Ormskirk Men Killed At The 1st Battle of the Somme
The Thiepval Memorial is dedicated to the 72,195 missing British and South African men who died in the Battles of the Somme over a 4 years period from 1915 to 1918.
The memorial includes the names of the following men, who were amongst those lost who were local to or with an association to the town and district of Ormskirk during the 1st Battle of the Somme between 1st July 1916 and 18th Nov 1916. These men have no known grave.
John Ball of Maghull, aged 19. Grocer’s Assistant, John is also remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour, the Maghull Civic Memorial and St Andrews School, Maghull memorial.
Richard Ball, 21, Richard and his two brothers worked in the railway goods yard before the war, the family lived at 33 Derby Street and then The Lodge at the Green Lane Isolation Hospital. Richard is on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour and the Aughton Street Boys School Memorial.
Benjamin Billen, 22, Gardener, born Liverpool Rd., Aughton, named after his paternal grandfather who was a gamekeeper on the Scarisbrick Estate. Benjamin is on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour and the Aughton Civic Memorial.
Herbert Samuel Bray, 31, of Maghull, Herbert was a Master Baker working in his father’s business. Herbert is on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour, the Maghull Civic Memorial and on St Athanasius C of E Kirkdale memorial.
John Critchley, 21, 2nd Lieutenant, John was the son of Capt William and Mrs Mary Ellen Critchley . He was educated at Wolverhampton Orphanage where he was appointed assistant Schoolmaster. John is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour and the Southport C of E memorial.
Edward Culshaw, 29, of Plex Lane, Halsall. Edward was a signalman before enlisting. Edward is remembered on the Halsall Civic Memorial.
Thomas Foster, 19, Son of Thomas and Alice Foster of Halsall Lane, Thomas worked for a Tailor from leaving Aughton Street school. He is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour, Aughton Street Boys School Memorial and the Aughton Civic Memorial.
John Gaffney, 23, John was from a large family of Ball’s Yard, Aughton Street, close to ParkAvenue. His parents were both Irish but he himself and all his older siblings were born in Ormskirk. John was working as a farm labourer before enlisting. He is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll.
James Goulbourne Galland, 27, son of Henry Galland of 7, Mill Gardens, James was a collier before joining the army. He is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour and the Aughton Street Boys School Memorial.
Richard Collins Gibbon, 19, his baptism at Lathom Chapel records he was born at Ring o’Bells, he was a member of a large boat family, Richard was in service at Watson House Farm, Halsall, before the war. He is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Memorial and the Halsall Civic Memorial.
John Hogarth, 24, born and raised at Scarth Hill, baptised at St James, Lathom (now Westhead) 1892, his father was a farm labourer as was John before the war. John is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour and the Aughton Street Boys School Memorial.
James Howard, 26, Son of Henry and Hannah Howard, the family had moved to Liscard Cheshire when James was still a small boy but he moved back to Ormskirk when he started work as a bricklayer, boarding at 18 Mill Street. James is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour.
Hugh Kennedy, 23, son of Dodson Kennedy, of Aughton , Hugh was from the Tile and Brick manufacturing family of Asmall Lane, his career was as a Stock Broker, he married in 1915. Hugh is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour and the Halsall Civic Memorial, Aughton Civic Memorial, Merchant Taylors School, Crosby, Aughton Institute, St Cuthbert’s Church, Halsall and the Liverpool Stock Exchange memorials.
Christopher Longton, 21, son of John and Mary Ellen Longton of North Moor Lane. Halsall, Christopher went to work as a cowman on his grandmother’s farm after leaving school. He is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour, the Halsall Civic Memorial and St Cuthbert’s Church Halsall memorial.
David Oswald, 22, David was born in Bonhill, Dumbarton, his father, also David, brought the family from Scotland in the 1890s to work as the Farm Bailiff on the La Mancha Estate, Halsall. David was an agricultural student before the war, also working at La Mancha. He is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour, the Halsall Civic Memorial and St Cuthbert’s Church War Memorial.
Edward Lea Philips, 29, baptised at Ormskirk in 1887, he had 5 sisters, his father was the secretary to the Liverpool Stock Exchange and the family lived at Belmont, Aughton Park. Edward is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour and the Aughton Civic Memorial.
James Whalley, 23, of Middlewood Road, Aughton, James, his older sister and his father all worked at the Powder Works, Melling, prior to the war. James is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour and the Aughton Civic Memorial.
Thomas Winrow, 18, son of Mary Winrow of the Alms Houses, Church Lane, Aughton, Thomas was the only son of John and Mary Winrow, Mary being widowed by 1911 and living with 13 year old Thomas in the Alms houses. Thomas is remembered on the Ormskirk Comrades Roll of Honour, he is also the youngest casualty on this list.
This is just a very small group of men lost from the town and district during the Battle of the Somme. A full list will be available at the OBT Live event in partnership with WLBC on Thursday July 7th at The Civic. A film complied by the Imperial War Museum to commemorate the Anniversary of the Battle of The Somme has been made available for a free public screening at 7pm. The film lasts just over an hour and is a cert. PG. Everyone is welcome,a donation to cover room hire is optional. This is expected to be a well supported event.