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

2nd Lieutenant Philip McGiveney (DSO)

Age: 36
From: Preston, Lancs
Regiment: Lancashire Fusiliers
Died on Sunday 2nd June 1918
Commemorated at: Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt
Panel Ref: III.A.12.

Philip was born in June 1882 at Preston and was the son of Patrick McGiveney and his wife Mary Ellen (née Meagher). His father, from Ireland, and his mother, born in Preston, had married in Preston in 1878 and they had seven children. Philip had older siblings Mary (Maria), born in 1878, and John Meagher 1880, and younger siblings Owen Joseph 1884, and Jane Patricia 1886, all born in Preston. Margaret Mary was born In Burnley in 1888 but died at age 1 in Burnley, and Gerald Patrick, who was born in Stockport in 1891. No baptisms have been found, except for Margaret, who was baptised Roman Catholic.

His father had worked in and then ran a drapery business before Philip’s birth, but by 1891 the family are living at 45 Chestergate, Stockport, where his father is recorded on the Census as a publican. They have six children and a domestic servant.

His father died in Stockport in 1893, aged 44.

By the time of the 1901 Census the family arenow living at 26 South Meadow Lane, Preston. His widowed mother is 49, Maria 22, is an assistant teacher, Philip is 18, a boot shop assistant, Owen is 16, a hairdresser’s apprentice, Jane is 14, and Gerald 10; they have a boarder, Charles Streeter, 24, from America.

By 1911, Philip is aged 27 and he is shown as living with his mother and two sisters, Jane and Mary at 35 Fishergate Hill, Preston. He is shown as a manager of a Boot Shop. His brothers John and Owen are living in Runcorn, working as music hall artists. Owen became a well-known vaudeville quick-change artist and went to New York in 1912, where he found fame, appearing with Sarah Bernhardt.

Philip enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 21573.

Formed on 7^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Whilst serving with the 19th Battalion he was wounded on 01st July 1916 during the attack on Montauban on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme being admitted to No. 34 Casualty Clearing Station on 02nd July 1916 with a Gun Shot Wound to his shoulder.

Upon completion of his recovery he was discharged to commission on 25th April 1917 and served with the Lancashire Fusiliers. He died of wounds on the 02nd June 1918, aged 36.

His death was announced in the Lancashire Evening News on 10th June 1918:

“Sec-Lieut. Philip McGiveney, Lancashire Fusiliers, son of Mrs. McGiveney, 28 Gt. Avenham Street, Preston, died from wounds on June 2 at the age of 36. Before the war he was manager of Messrs. Freeman, Hardy and Willis’s Nelson branch.”

Philip now rests at Bagneux British Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"ON WHOSE SOUL SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY".

At the end of March, the 3rd, 29th and 56th Casualty Clearing Stations moved to Gezaincourt, where they were joined for a short time in April by the 45th. They remained until September. The cemetery was begun in April 1918, after the close of the German offensive in Picardy. The 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital, in the citadel at Doullens, also buried in this cemetery in May and June 1918, and the 2nd Canadian Division in April and May. The graves in Plot III, Row A relate to a bombing raid over Doullens on 30 May 1918.

There are 1,374 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Philip's D.S.O. was gazetted on 24th September 1918.

2nd Lt. Philip McGiveney, Lanc. Fus.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an attack. He captured the first objective with his platoon. His company was subsequently ejected by a counterattack. He, with a handful of men, returned to the attack and retook the objective. He was wounded in the face, but went on single-handed and bombed and took prisoners the occupants of three posts. Later, arranging another bombing party, and advancing again, he was badly wounded in the spine and had to be taken away. It was due to his splendid courage and dash that his company recovered from its reverse and succeeded in re-engaging and inflicting severe casualties on the enemy.

The award of his D.S.O. was reported in the Preston Herald on 28th September 1918 under the headline:

“Posthumous Award for Lieut".

Philip McGiveney - Took Three Posts When Wounded: The name of the late Sec. Lieut. Philip McGiveney, a member of a well-known local family, and brother of the world-renowned Owen McGiveney, the entertainer, appears amongst the new D.S.O.’s. The official account of his gallantry states that after he had captured the first objective with his platoon, was ejected by a counter-attack. He, with a handful of men, returned to the attack and took the objective. He was wounded in the face but went on single-handed and bombed and took prisoner the occupants of three posts. Later, arranging another bombing party, and advancing again, he was badly wounded in the spine and had to be taken away.

Lieut. McGiveney’s death was announced some three months ago and presumably he died from the wounds received on the occasion described. In civil life he was in the retail boot and shoe trade. He enlisted in the Liverpool “Pals” at the beginning of the war, went out to France and was wounded. Then he was given a commission and was wounded again. His mother and sister reside in Penwortham.”

Soldiers effects to his mother Mary.

Probate was granted to his mother, living at Rosefold, Penwortham, in the amount of £110-9s-9d.

His youngest brother Gerald served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery.

In 1917/18 when the U.S. entered the war, his brother Owen was an actor living in New York City, and had to register for the draft. He stated his age (38) as three years older than he was. There are no records of his being drafted. He returned to England after the demise of vaudeville in the 1930s, married, returned to the U.S. and settled in Los Angeles with his family. He became a successful actor on TV and in Hollywood, appearing in films with Spencer Tracy and Gene Kelly (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and My Fair Lady, among others). Owen died in Los Angeles in 1967. His children Owen and Maura also became actors/entertainers.

Phillip's mother Mary died in 1925 aged 73.

Philip is commemorated on the following memorials -

Preston Catholic College

St. Wilfred’s Church, Preston

Penwortham Memorial

Nelson Memorial

South Ribble Roll of Honour

We currently have no further information on Philip McGiveney. 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.

(111 Years this day)
Wednesday 2nd June 1915.
Pte 24649 Alexander Alfred Dodd
19 years old

(109 Years this day)
Saturday 2nd June 1917.
Pte 29718 Thomas Stretch
37 years old

(108 Years this day)
Sunday 2nd June 1918.
2nd Lieutenant Philip McGiveney (DSO)
36 years old