Corporal 33376 William Eric Sweetman

 

We know from newspaper notices that William Eric (known as Bill) was born on the 26th April 1897. His mother was Mary Ellen Badley (known as Mary, Ellen, or Nellie) who was born on the 07th July 1868 in Liverpool, the daughter of Alexander and Ellen Badley, She was baptised on the 02nd August 1868 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool. His father is unknown.   

There are no birth records for William Eric Sweetman in the Liverpool area, or anywhere in the country in the 1890s.  

 

The only surname common to William Eric and Ivy born in the right years is Hess. However, there are no baptisms or other civil records to be found under these names. William Eric Hess’ birth registration shows his mother’s maiden name as Badley, but no Hess-Badley marriage has been found.  A Mary Ellen Badley married George Turner in 1887, but no Turner-Hess marriage has been found. Another anomaly is Ivy Hess’ birth registration shows his mother’s maiden name as Williams. 

 

In 1901 Mrs. E. Hassall, 31, married, a dressmaker, with daughter Ivy, 5, and son William, 3, are visitors at 135 Chatham Street, Mount Pleasant. Head of the household is William Sweetman, aged 45, vocalist and musical agent, his wife Sarah A.,  aged 44, born in Hull, daughters Ada 18, born in Liverpool and Fern 15, born in Hull, as well as a boarder John A. F. Smith, 31. 

 

His Step-father William’s musical career is covered in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 21 June 1890:

 

 

 

When he was six years old Bill was baptised, with his older sister Ivy, in St. Bridget's Church, Wavertree, as William Eric Sweetman, on 28th October 1903, the parents William and Ellen at that time living at 12 Langton Road, and his father’s occupation given as coach builder. His sister Ivy's date of birth of 22nd May 1895  is confirmed by the date on the baptism record with William in 1903.

 

The 1911 Census finds the family living at 121 Chatham Street, Liverpool. Head of the household is William Sweetman aged 55, is a vocalist and concert agent, his wife Mary is aged 42, daughter Ivy is 15, and son William is 13, at school. They state they have been married 18 years and have had two children, this is usually done to authenticate the legitimacy of the children. 

However, there are no birth records for William Eric Hassall either. The surname could have been misheard by the enumerator. It should be noted that William Sweetman’s wife, Sarah Ann Kent Sweetman, did not die until October 1904.

In 1906 William Sweetman married Mary Ellen Badley in a civil ceremony.

 

His step-father was not pleased with Liverpool venues as reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Tuesday 04 June 1912:

 

 

Bill enlisted on the 12th August 1915 in Liverpool and gave his age as 19 years and his occupation as a clerk. He was five feet two inches tall, weighed 123lbs, with a 35" chest and stated his religion as Church of England. His gave his father William Sweetman of 121 Chatham Street, Abercromby Square, Liverpool as his next of kin. 

He was serving in the 21st Reserve Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 31106, he was then transferred to the 22nd (Reserve) Battalion before he was transferred again on 26th January 1917 to the 2nd Battalion of the Border Regiment with the new service number of 33376.

 

18.04.16: Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.

 

20.07.16: Appointed paid Lance Corporal.

 

09.12.16: Promoted to Corporal.

 

29.12.16: Embarked for France from Folkestone.

 

30.12.16: He arrived at Boulogne and then on to Etaples.

 

26.01.17: Posted 2nd Border Regiment.

 

09.03.17: With Btn. 

 

06.04.17: Field Ambulance with impetigo. 

 

09.05.17: Wounded and died of his wounds at 45 Casualty Clearing Station on 17th May 1917.  

Bill was wounded in action, as reported in the Liverpool Echo on 12th May 1917:

 

Bill succumbed to his wounds on 17th May 1917 and now rests at Achiet Le Grand Communal Cemetery Extension where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"OH REST IN THE LORD"

 

Achiet-le-Grand was occupied by the 7th Bedfords on 17 March 1917, lost on 25 March 1918 after a defence by the 1st/6th Manchesters, and recaptured on 23 August 1918. From April 1917 to March 1918, the village was occupied by the 45th and 49th Casualty Clearing Stations. Achiet station was an allied railhead. The communal cemetery and extension were used by Commonwealth medical units from April 1917 to March 1918. The extension was also used by the Germans to a small extent in March and April 1918, and again by Commonwealth troops in August 1918. After the Armistice Plot III and most of Plot IV were made when 645 graves, mainly of 1916 and March and August 1918, were brought in from the battlefields around Achiet and from other small burial grounds.  The COMMUNAL CEMETERY contains four Commonwealth burials of the First World War. The EXTENSION contains 1,424 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 200 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of ten casualties buried in other cemeteries whose graves could not be found. There are also 42 German war graves in the extension. The extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His death was reported in the press on 25th May 1917:

“Much sympathy will be felt with Mr. William Sweetman, the well-known vocalist and teacher of singing, at the death from wounds of his son, Corporal William Eric Sweetman, of the Border Regiment. Corporal Sweetman, previous to the war, held the post of shipping clerk to the Mersey Export and Trading Company, who valued his services very highly.  He was earlier a leader of the choir both in St. Peter’s and the Lady Chapel of the new Cathedral.” 

 

His death was also reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 02 June 1917:

 

 

His possessions were returned to his mother Nellie:- 2 discs, letters, photos, cards, religious book, cigar case, celluloid protractor, badge, mirror, gold ring, 2 wallets, purse, farthing, comb, 1 bag, 2 keys on ring.

He earned his two medals. 

A letter dated 31st August 1917 on headed notepaper "Sweetman Musical Agency", but its contents are illegible.

His mother Nellie received Bill’s Army effects, Army Pay of £6 and and a War Gratuity of £9. The pension card in the name of his mother at 121 Chatham Street, shows that a pension was awarded, amount not specified.

 

His family placed In Memoriam notices on his birthday, 26th April 1918:

“In sad but loving birthday remembrances of my dearly-beloved and only brother Corpl. William Eric Sweetman (our Bill), who died of wounds, in France, May 17, 1917. (Greater love hath no man.). From his living sister Ivy and Leo.”

 

 

The same notice was placed in the Liverpool Echo on Monday 26 April 1920.

 

By 1921 his step-father's health seems to be deteriorating as reported in the Liverpool Evening Express on Monday 17 October 1921: 

 

 

 

 

William Sweetman, his (step) father died in 1923, aged 67.  
 
In 1939 his widowed mother Mary E., date of birth 07th July 1868, is living in Southport with her married daughter Ivy Warnick and family, at 2 Sefton Street, Southport. 

 

His mother died in 1944, aged 75.

 

Bill has not been identified on any memorial, however there is a Sweetman (no initial) commemorated in St. Philip’s Church, Southport.

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