David Pagan The Kings Liverpool 1917

[Del]

David Pagan was a rifleman No 41839 with the 1st/6th Batt kings Liverpool. He was killed on the 31/7/1917 in France.

Would he have received any medals for his service! I have tried to find out, but with no success.

Del

[Blue70]

Ancestry has the medal card. He was entitled to the Victory & British War medals.


Blue

[Del]

Hi, blue

Thanks for the info.


Del

[promenade]

Hello Del,

You may be interested in the following information about him:-

(I would be grateful if anyone uses the information below that it should be credited to Joe Devereux)

PAGAN, Rifleman, DAVID, 41839. 1st/6th Battalion. King's Liverpool Regiment. 31st July 1917. Age 29. Son of Sarah and the late John Pagan; husband of Mary E. Pagan, of 45, Herrick St., Stanley, Liverpool. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium.

Originally enlisted probably in 1917 as No 41839 and posted to the 12th Battalion King's Liverpool Regt. He embarked for France 23/5/17 as part of a reinforcement draft and was posted to the 19th Battalion King's Liverpool Regt [3rd Liverpool Pals]. On 9/6/17 he was transferred to the 1st/6th (Territorial) Battalion King's Liverpool Regt and was killed in action on 31/7/17. He qualified only for the British War and Victory Medals as he went overseas after 31/12/15 and thus did not qualify for the 1914 or 1915 Stars (a quick search of the internet will show what these medals looked like).

The following are transcriptions from the 1911 and 1901 Census returns respectively

David Pagan
Age: 24
Address: 9 Shaftsbury Tce, Stoneycroft, Liverpool - the dwelling had 4 rooms
Occupation : general labourer in margarine works
Estimated Birth Year: 1887
Where born: West Derby, Liverpool
Spouse's Name: Mary Ellen Pagan, 26, b. West Derby, Liverpool
Robert Pagan, 1, b. West Derby, Liverpool
Emily Weaver, married sister-in-law, 32, b. Whitchurch - married 9 years 3 of her 5 children survived
Wallace Weaver, 7, nephew, b. Wavertree, Liverpool
Philip Arthur Weaver, 5, nephew, b. Wavertree, Liverpool
Bronwen Emily Weaver, 3, niece, b. Wavertree, Liverpool
He had been married for 2 years - 1 of his 1 children had survived

David Pagan
Age: 14
Occupation: baker's shop boy
Address: 24 Goschen St, Liverpool
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Sarah Pagan, 50, widow, b. Liverpool
Where born: Liverpool
Margaret Pagan 19, servant, b. Liverpool
Robert Pagan 12, b. Liverpool
Edwin Pagan 9, b. Liverpool

He is commemorated on the war memorial in St Anne Parish Church, Prescot Rd, Stanley

KILLED/WOUNDED DURING THE BATTLE OF PILKEM RIDGE 31 JULY - 2 AUGUST

Extracted from 1/6 KLR War Diary

Sunday 29 July 1917
Vlamertinghe - Ypres - Potijze
'X' Day
Battalion in reserve until the evening. Commencing at about 8pm the Battalion moved by Companies into X/Y day positions as follows:-
HQ Cart Dug-outs - Oxford Trench.
B and C Companies with part of A Company - Congreve Walk
D Company - Bottle Trench
A Company - holding Front Line from Lone St (exclusive) to about 150 south of Pagoda St with six posts
Working parties found by B,C Companies 150 men strong. Great Artillery activity by both sides. Casualties 6 other ranks killed, 9 other ranks wounded (1 gassed). Strength of Battalion for battle exclusive of nucleus 20 officers and 505 other ranks, Lieutenant-Col JB McKaig commanding.

Monday 30 July 1917
POTIJZE
'Y' Day
Battalion in position as above (see 29 July), until 9pm when it moved up by companies into assembly positions as follows:
Front line trench from LONE ST (exclusive) to about 150yds south of PAGODA ST.
'A' Company on the left, under Captain A Balmforth
'D' Company on the right, under 2nd Lieutenant JP Grove. Forming 1st and 2nd waves to capture German support line with 1 Platoon each (Nos3 and 16) as moppers up for German front line.
'B' Company on left, under 2nd Lieutenant JA McLaren
'C' Company on the right, under Captain GD Tyson. Forming 3rd and 4th waves to capture German Reserve Line and consolidate on Brigade final objective (Blue Line). These two Companies assembled in the Borrowpit immediately behind the frontline parados. HQ Cart dug-outs in OXFORD TRENCH. Weather wet and conditions muddy. Artillery very active on both sides but the assembly was successfully carried out without casualties. During the night our wire was cut by 'A' and 'D' Companies.

Tuesday 31 July 1917
POTIJZE
'Z' Day
3rd Battle of Ypres commenced. Zero Hour at 3.50am when the attack commenced. The Battalion attacked in four waves (see 30/7/17) with 1/5 South Lancs Regt (166 Inf Brigade) on our left 1/5 KLR on our right. 46 Inf Brigade, 15 Division on the right of 165 Brigade. The German front and support trenches were carried with little trouble, some slight opposition being encountered at the reserve line. This however caused no delay and platoons from 'B' and 'C' Companies pushed onto the BLUE LINE and immediately commenced to dig in; strongpoints being dug, one on the left flank and one in the front of JASPER FARM, between JASPER FARM and the BLUE LINE. The BLUE LINE runs approximately from C 23 D 70.35 to C 30 A 10.90. This being the Battalion frontage. At 5.5am the 9th KLR passed through the BLUE LINE to attack the STUTZPUNKT LINE and POMMERN REDOUBT. This was successfully accomplished and at 10.10am the 164 Brigade started from the BLACK LINE (STUTZPUNKT LINE) to attack the GREEN LINE (GHELUVELDT - LANGEMARCK LINE). This was also reached but the attacking troops had to fall back to a position about 200yds in front of the BLACK LINE. At about 10am Battalion HQ moved from OXFORD TRENCH and established HQ in the German Reserve Line (CAMEL RESERVE) at a point C 29 B.28.79 and shortly after arrival 'B' and 'C' Companies were ordered up to reinforce 9 KLR at the BLACK LINE, the two companies digging in and consolidating on the left flank to join up with 1/10 KLR on their left. 'A' and 'C' were simultaneously moved up to garrison the BLUE LINE and strongpoints. These dispositions remained the same until relief. Throughout the day the shelling on both sides was intense. The estimate of prisoners captured by the Battalion is approximately 100, while 80 enemy dead were counted on the Battalion front. Among trophies taken by the Battalion were 2 trench mortars and 2 machine guns. Weather from mid-day onwards, very wet. Casualties - see 2nd August total casualties for the Battalion. (1/6 KLR War Diary)

No 1 Platoon [A Company] narrative
No. 1 platoon formed part of the first wave of the attacking forces, and started from our front line at Zero (3:50am) on 31st July [1917]. As we neared the enemy trench, we were met with a scattered volley of bombs, which did little or no damage. We passed over the front trench, which as far as we could see was empty, and then pushed on to our objective ie to support line. As soon as the barrage lifted, we pushed into the ruins of the enemy support, but here also none of the garrison could be seen. A small party of them were visible making their way back to their reserves on which Lance-corporal Daniels and myself opened up fire, but the result could not be observed owing to the uncertain light. As soon as 'B' Company passed through us, are bombers cleared the trench (unreadable) and communication trench to Cambrai Reserve, and on their return, the platoon was reorganised and continued digging in. The Lewis Gun team and then moved to the Blue Line to reinforce 'B' company according to the programme. Platoon HQ was established in a (unreadable) dugout, which was afterwards made Company HQ. We remained in the position when we had dug in until about 1 o'clock, when the company (moved?) up to Blue Line; our Lewis gun team here rejoined the platoon. During the morning a considerable number of shells were flying about, being attracted apparently by some stranded tanks in the vicinity of our position. The platoon officer was wounded just after leaving our own frontline. The enemy trenches were almost unrecognisable owing to a battering by our artillery, and it was difficult to make out exactly where we were. During evening rain began to fall, and continued very heavily during the next two days, making things very uncomfortable. We were eventually relieved on the night of 2nd August. Sgt TA Riley Cpl No 1 Platoon (55 Div Records 1/117 and 1/118)



The following is taken from the Regimental History by Everard Wyrall :-

In the first of the Battles of Ypres, 1917, i.e., the Battle of Pilkem, 31st July - 2nd August, the front of the Allied attack was to extend from the Lys River opposite Deulemont northwards to beyond Steenstraat - over fifteen miles. The main blow was to be delivered on a front of about seven and a half miles by the Fifth Army from the Zillebeke─Zandvoorde road to Boesinghe inclusive. The Second Army, on the southern flank of the Fifth Army, was to advance only a short distance, its principal object in the first stage being to increase the area threatened by the attack so as to force the enemy to distribute his artillery fire. On the left of the Fifth Army, the First French Army was to advance its right in close touch with the British forces and secure the latter from attack from the north.
The Fifth Army was to advance in a series of bounds with which the French were to keep step.

