Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Arras Memorial, Faubourg d'Amiens | Bay 3 | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.134 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 27A GQS | |
| 4. Memorial: | Liverpool Masonic Hall War Memorial | Col.4. Hope St. | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Early Life :
The majority of this legend is courtesy of Geoff Cuthill of the Province of West Lancashire, to whom the project is grateful.William was born on 4 April 1891 at Liverpool, to William and Emma Shaw, and baptised on 13 May that same year at St Timothy C of E, his father’s occupation given as ‘manager’, residing at 12 Kirby Street. On the census return the family is shown as William 26, a barman at an inn, his wife Emma 24, with one year old Florence E and William at 2 days, all born at Liverpool, and residing at 31 Kirby Street, Everton. (ref. RG12/2943)
1901 167 Great Homer Street, publican.
On 17 December 1903 at age 13, William was signed to for a period of 3 years to HMS Indefatigable, a training ship moored in the River Mersey. He is described as being four feet six inch in height and weighing 80 pound (5st 7lb) or 36 kilo, Church of England and attended Earle Road Board School. His parents, William, a publican, and Emma, are given as deceased and his relatives given as an uncle Thomas Shaw of 25 Moses Street, Park Road, Dingle, Liverpool, and an aunt Elizabeth M Wheeler.
William was discharged on 28 February 1906 to SS Panama (reg 115276) of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company as a bugler and deck boy. The crew list has William age 15, resident at 30 Derby Road, Bootle, this being his first voyage. The ship left Liverpool on 1 March 1906 for a return trip to Valpairaso returning to Liverpool on 28 May 1906. William repeated the trip on the same vessel from 1 June 1906 to 10 August 1906.
Still under the watchful eye of HMS Indefatigable William has a visit from them on 17 February 1907 in which it is reported he is ‘looking well’. Another visit later in the year on 30 June reports he is looking well and is now with the Booth Line.
Family :
When William married Edith Mary Wells at All Saints Church, Snodland, Kent, on 16 April 1916, he is described as a bachelor, of full age and Lance Corporal in the 3/10th Battalion, The Liverpool Regiment, (Liverpool Scottish). Edith is the daughter of George Francis Wells (deceased) a master mariner, while William’s father is given as William James Shaw, publican. The marriage was witnessed by J.C. Hubble and M.A. King. (Malling, Kent 2a 1701; June quarter 1916). Later resident at 1, Roman Villas. Church Fields, Snodland, Kent.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 19/The King's (Liverpool Regiment) |
19th (Service) Battalion (3rd City) Formed in Liverpool on 29 August 1914 by Lord Derby, in the old watch factory at Prescot. 30 April 1915 : attached to 89th Brigade, 30th Division. Landed at Boulogne in November 1915. 14 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength. 19 June 1918 : attached to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division and absorbed by 14th Battalion. |
| Action : The Arras Offensive and associated actions |
9 April - 16 June 1917. The Arras Offensive consisted of a series of linked attacks starting with the Anglo Canadian assault on the dominant Vimy Ridge feature through the battles in the Scarpe River valley and up to the assaults on the Hindenburg line in the summer of 1917.
Detail :
William was born at Liverpool, and it was from here that he enlisted to the 3rd City Battalion, of the Liverpool Comrades, or Pals, raised at St. George’s Hall by Lord Derby. This battalion would later become 19th (Service) Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment). William would become a Sergeant with the service number of 52055. He was killed in action on Monday, 9th April, 1917, the Easter Monday, the first day of the Battle of Arras, also called the First Battle of the Scarpe.
In an addendum to the war diary for April 1917 William is shown as Sergeant Shaw, leading No. 9 Platoon.
A three week artillery barrage on the German Hindenburg Line preceded the British infantry attack, with William’s battalion starting their advance towards the German lines at around 3.05 p.m. At first everything seemed to be going well, and according to the battalion diary “the waves advanced in good style and with determination; everyone was cheerful and in the best of spirits.” However a fundamental mistake had been made, due to the slopes on the ground, what observers had thought to be the German front line, was in fact, a support trench, the front line being just below the crest of the hill, and still protected by three lines of undamaged barbed wire.
The battalion got within one hundred yards of the line, but could advance no further, and suffered heavy casualties, along with their comrades of the 20th Battalion. They had to dig in, or shelter in shell holes until nightfall, when under the cover of darkness, the survivors made their way back to their own lines. It was at some time during one of these actions that William lost his life leading his men.
At the end of the Great War, William’s widow, Edith Mary Shaw, was residing at 1 Roman Villas, Church Fields, Snodland, Kent. William is commemorated on; Bay 3, Arras Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France, St.Simon & St.Jude, Anfield Road, (memorial now stored Liverpool Cathedral) Liverpool Masonic Hall Memorial, Hope Street. Roll of Honour Book, United Grand Lodge. 1921.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Marlborough No. 1620 E.C. | West Lancashire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
2nd March 1914 | 6th April 1914 | 4th May 1914 |
William James Shaw was initiated into MARLBOROUGH LODGE No.1620 on 2nd March, 1914, described as a Ship's Steward of 120 Breckfield Road North, age 22. He was passed on 6th April, 1914 to the degree of a fellow-craft, and raised as a master mason 4th May. His Grand Lodge certificate was issued 14th May, 1914. The contribution record shows him "Killed in Action Apl/17."
Initiated on the same evening, and also passed and raised with William was John William Chard, master mariner, who died in 1915.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley