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 406176 Henry Key Stafford

Age: 19
From: Middleton, Lancs
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
K.I.A Tuesday 7th May 1918
Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Henry Key Stafford was born in Middleton, Lancashire in the fourth quarter of 1898, the son of Joe Stafford and his wife Ruth (née Key) who were married on the 29th May 1896 at the Wesleyan Church, Long Street, Middleton. Joe was a 27 year old calico finisher of 29 Church Street, Rhodes, his father, John, is deceased, whilst Ruth was a 27 year old cotton reeler of 38 Market Place, her father, Henry, was a watchmaker. His father was born in Luddenden Foot, Yorkshire, and his mother in Coventry. They had two sons before his father died in 1900 at the age of 32. Henry had a younger brother John, born in 1900.

In 1901 his widowed mother, Ruth, is aged 32, and is living at 1 Morton Street, Middleton, with Henry, 2, and John, 1. Ruth is working at home, as a dressmaker on her own account.

His mother remarried in 1903 to William Bamforth, who, on the 1901 Census, was married and living with his daughter Frances just down the road at 72 Morton Street.

The 1911 census finds the family at 15 Tetlow Street, Middleton. His stepfather, William is a 42 year old jobbing engineer, born in Openshaw, his mother, is also 42 years of age. His stepsister, Frances, is aged 15, and is a gin winder for a cotton weaver, Henry is aged 12, part-time at school and part-time employed as a gin carrier for a cotton weaver. His brother John is aged 11, and is at school.

An online commemorative site states that the Henry was associated with the Morton Street Primitive Methodist Church and School, where he was a member of the choir.

Before enlisting he was employed at the Times Mill as a packer.

The site gives his enlistment date as February 1917, when he would have been 18 years old. He must have lied about his age in order to serve overseas.

He enlisted in Bury and was serving in the 18^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 406176 when he was killed in action on the 07^th May 1918 aged 19 during the German Spring Offensive.

Henry's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

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.

Although his pension card shows Killed in Action, and not Missing, his family made enquiries with the British Red Cross on 20th November 1918.

His death was reported in the Middleton Guardian on Saturday 01st June 1918:

PTE. HENRY K. STAFFORD.

Much sympathy has been extended to Mr. and Mrs. J. Bamforth, Tetlow-street, who have received official news that their son, Pte. Henry Stafford, of the King's Liverpool Regiment, was killed in action in France on the 7th of May. The deceased soldier was only 19 years of age, and he joined up in Feb., 1917. On completing his training he went overseas in Jan. of this year. The late Pte. Stafford was actively associated with Morton-street Primitive Methodist Church and Sunday-school (where he was a member of the choir), and he was last employed as a packer at the Times Mill. Prior to that he had worked in Messrs. R. Holden's central shop in Old Hall-street. A younger brother is at present serving in the Navy.

Also in same edition:

MR. and MRS. BAMFORTH, and FAMILY of the late Private H. K. Stafford, wish to THANK all kind Friends and Neighbours and Relations for their kindness and sympathy shown to them in the great loss of a dear son and brother. 15, Tetlow-street, Middleton.

His death was also reported in the Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry ) on Tuesday 25th June 1918;

KING'S (LIVERPOOL REGIMENT). - Stafford 406176 H. K. (Middleton);

His pension card, giving his battalion as the 26th K.L.R. (a Territorial Force Bn), in the name of his mother Ruth, at 15 Tetlow Street, Middleton, shows she was awarded a pension of 10/- a week from November 1918. Her address is later given as 66 Ribble Road, Central Drive, Blackpool. [A service record for Pte 406143 Downs also has 26th K.L.R. but this is crossed out in favour of 2/8th (Irish) K.L.R., so looks like an error in the records]

Henry earned his two medals.

Soldiers’ Effects also shows 26th Bn crossed out and replaced with 18th K.L.R. His mother received Henry’s Army effects, Army Pay of £6 18s 5d and a War Gratuity of £4-10s.

Another pension card gives his regiment as the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Soldiers’ Effects also shows 26th Bn crossed out and replaced with 18th K.L.R. His mother received Henry’s Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £4-10s.

His mother was widowed again in 1928, and appears to have returned to Middleton, where she died in 1948, aged 79.

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

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