Pte 49547 Stanley James GaskIll

• Age: 38
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 18th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Stanley James Gaskill was born in the March quarter of 1880 at Manchester and was the was the son of James Gaskill and his wife Annie (nee Gill). his parents married in St John's Church, Manchester in 1867. Stanley was baptised at St. James The Apostle Church, Birch, Manchester on 28th March 1880, his parents' residence Rusholme Grove, and his father's occupation newsagent.

Stanley was the fifth of nine children, all born in Rusholme. His older siblings were Harry, Clara, Elsie Annie, and Hilda (who died in
infancy), and younger siblings George Bernard (who died at age 2), twins Fred and Arthur, and Mabel.

At the time of the 1881 census the family is living at 6 Birch Street in Rusholme, with four children; Stanley is one year old.

By 1891 the family has moved to 32 Thomas Street, with their seven children. His father is still working as a newsagent, Harry, 22, is a
solicitor's clerk, Clara, 20, is a bookkeeper, and Elsie, 16, is a dressmaker apprentice. Stanley is 11, Fred and Arthur are 5, and Mabel
is 2 years old.

On the 1901 Census, Stanley is aged 20, a commercial clerk for a stuff (cloth) merchant living with his parents and four siblings at 32 Thomas Street, Rusholme.  His father is now employed as a club steward. His siblings are shown as Elsie is 26, Fred and his twin brother Arthur are 15 and Mabel is 12.  Also in the household is grandson Arthur Wadsworth, 4 (Clara's son).

The 1911 Census shows the family are still living at 32 Thomas Street, Rusholme, Manchester. His father James is aged 69 was born in Manchester in 1842 and his occupation is shown as a messenger in the billposting trade, whilst his mother Annie is aged 66,  was born in Cheadle in 1845. They have been married for forty three years and have had nine children of which two had died. Those listed at home are; Elsie aged 36, born 1875, Stanley aged 31, is a merchant shippers clerk, Fred aged 25, born 1886 is a cotton manufacturers clerk and his twin brother Arthur is a joiner in the billiard trade, and Mabel aged 22, born 1889 is a milliner. The children were all born in Manchester.

Stanley married Gertrude Cheetham on the 04th April 1912, in Holy Trinity Church, Hulme. Both were aged 32. They were to have two children Alan born on 18th March 1913 and Sydney on 26th March 1915 both born in Chorlton.

His mother died in the June quarter of 1915, aged 69.

Stanley enlisted in Manchester and and served in the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private No 49547. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, he enlisted or was conscripted in about August 1916.  At some point after arriving in France he was posted to the 19th Battalion K.L.R.

He was killed in action on the 18^th April 1918, aged 38, during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary entry for the day reveals that 10 Other Ranks were killed during heavy shelling of the area.  

18^th April

No aggressive action on either side. The activity being confined to artillery. The French had come up in great force and  assisted our artillery with the famous “75s”. The Battn came under heavy shell fire at one period. 10 O.R. being killed and 3 wounded.

The weather, which up to this time had been quite good, turned and snow, rain and hail fell.

Stanley was one of the 10 Other Ranks referred to in the diary. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

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.

His widow placed a notice in the Manchester Evening News on 06th May 1918:

"In proud memory of Private Stanley J. Gaskill, King's Liverpools, who was killed in action April 18, 1918, the beloved husband of Gertrude Gaskill (nee Cheetham). He laid his richest gift on the altar of duty - his life. - 31 Rial Street, Hulme."

His sons were 5 and 3 years old when Stanley was killed.

He was reported killed in the Weekly Casualty List 11th June 1918:

 - Gaskill 49547 S. J. (Moss Side, Manchester);

His effects were sent to his widow Gertrude, including a War Gratuity of £7. She was also awarded a dependent's pension of 25s/5d, later increased to 30 shillings. She lived at 20 Henbury Street in Moss Side, Manchester, and later moved to Blackpool and lived at 19 Broughton Avenue.

His father died in 1921, aged 79.

On the 1939 register, taken at the end of September, Gertrude, then aged 59, and living on private means, was at 17 Carsluith Avenue in Blackpool, with her sister Annie Cheetham.

Gertrude died in 1968, aged 87.

His son Alan married in 1937 and had a family.

In 1939 his wife Lily lived at 400 Warley Road in Blackpool. Alan was not in the household, possibly having been called up.

He died in Blackpool in 2000, aged 87.

In 1939, Sydney was 23 years of age and a coach builder, boarding in Ripponden, near Halifax, in Yorkshire. He married in 1944 and had a daughter. He died in 1989 in Yorkshire, aged 73 or 74.

Sadly, Stanley has not been found on any U.K. memorial.

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