1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 27638 Robert Beardsworth
- Age: 21
- From: Leyland, Lancs
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
- K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
- Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6
The 1901 census records the family living at 2 Boundary Street, Leyland. Thomas was 46 and was working as a taper in a cotton mill, Mary Jane was 43. The couple had eight children living at home: William aged 23 who was a silk and cotton weaver, Elizabeth aged 20, John 19 and Lily 17 who were all cotton weavers, Frederick aged 11, Thomas 9, Harry 7 and Robert aged 4.
Robert’s brother Harry had served with the Scots Rifles, number 22507, but was serving as Private 7887 with 7th Coy Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) when he was killed on the 01st July 1916. He now rests at the Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuille on the Somme, France.
Robert enlisted in Southport and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 41279 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.
On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.
The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.
Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.
During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men were killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of the 3rd -4th August.
Robert was one of those killed in action, his body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.
The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.
The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.
The Chorley Guardian and Leyland Hundred Advertiser reported on Saturday the 01st September 1917:
Information has been received by Mr Thomas Beardsworth, Clarence Street, Leyland, of the death in action of his two sons: Privates R. and H. Beardsworth.
Private R. Beardsworth, King’s Liverpool Regiment, joined up on April 25th, 1915. He was 21 years of age and was invalided home in December 1916 and returned to France in June last. He was reported killed in action July 31st. He had worked at the Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Company prior to the war.
Mr Beardsworth has two other sons serving in the Army:
Private John Beardsworth wounded and in hospital in France.
Private Thomas Beardsworth serving with the Royal Flying Corps at Leeds.
Robert and Harry are also commemorated on the following Memorials:
The War Memorial, Church Road, Leyland,
St. Ambrose Memorial, Moss Lane, Leyland and Mural Plaque in St. Ambrose, Leyland
We currently have no further information on Robert Beardsworth, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(107 Years this day)Wednesday 18th April 1917.
Pte 52026 Peter Peterson
27 years old
(107 Years this day)
Wednesday 18th April 1917.
2nd Lieut Percival Graham Statton
22 years old
(107 Years this day)
Wednesday 18th April 1917.
Pte 15502 Thomas McMillin
25 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Cpl 57698 Harold Burton
21 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Pte 59347 William Eves
36 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Pte 202844 Loammi Farey
30 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Pte 49547 Stanley James GaskIll
38 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Pte 203773 Lawrence Green
38 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Pte 50020 Thomas Hollidge
19 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Pte 27143 Richard George West Jones
40 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Pte 54115 John Patrick Kavanagh
25 years old
(106 Years this day)
Thursday 18th April 1918.
Pte 31798 Peter Edward Lawler
32 years old
A total of 18 Pals were killed on this day. View All