Tyne Cot Memorial
Roll of Honour
A
240469 Corporal
Bertram Freer Abbott
1st/6th Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
20th September 1917, aged 34.
Panel 31 to 34.
Son of the late Fred and Dora Mary Abbott. Enlisted Aug., 1914.
The information below supplied by 'The Ellesmerian Club', the alumni organisation for Ellesmere College where Bertram was a pupil.
Bertram Freer Abbott
1st/6th Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
20th September 1917, aged 34.
Panel 31 to 34.
Son of the late Fred and Dora Mary Abbott. Enlisted Aug., 1914.
The information below supplied by 'The Ellesmerian Club', the alumni organisation for Ellesmere College where Bertram was a pupil.
Bertram Freer Abbott, the son of Frederick, a cabinet maker, and his wife Dora Mary was born on 28th July 1883 in Lewisham, London. Little is known of his early childhood other than that in the 1891 Census he was recorded as visiting his grand-parents at their house in West Derby, Liverpool. Three years later, in 1894, his father passed away.
He was one of twenty-seven new boys that were admitted to Ellesmere College, north Shropshire in January 1897. The Headmaster’s Register of the time records that he had attended the Liverpool Institute for the previous four academic terms. A fellow new boy was Gilbert Orchard who would die on active service in April 1915. Bertram was allocated to the ‘Woodard’ dormitory and a desk in Form Lower I under the instruction of Mr. F. W. Evans. There were one hundred and seventy boys on the nominal roll.
As soon as he arrived at Ellesmere, Bertram became involved in various sports. He demonstrated his ‘kicking’ prowess at the Easter Sports Day and played cricket for his dormitory team that summer making quite an impression as The Ellesmerian recorded that “we have high hopes for the future gauging from his doughty doings for his dormitory, both with the willow and in fielding”. In the winter term he represented his dormitory on the rugby pitch, playing ‘half’. The ‘Woodard’ dormitory did well during that year’s inter-dormitory competition winning two games but the final against the ‘Alfred’, a very successful and strong team, on 9th December 1897 was described as “a feeble display on account of the one sidedness of the teams”. However, the commentator did note that “Abbott made some plucky efforts” outside the scrum.
In the classroom he was awarded the Form Upper I Form prize and Latin prize at Speech Day and Prize-giving 1897.
Bertram left Ellesmere at the end of the Easter Term 1898 and did not maintain any contact with the college or the Old Ellesmerian Club. The 1901 Census recorded that he was 17 years old, single and an apprentice chemist in Liverpool. Ten years later he was still single and employed as the manager at a chemical factory, boarding at Berkley Street, Liverpool.
Bertram enlisted in August 1914, soon after the outbreak of war and served with the 1/6th Battalion, (The Rifles) the King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private Abbott, Service No. 240469. At the time of his enlistment the battalion was stationed at Princes Park Barracks, Liverpool and was part of the Liverpool Brigade, the West Lancashire Division. His military service records have not survived but from his Medal Card it is possible to determine that he embarked for active service in France on 24th February 1915 and arrived at Le Havre the next day.
The battalion transferred to the 15th Brigade, 5th Division and fought at the Second Battle of Ypres and the capture of Hill 60. The following November the unit was attached to the Third Army over the winter. In January 1916, the battalion was part of the newly formed 55th West Lancashire Division which was based in the Hallencourt area. Weeks later, the Division relieved the French 88th Division, just south of Arras and by July were in the Somme, holding a section of front line near Guillemont.
The men saw action of the Battles of Guillemont, Ginchy, Flers-Courcelette & Morval. In October, they were manning the front line between Wieltje and Railway Wood.
In 1917 they went into action at the Third Battle of Ypres, seeing action at Pilkem Ridge and Menin Road and it was probably during these actions that Bertram was either wounded, which lead to his death on 20thSeptember or killed outright. The latter seems more likely as his body was never recovered or identified and his sacrifice is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium along with the names of some 35,000 other individuals who have no known grave.
For his service to his King and Country, Bertram was awarded the Victory Medal, the British War Medal and the 1914-1915 Star. His personal effects were returned to his mother. At the time of his death he held the rank of Corporal.
He was one of twenty-seven new boys that were admitted to Ellesmere College, north Shropshire in January 1897. The Headmaster’s Register of the time records that he had attended the Liverpool Institute for the previous four academic terms. A fellow new boy was Gilbert Orchard who would die on active service in April 1915. Bertram was allocated to the ‘Woodard’ dormitory and a desk in Form Lower I under the instruction of Mr. F. W. Evans. There were one hundred and seventy boys on the nominal roll.
As soon as he arrived at Ellesmere, Bertram became involved in various sports. He demonstrated his ‘kicking’ prowess at the Easter Sports Day and played cricket for his dormitory team that summer making quite an impression as The Ellesmerian recorded that “we have high hopes for the future gauging from his doughty doings for his dormitory, both with the willow and in fielding”. In the winter term he represented his dormitory on the rugby pitch, playing ‘half’. The ‘Woodard’ dormitory did well during that year’s inter-dormitory competition winning two games but the final against the ‘Alfred’, a very successful and strong team, on 9th December 1897 was described as “a feeble display on account of the one sidedness of the teams”. However, the commentator did note that “Abbott made some plucky efforts” outside the scrum.
In the classroom he was awarded the Form Upper I Form prize and Latin prize at Speech Day and Prize-giving 1897.
Bertram left Ellesmere at the end of the Easter Term 1898 and did not maintain any contact with the college or the Old Ellesmerian Club. The 1901 Census recorded that he was 17 years old, single and an apprentice chemist in Liverpool. Ten years later he was still single and employed as the manager at a chemical factory, boarding at Berkley Street, Liverpool.
