Pte 8715 William Francis Bache

William Francis Bache was born on the 08th July 1886 at 417 Mill Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool, one of nine children of Staffordshire born newsagent David Beach Bache, and his Shropshire born wife Mary Ann (nee Fisher) who married at Lower Gornall Staffordshire on the 26th August 1866.

 

William was baptised on the 06th September 1886 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool. 

 

The 1891 Census shows William aged 4 still living at 417 Mill Street, Toxteth Park with his parents and his five siblings. His father, David, is a 48 year old newsagent, his mother, Mary A. is 45 years of age. William's siblings are listed as; John aged 17, Florence aged 15, Lawrence aged 13, Frederick aged 9, and Sidney aged 1.   

 

In 1897 his father, David, died aged 54.

 

The 1901 Census shows William now aged 14 and a bakers shop boy living at 34 Whalley Street, Toxteth Park with his widowed mother and three siblings. His mother, Mary A.  is now showing as being a widow aged 51. She has five of her children in the household; David is a 30 year old dock labourer, Lawrence is a 22 year old ships cook, Sydney is aged 11 and at school. Also present is her daughter Florence Brookfield aged 25, her husband HarryBrookfield a 30 year old dock labourer and their son also David aged 1.

 

The 1911 Census finds that William's whereabouts are unknown.

 

In the September quarter of 1914 when he was aged 28, he married Mary Ellen Makin. They had a son, William, who was born on the 21st January 1915.

 

William enlisted into the 4th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 8715. 

 

On 8 June 1915 he went overseas to France with the 4th Battalion K.l.R. 

 

Whilst serving, he was transferred to the 20th Battalion (Pals) K.L.R. and probably after the disbandment of the 20th Battalion he was subsequently transferred to 18th Battalion K.L.R. as per his medal roll.

 

On the 22nd June 1918 he died of his wounds received from poison gas.

 

Wyrall's history of the King's Liverpool Regiment and his soldiers effects, dependents pension card and CWGC records show that at his death he was serving still serving in the 4th Battalion K.L.R.

 

He now rests at Terlincthun British Cemetery, in France at I.B.8.

The first rest camps for Commonwealth forces were established near Terlincthun in August 1914 and during the whole of the First World War, Boulogne and Wimereux housed numerous hospitals and other medical establishments.

The cemetery at Terlincthun was begun in June 1918 when the space available for service burials in the civil cemeteries of Boulogne and Wimereux was exhausted. It was used chiefly for burials from the base hospitals, but Plot IV Row C contains the graves of 46 RAF personnel killed at Marquise in September 1918 in a bombing raid by German aircraft.

In July 1920, the cemetery contained more than 3,300 burials, but for many years Terlincthun remained an 'open' cemetery and graves continued to be brought into it from isolated sites and other burials grounds throughout France where maintenance could not be assured.

During the Second World War, there was heavy fighting in the area in 1940. Wimille was devastated when, from 22 - 25 May, the garrison at Boulogne fought a spirited delaying action covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. There was some fighting in Wimille again in 1944. The cemetery suffered considerable damage both from the shelling in 1940 and during the German occupation.

The cemetery now contains 4,378 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and more than 200 war graves of other nationalities, most of them German. Second World War burials number 149.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

William is commemorated on the following Memorials:

 

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 12 Left

  

St John the Baptist School Toxteth Park 

 

His widow, Mary Ellen, remarried on the 04th August 1919 to Samuel Jones.