4352 Pte J P Deane MM 1/5th Liverpool regt UPDATE

[Mark Abbott]

Another project! This time it's in relation to John Deane, who served during WW1 with the 1/5th Liverpool Regiment and won a Military Medal in 1917.

I know he lived at 249 Burlington Street with his sister, Mary Walsh. I have found some superb photos of Burington Street:
http://www.leverpoole.co.uk/burlington-street.shtm

Can any one tell me if 249 is shown on the photos?

After the war, he lived at 11 Blenheim Street.

Thanks

Mark

[daggers]

If this is any help, the Godfrey edition of the OS map of 1903 - North Liverpool - shows no. 83 at the junction of north side of Burlington St and Titchfield St, and no. 101 at the junction with Limekiln Lane.
This leaves a lot of numbers to be squeezed into the block between Limekiln Lane and Scotland Road!
Directory-owners or consulters might do better, using the shops on the photos as markers.
D

[Mark Abbott]

Daggers,

Thanks; would Kelly's Directory be of any use do you think?

Mark

[daggers]

Yes - it should list all numbered premises, private and business, and shows where side roads meet. It does not list occupants, but most householders. Court dwellings may present problems, as they probably did for census enumerators, directory canvassers etc.
The L'pool RO set are on film, several volumes to a reel.
Good hunting.
D

[MaryA]

What a shame, some of Burlington Street is still there, but it looks like the one you are after would have been under where the tunnel is now.

[Mark Abbott]

John Patrick Deane was born in Liverpool in 1896. I the early part of the 20th Century, he lived with his mother Mary,his brother William and a relative by the name of Gannon at an address in Burlington Street.

John enlisted into the 5th Bn. King’s Liverpool Regt., Territorial Force, on 20th October, 1915 at Liverpool but did not use his medial name. He gave his address as 249, Burlington Street, Liverpool. This was the home of his sister, and next of kin, Mary Welsh. He had no previous military service. Happily his service and pension papers have survived an these confirm his full name as John Patrick Deane.

He signed the Imperial Service Obligation on the day he enlisted, agreeing to serve outside the United Kingdom.

He was 19yrs 7 months old, 5 feet 4 inches tall, had a chest measurement of 34 inches and was described as being of good physical development.

He spent the first five and a half months of his military service training in the UK before leaving in a reinforcement draft for France on 31st March, 1916, entitling him to the British War and Victory medals.

He joined the 1/5th Battalion in the Wailly sector, south of Arras as the build up to the Somme offensive gathered momentum. His battalion was not involved in the early stages of the battle, but moved into the Somme region in early August before being thrown into battle at Guillemont. The battalion attacked on 8th August and suffered heavy casualties, 70 killed, 177 wounded and 64 missing.

John Deane was one of the lucky ones but the experience must have been terrifying for the 20 year old. The battalion was withdrawn from the line, absorbed the new drafts sent to replace those killed and wounded, re-equipped and re-trained before being sent back to the front, near to Delville Wood just four weeks later.

Here the Battalion was involved in pushing forward their positions, digging and repairing trenches and attacking the Germans along communication trenches north of Delville Wood. On 10th September the Battalion War Diary states:
“At 7a.m. the enemy commenced shelling our front and support lines also the junction of PONT STREET & PEAR STREET with 5.9 shells and a few 8” shells. This continued intermittently until 4.15p.m. when it grew into an intense bombardment lasting until 4.45p.m. Our artillery opened out but no offensive enemy movement took place – situation remained quiet and position unchanged until relief by 2nd N.Z. Rifle Brigade, night 10th/11th. Relief was reported complete by midnight & the Bn. Marched out by companies to bivouac in F.13.a. area – Casualties wounded 42, killed 8."

This action proved too much for John Deane and he left the battalion, suffering from shellshock on this date. Who knows what horrific scenes this young soldier had witnessed that pushed him to the edge of madness?

He was evacuated to a Field Ambulance behind the lines, then to a Casualty Clearing Station and eventually returned to the UK on 13th September. He would remain in England until 10th February, 1917 when he once more returned to France. By this time, the Territorial Force renumbering had taken place and he had been allocated the new service number 201781.

He was probably with the 1/5th King’s during the summer of 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres when they attacked on 31st July and 20th September in the Wieltje sector, suffering heavy casualties once more.

The whole division was so weakened by its efforts at Ypres that it was sent south to hold a quiet sector of the line whilst the Battle of Cambrai was launched. Although initially successful when it began on 20th November, the German counter assault soon reversed the positions and unfortunately for John Deane and others of the 55th Division, the retaliation was unleashed upon them.

Severely weakened and unprepared, the men displayed heroic resistance to the assault and John Deane played his part to the full. Two days later his CO signed the following citation:
“At GRAFTON POST on the 30th November, 1917, this man employed as a stretcher bearer made several journeys between the front line and the aid post passing through heavy barrages of 5.9 shells. He was compelled to go over the top on two occasions carrying wounded as the trench had been completely blown in. His cheery bearing and devotion to his work were of great value”.

He was awarded the Military Medal.

According to his service record John Deane received a gunshot wound to his right thigh on 26th April, 1918. However, there seems to be some confusion over this date. The date originally written on his file was 3rd May, 1918 but this was the date he was evacuated to the UK. This date is crossed out and 26th April, 1918 written in its place. A check of the 1/5th Bn. War Diary reveals that they were not even in the front lines at this time. They had been relieved on 12th April having fought off heavy attacks on 9th and 10th. From 16th April they were in rest billets in Camblin Chatelaine and did not go back into the line until 27th April.

What is confirmed is that he was evacuated to the UK on 3rd May, 1918 and was treated at various hospitals for his wounds, including Coliton House Hospital, V.A.D., Dorchester and the Crown Hill Military Convalescent Hospital, Devon. The presentation of his Military Medal was made whilst he was in hospital. The award was promulgated in the London Gazette on 19th March, 1918.

He was finally discharged from the Army, “No longer physically fit for war service” due to his thigh wound, on 26th November, 1918, two weeks after the Armistice having served 3 years and 38 days. He was also awarded the Silver War Badge.

By December, 1930 John Deane was living at 11, Blenheim Street, Scotland Road, Liverpool and I believe he died in June 1965 whilst living at 6 Woodford Road Liverpool.

With thanks to Ken Lees.

[daggers]

Excellent story. Well put together.

Daggers

[MaryA]

Wonderful research Mark, and a fitting memorial.

[marlow mag]

How interesting to read about the 5th Liverpool Regiment my father Charles Ravenscroft joined 1/7/1915 and was disharged as sick on 14/1/16 i would love to know where he was during that time i have often wondered why he was reported sick and what that meant
thank you for the information

[Stephen Nulty]

I suspect from his card (23946) that he didn't actually serve overseas and was discharged whilst still training in the UK.

'Sick' could have meant any number of things from TB through to Flat Feet. Without his service records, it's impossible to tell whey he was discharged. The card states his reason for discharge is Para 392 xvi, which means 'no longer physically fit for war service".

[marlow mag]

Many many thanks for the information about my father Charles Ravenscroft after all these years i now know he did not serve abroad
he suffered from bronchial problems and we wondered if it was caused through his army service i have tried to find his medical records with out sucess it is so kind of you to look this up thank you