Bertram enlisted in August 1914, soon after the outbreak of war and served with the 1/6th Battalion, (The Rifles) the King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private Abbott, Service No. 240469. At the time of his enlistment the battalion was stationed at Princes Park Barracks, Liverpool and was part of the Liverpool Brigade, the West Lancashire Division. His military service records have not survived but from his Medal Card it is possible to determine that he embarked for active service in France on 24th February 1915 and arrived at Le Havre the next day.
The battalion transferred to the 15th Brigade, 5th Division and fought at the Second Battle of Ypres and the capture of Hill 60. The following November the unit was attached to the Third Army over the winter. In January 1916, the battalion was part of the newly formed 55th West Lancashire Division which was based in the Hallencourt area. Weeks later, the Division relieved the French 88th Division, just south of Arras and by July were in the Somme, holding a section of front line near Guillemont.
The men saw action of the Battles of Guillemont, Ginchy, Flers-Courcelette & Morval. In October, they were manning the front line between Wieltje and Railway Wood.
In 1917 they went into action at the Third Battle of Ypres, seeing action at Pilkem Ridge and Menin Road and it was probably during these actions that Bertram was either wounded, which lead to his death on 20thSeptember or killed outright. The latter seems more likely as his body was never recovered or identified and his sacrifice is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium along with the names of some 35,000 other individuals who have no known grave.
For his service to his King and Country, Bertram was awarded the Victory Medal, the British War Medal and the 1914-1915 Star. His personal effects were returned to his mother. At the time of his death he held the rank of Corporal.
32990 Private
Alexander Airey
2nd Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment
2nd December 1917.
Panel 35 to 37 and 162 to 162A.
Lived at 32 Eldwick Street, Burnley, Lancashire.
Alexander Airey
2nd Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment
2nd December 1917.
Panel 35 to 37 and 162 to 162A.
Lived at 32 Eldwick Street, Burnley, Lancashire.
42698 Private
Phillip Henry Airey
198th Coy. Machine Gun Corps
20th September 1917, aged 20.
Panel 154 to 159 and 163A.
Son of Richard K. and Ellen Airey, of 52, Belvedere Rd., Burnley, Lancashire.
Phillip Henry Airey
198th Coy. Machine Gun Corps
20th September 1917, aged 20.
Panel 154 to 159 and 163A.
Son of Richard K. and Ellen Airey, of 52, Belvedere Rd., Burnley, Lancashire.
52838 Private
James William Alexander
20th Bn. Manchester Regiment
9th October 1917.
Panel 120 to 124 and 162 to 162A and 163A.
Picture courtesy of Ian and Jacqui Austin-Millington, he was their great uncle
James William Alexander
20th Bn. Manchester Regiment
9th October 1917.
Panel 120 to 124 and 162 to 162A and 163A.
Picture courtesy of Ian and Jacqui Austin-Millington, he was their great uncle
203604 Private
Percy Allan
10th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment
4th October 1917, aged 20.
Panel 52 to 54 and 162A.
Lived at 6 Liverpool Road, Burnley, Lancashire.
Son of Matthew Mitchell Allan and Mary Allan, of 30, Rossendale Rd., Burnley, Lancashire.
Percy Allan
10th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment
4th October 1917, aged 20.
Panel 52 to 54 and 162A.
Lived at 6 Liverpool Road, Burnley, Lancashire.
Son of Matthew Mitchell Allan and Mary Allan, of 30, Rossendale Rd., Burnley, Lancashire.
G/52914 Private
Frank Allen
2nd Bn. Royal Fusiliers
9th October 1917, aged 26.
Panel 28 to 30 and 162 to 162A and 163A.
Lived at 18 Thursby Road, Burnley, Lancashire.
Son of Ellen Allen, of Auckland, New Zealand, and the late John Allen.
Frank Allen
2nd Bn. Royal Fusiliers
9th October 1917, aged 26.
Panel 28 to 30 and 162 to 162A and 163A.
Lived at 18 Thursby Road, Burnley, Lancashire.
Son of Ellen Allen, of Auckland, New Zealand, and the late John Allen.
42859 Private
Henry Francis Anderson
118th Coy. Machine Gun Corps. (Infantry)
26th October 1917, aged 21.
Panel 154 to 159 and 163A.
Son of Henry Francis and Harriett Anderson, of 65, St. Dunstan's Rd., Bow, London.
Remembered by his great niece, Julia Hancock
Henry Francis Anderson
118th Coy. Machine Gun Corps. (Infantry)
26th October 1917, aged 21.
Panel 154 to 159 and 163A.
Son of Henry Francis and Harriett Anderson, of 65, St. Dunstan's Rd., Bow, London.
Remembered by his great niece, Julia Hancock
240607 Private
James Hartley Astin
2/5th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
9th October 1917, aged 31.
Panel 77 to 79 and 163A.
Son of David and Grace Hannah Astin, of IA, Waterbarn St., Burnley; husband of the late Nora Astin.
James Hartley Astin
2/5th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
9th October 1917, aged 31.
Panel 77 to 79 and 163A.
Son of David and Grace Hannah Astin, of IA, Waterbarn St., Burnley; husband of the late Nora Astin.
235394 Private
John Atkinson
12th Bn. Liverpool Regiment
18th August 1917.
Panel 31 to 34 and 162 and 162A and 163A.
Lived at 17 Oak Street, Padiham, Lancashire.
John Atkinson
12th Bn. Liverpool Regiment
18th August 1917.
Panel 31 to 34 and 162 and 162A and 163A.
Lived at 17 Oak Street, Padiham, Lancashire.
