Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Although my main area of interest and knowledge is the Great War, as part of my research into the war memorials in Prescot I am also looking into the men named on the Second World War panels of the BICC memorial.

I have successfully identified the majority of these men but I have a few who have eluded me so far. Their names are listed below and I would appreciate it if anybody could help me to positively identify any of these men.

I have searched CWGC and the Roll of Honour and have lots of candidates for several of the names, so I'm not looking for more options, simply firm identification of any of these men.

Although working at the BI in Prescot, clearly they may have lived elsewhere in the vicinity.

R Attwood
J Battersby
J F Davies
R B J Edwards
J Galloway
A H Henry
L Parr
J H Riley

I have a trip to the library planned for a few weeks time and will be able to access the Reporter archives, but I am hoping to reduce the list before then.

Many thanks

Stephen Nulty

After a visit to National Museums Liverpool, I have now identified Edwards and Henry from the list, but the others are still unknown to me.

All help gratefully received

I've been advised that the Pensions Department on 0151 430 3555 might be your best place to make enquiries.

Thanks, Mary. I've dealt with the Pensions Department a few times over the last few years and found them to be helpful, so I'll raise this with them.

I did once upon a time work in the Kirkby BICC, at the Admin Gate, and even took a turn now and again over in Prescot when they were short staffed. Met up with a few of them at a funeral 18 months ago and I was trying to figure out if any of them would have been old enough to have been there at the right time but unfortunately they won't have been.

Well you would have enjoyed doing what I did last Friday - I spent the morning at National Museums Liverpol reading throught the "Link" archives (BICC Staff newspaper for those who didn't know).

Apparently the BICC memorial is being moved to a new site within the grounds of Prescot St Mary's church.

The planning application etc is available on the Knowsley Council website.

sjn wrote:Well you would have enjoyed doing what I did last Friday - I spent the morning at National Museums Liverpol reading throught the "Link" archives (BICC Staff newspaper for those who didn't know).

I would have done yes, I'll remember that they are there for if I ever get the chance to browse for myself. Back in the 1970's it was a good place to work, or so we thought, it was a company that looked after their workers, in Prescot there was a subsidised canteen, although in Kirkby it had to be luncheon vouchers, they had their own doctor and dentist, free for staff and paid for Christmas party.

I hope you have some luck with the Pensions Department.

Dave I think if it has to move, then that would be a good place for it to go.

davejsb wrote:Apparently the BICC memorial is being moved to a new site within the grounds of Prescot St Mary's church.

Dave

If you look on my website (see below), you'll see some details of the memorial and its movements. I have been in contact with KMBC about the relocation and it is, as you say, at the planning stage. It's been a long process and I have been chasing and asking about this for almost two years now, so hopefully we won't have much longer to wait.

There are provisional plans for a rededication ceremony and I will keep the forum advised of this

sjn wrote: There are provisional plans for a rededication ceremony and I will keep the forum advised of this

I'll look forward to hearing of any updates on this.

The location for the resiting of the BICC War Memorial is about halfway down the old churchyard( coming away from the church), on the right hand side just after the path through to the "new" cemetery. This area does not have any graves, which is why it has been chosen.

Work will start on the project within the next few weeks and the rededication of the memorial in its new location is provisionally scheduled for Wednesday 11th November 2009

I'll keep this thread updated with any news.

Thank you for this information.

Steve, did you ever manage to trace all of these casualties

P

Phil

'Fraid not.

J F Davies, J Galloway, L Parr and J H Riley have all proved too difficult to track down. As stated in my initial posting, I have several candidates and "likely lads", but I simply cannot confirm for definite.

To the best of my knowledge, the delayed rededication of the BI memorial is scheduled to take place this month, although I don't have an actual date.

Hi Steve

I am currently going through the Prescot Reporter 1939-45 will let you know if I come across any of the names

Cheers Kathy, that would be really useful.

Anything at all that you can provide, such as Christian names and approximate date of death would be handy.

But just to note that I have found many of the men were not inhabitants of Prescot, simply that they worked at the BI. Lots of St Helens and Huyton men are listed, though its possible that they're in the Reporter anyway.

Katie wrote:Hi Steve

I am currently going through the Prescot Reporter 1939-45 will let you know if I come across any of the names

Steve, Im (over a period of time) doing the same with the Widnes Weekly news, so again if I spot anything i will record the details.

Katie, if you come across anything relating to Widnes WW2 casualties, please let me know.

P

Stephen Nulty wrote:Phil

'Fraid not.

J F Davies, J Galloway, L Parr and J H Riley have all proved too difficult to track down. As stated in my initial posting, I have several candidates and "likely lads", but I simply cannot confirm for definite.

To the best of my knowledge, the delayed rededication of the BI memorial is scheduled to take place this month, although I don't have an actual date.

Steve, is this one of your likely lads ?

Name: DAVIES, JOSEPH FRANCIS
Initials: J F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Bombardier
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 303 Bty., 99 H.A.A. Regt.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 16/06/1942
Service No: 3247309
Additional information: Son of David and Catherine Davies, of Liverpool.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 9. R.C. Grave 974.
Cemetery: LIVERPOOL (ANFIELD) CEMETERY

If it is, he is on ancestry on a family tree which includes a photo of him in uniform. Born 1922, died 1942.

Do you have an acestry account, as may confirm this as a possability one way or the other ?

P

Phil

Thanks for that. He is indeed one of my candidates that I am struggling to link to the BI for definite.

From a names perspective, he's the strongest candidate but still nothing concrete.

Appreciate your efforts

Stephen Nulty