father's Name:	William Clarke
Mother's name:	Mary Jane Clarke

Source Citation: Liverpool Record Office, 283 PHI/2/2.

In the 1901 census the Clarke family lived at 41 Pinehill St in the Princes Park area of Toxteth Park, Liverpool. Henry's father William Clarke was a joiner. Henry was 6 years old and had a brother William Alfred who was aged 5.

In the 1911 census the Clarke family lived at 2 Wesley St (just a few streets away from St James' Church) William Clarke was now working as an 'Engineers' Pattern Maker' Mary Jane was a dressmaker (own account) and Henry was an apprentice ship wright.

The census also shows us that William and Mary had been married for 20 years and had 2 surviving chidren from 3. Their house had 9 rooms so was quite large for 4 people.

*********MILITARY SERVICE***********

Fortunately, Henry Clarke's service papers survive and they show that

Henry Percy Clarke joined the Territorial Force 6th Battalion King's (Liverpool Regiment) aged 17 years and 2 months on 3rd July 1911. He signed up for four years. Being in the Territorial Force meant that Henry had agreed to undergo a certain amount of training and drill each year. As a Territorial he would be called up for home service in times of National Emergency.

His regimental number was 1220 and he was in 'B' Company of the 6th (Rifles)Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment)

He put his occupation as apprentice (not bound) shipwright at Cammell Lairds in Birkenhead. Here is  a close-up of his signature:

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

Henry's medical report shows that he was 5ft 8inches tall with good vision and of good physical development. His chest measurement fully expanded was 35 inches with an expansion of 4 inches.

His family, listed his next of kin, were his parents and brother all still living at 2 Wesley Street.

When war was declared in August 1914 Henry Clarke would have been mobilised for full-time (home) service with the Territorial Force.  On the 19th October 1914 he signed army form E 624 agreeing to be posted overseas. At this time was was stationed at Seven Oaks, Kent.  He had served 3 years and 3 months with the Territorial Force. 

Henry embarked for France on the SS City of Edinburgh on 24th February 1915

(The SS City of Edinburgh, date unknown, source www.photoship.co.uk)

The City of Edinburgh was a steamship built in Liverpool in 1899 and originally named Maplemore then sold in 1901 and renamed, then used as a troopship 1914-1918. It was scrapped in 1929.

Less than 2 weeks later he was killed in action on 8th March 1915. Just  2 months before his 21st birthday.

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

The file of Henry's papers includes some correspondence from 1919 between Henry's parents, the Imperial War Graves Commission and the Officer i/c records about where Henry was buried, it seems that his parents asked where he was buried and were given the answer 'Behind trench B32, Ypres' which came from Henry's service record. Then both the Officer i/c of records and the Imperial War Graves Commission wanted to know where the information came from.

Click here to go to the CWGC record for Henry Percy Clarke (opens in new window)

The CWGC database shows that Henry's name in on the Menin Gate Memorial. This means that his body was not identified after the war and reburied in one of the cemeteries, either his remains were destroyed by the subsequent fighting in the area or they were recovered but not identified and lie in a CWGC cemetery as an unknown British soldier, Known Unto God.

The following is Henry's entry in the UK Soldiers Died in the Great War

Name:	Henry Percy Clarke
Birth Place:	Liverpool
Residence:	Liverpool
Death Date:	8 Mar 1915
Death Location:	France & Flanders
Enlistment Location:	Liverpool
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Battalion:	6th Battalion
Number:	1220
Type of Casualty:	Killed in action
Theatre of War:	Western European Theatre

Source: Ancestry.co.uk

The Battalion War diary  shows that the battalion were at VLAMERTINGHE until the 7th March when they were moved to YPRES. The following entry is for the day Henry Clarke was killed. He undoubtedly is one of the 'other ranks' mentioned.

YPRES 8/3/1915

HQ Ors D Coy moved from VLAMERTINGHE to YPRES. Paraded at 2pm. Battalion quartered in Calvalry Barracks. Casualties in trenches 'B' Coy Other Ranks 2 killed 7 wounded.

(source: King's (Liverpool Regiment) 6th Battalion War Diary, National Archives)

At this time the Battalion was part of the preparations for the second Battle of Ypres.

William Edwin Noll 48558 formerly 4511

William Edwin Noll

Born 10th October 1893 in Liverpool to Mary and Edwin Noll. William was christened on 1st November 1893 in St James’ Church, Toxteth, the christening record shows that the family lived at 50 Chester Street and Edwin was a mariner.

At the time of the 1901 census William was with his mother, his sister Elsie and his brother Redvers at the house of his maternal grandmother Mary Mercer at 12 Gwendoline St.

The 1911 census shows the family were still at this address but Mary Noll was the head of household (although listed as 'wife', Edwin was away at sea but still head of the household so they left a blank line for him) William had gained a sister, Mabel, and his maternal grandmother was also with them.

William worked as a clerk at the Cotton exchange, the photo on the right was probably taken when he got that job. I am told that his family were very proud that William became a Clerk.

On 28/11/1915  William enlisted in Liverpool as Rifleman (equivalent to private) No 4511 in the 6th Battalion The King's (Liverpool) Regt known as the Liverpool Rifles. 

The Liverpool Rifles, along with the Liverpool Scottish, were known as the more prestigious Battalions and they performed an important role in wartime recruitment by attracting middle-class recruits. They were also an important mixing point for the lower middle-classes (such as William in his Clerical position) with their social superiors. Before the war the 6th Battalion were known as the 'cuff and collar battalion'.

After a period of training the battalion embarked at Folkestone for Boulogne on 15/9/16, joining 24 Infantry Base Depot two days later.

On 24/9/16 William was transferred to 13th Battalion, The Kings (Liverpool) Regiment with the new regimental No 48558. William stayed with the 13th until he was killed in action on 28/3/18.  He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Arras Memorial.

Photo Amanda Taylor

William's name on the Arras Memorial
Photo Amanda Taylor

link to William's entry in the CWGC database (opens in new window)

The day that William was killed was a dramatic battle for the 13th KLR, the battalion diary shows that they repeated fought off enemy attacks and held their line until finally, with no reinforcements available, they had to withdraw.

link to the 13th Battalion The King's (Liverpool) Regiment war diary for the day William died. 28/03/1918 (on this blog, opens in new window)

The following image is of William's bible which was sent back to his mother after his death. The inscription reads

Nov 12th 1916

Whoever finds this return to my home address 12 Gwendoline St, Windsor St, Liverpool to my mother Mrs E Noll who was the best mother a chap ever had.

Signed W Noll 12/9/16

God Bless them all a[t] home also my sweetheart. Wm

photo Amanda Taylor