In the final attack it was hoped that the British troops would succeed in establishing themselves on the crest of the high ground east of Ypres, on which a strong flank could be formed for subsequent operations; also, secure the crossings of the Steenbeek.
From the western edge of Shrewsbury Forest and just north of the Zillebeke - Zandvoorde road, to the eastern banks of the Yser just opposite Boesinghe, the British divisions in line (in the order given from right to left) assembled to attack the enemy on the morning of the 31st of July, were as follows: 24th, 30th, 8th, 15th, 55th, 39th, 51st, 38th and Guards.
The 30th Division occupied trenches from just inside the western edges of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge, the 55th Division just south of Wieltje. Ten battalions of the King's Regiment, i.e., 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 1/5th, 1/6th, 1/7th, 1/8th, 1/9th, and 1/10th were therefore involved in the Battle of Pilkem.
. . . . .
The 165th Brigade was to capture the Blue Line with the 1/5th King's on the right and the 1/6th on the left; the Black Line was to be captured by the 1/7th King's on the right and 1/9th King's on the left.
The 1/10th King's of the 166th Brigade (on the left of the 165th Brigade) were detailed to assault that part of the Black Line in the Brigade area, the 1/5th North Lancs. Having first of all to capture the Blue Line (there are no operation orders with the 166th Brigade Headquarters or Battalion Diaries and no "Narrative of Operations" either. The 1/10th records the battle very briefly).
Late on the night of the 30th/31st of July, the 1/5th King's on the right and 1/6th on the left formed up in the assembly trenches opposite Kaiser Bill.
The 31st was a particularly dark morning, and at "Zero" hour (3.50 a.m.) the men experienced the greatest difficulty in keeping proper distance. Both the 1/5th and 1/6th King's advanced well up to the barrage and carried the enemy's front line with little opposition. The records of the operations are, however, disappointing, very little information concerning the actual attack being given. The 1/5th Battalion Diary disposes of the whole attack in the following words: "Z Day. Battalion attacked at 3.50 a.m. Operation orders attached herewith. Four officers wounded. Casualties other ranks: wounded 105, k/a 26, missing 45."
The 1/6th diarist is very little better: "The battalion attacked in fourwaves with 1/5th South Lancashires (166th Infantry Brigade) on the left, 1/5th Battalion The King's on our right. The German front and support lines were carried with little trouble, some slight opposition being encountered in the reserve line. This, however, caused no delay, and platoons from "B" and "C" Companies pushed on to the Blue Line and immediately commenced to dig in, strong points being dug, one on the left flank and one in front of Jasper Farm, between Jasper Farm and the Blue Line . . . At 5.5 a.m. the 9th Battalion The King's passed through the Blue Line to attack the Stutzpunkt Line and Pommern Redoubt."
Neither the 1/5th nor the 1/6th mention the fact that when they reached the Blue Line the enemy's machine guns were very active from Plum Farm, well beyond the objectives of the two battalions. The Brigade Headquarters Diary records that: "In spite of the fact that our barrage was on the Farm it was at once attacked and captured with the three German machine guns which it contained. The capture of this strong point before the advance from the Blue Line considerably assisted the subsequent advance of the 7th and 8th King's to the Black Line."
In the attack on the Blue Line the 1/5th had captured about eighty Germans and the 1/6th about one hundred, both battalions reported having seen many dead Germans.

[Del]

Wow........Thank you very much for all the info.

Del

[Mark Abbott]

Joe

Thank you for the excellent and truly informative post; I am sure we all learnt something from it.

Best wishes

Mark

[VicMar1]

Thanks so much Promenade for bringing this valuable information forward. And a special thanks to Joe for the work he has put in to find it.
As a newbie I will find it invaluable in my future search criteria.
Many thanks to both of you.
I love this site !