Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
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 17919 Charles Ward Perry

Age: 23
From: Liverpool
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
Panel Ref: P21-23

Charles Ward Perry was born on 22nd March 1895 in Liverpool the son of James Francis Perry and his wife Mary Grace (née Ward). He was baptised in St. Saviour, Everton, on 14th April 1895. At the time, his parents were living at 15 Towson Street, and his father worked as a wood turner.

His parents were both born in Liverpool; they married in St Saviour's Church,Everton in 1893 and had four children, of which Charles was the eldest, and the only son. He had sisters Grace, born in 1896, Hilda, 1898, and Blanche, 1902.

On the 1901 census they are still at 15 Towson Street (recorded as Parry). His father James is aged 34 and a woodturner, mother Mary is aged 34. Thye live with their three children; Charles 6, Grace 4, and Hilda 2.

Charles attended Monk Street Infants School, then Breckfield School from 1902.

By 1911 they have moved to 79 Woodville Terrace, Everton, where eleven people in the household are living in nine rooms. Both parents are 44, his father still employed as a wood turner. They have been married for 17 years and have had 4 children all of whom are resident in the property; Charles is 16, and a clerk. Grace, 14, Hilda, 12, and Blanche, 9, are at school. Also living with them are his mother’s relatives: nephews Hubert, 24, and Walter Jesse, 16, and niece Marie Jesse, 14, as well as uncles William H. Ward, 56, and John J. Ward, 54.

He enlisted in Liverpool joining The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17919 on the 12th September 1914. He gave his age as 19 years and 120 days and occupation as a clerk. He is described as being 5’ 5” tall, weighing 113 lbs, with a fresh complexion, and brown eyes and dark hair, religion Church of England. He gives as next of kin his father, at 79 Woodville Terrace.

After training at Knowsley, near Liverpool, Charles did not move with his battalion at the end of April 1915 to Belton Park in Lincolnshire for further training, but instead was posted to 89th Brigade Depot, and was posted on 18th August to the 22nd (Reserve) Bn K.L.R.

He sailed to France on the 30th May 1916 on board the SS Golden Eagle and joined the 19th Battalion The King's Liverpool Regiment on the 01st June 1916. He acted as batman to 2nd Lieutenant Clifford between the 21st to 28th October 1916.

He was granted a Good Conduct Badge for two years’ service on 12th September 1916 and attended Divisional Grenade School from 2nd to 15th December 1916.

He was granted leave to the U.K. from 10th September 1917 and was awarded three days’ Field Punishment No.1 on 21/9/1917 and forfeited two days’ pay for being absent without leave (apparently overstaying his leave by one day). It is possible that the punishment was not carried out, as this was during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

Charles was one of 20 members of the 19th Battalion to be killed on 28th March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary records the events of the day as follows:

During the morning the enemy attacked the troops on our right flank and succeeded in capturing ARVILLERS, menacing our right flank. Three companies of the Battalion had to be immediately echeloned backwards as protection, the Battalion engaging the enemy, who were attempting to come out of ARVILLERS. This position was held during heavy fighting until 2pm when the Battalion was informed that French troops had come into position in the rear. In order for the Division to be relieved the Battalion had to hold their ground whilst the 2^nd Bedfordshire Regt and 2^nd Bn. R.S.F.’s passed through on their way to the rear. At 4pm the Battalion commenced to move off in small parties, passing through the French, and marching through MEZIERES, MOREUIL to MORISEL where hot dinner was provided. The Battalion then formed up and moved up by companies to ROUVREL and were billeted for the night. By this time the total casualties had reached 23 Officers and 457 O.R.

Charles' body was never recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

He was reported killed in the Weekly Casualty List on 21st May 1918:

King's (Liverpool Regiment) - Perry 17919 C.W.(Liverpool);

His parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 11th April 1918:

“March 28, killed in action, age 23 years, Private Charles Ward Perry, K.L.R., only and beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. Perry, 79, Woodville Terrace, Everton. (Sans changer).”

His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £16-10s went to his mother Mary Grace, who was awarded a pension of 10/- a week from October 1918. His Memorial Plaque and Scroll were sent to his mother.

In 1919 his sisters Grace, 24, Hilda, 22, and Blanche, 18, are living at home with their parents at 79 Woodville Terrace.

His father died in 1937, aged 70.

In 1939 his mother, 73, and sister Blanche, 37, are at “Ireton”, Oakfield, Anfield.

His mother died at 83 in 1950.

Charles is commemorated on the family grave in Anfield Cemetery:

In Loving Memory of

PTE CHARLES WARD PERRY

BELOVED SON OF

J.F. AND M.G. PERRY

KILLED IN FRANCE 28TH MARCH 1918 AGED 23 YEARS

He is also remembered on the war memorial stones which was believed to have belonged to St Cuthbert's Church, Burleigh Road South, Everton until the church was demolished in the late 1960's. It is now at St George's Church, Everton for safe keeping.

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