Pte
John Liddell
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 240474 |
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Units: — Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 5/6th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 02/03/1918 |
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Place of death: Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: II Row: C Grave: 3 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private John Lidell served in the Cameronian (Scottish Rifles) 5th/6th Battalion, part of the 19th Brigade, of the 33rd Division.
The Cameronian (Scottish Rifles) 5th/6th Battalion had already been engaged in the Third Battle of Ypres and participate in the Battle of Menin Road Ridge and in the Battle of Polygon Wood. The 33rd Division no longer participated in any phase of the offensive, but it did remain in the area. Even after the offensive the Division kept on holding part of the line.
The Division was relieved by the 50th Division and moved back to the Steenvoorde area for Christmas. In the first week of 1918 the Division was moved back into its old frontsector at the ruins of Passchendaele. On many occasions, the front of the 33rd Divisions was raided by Germans, particularly from the so called “Gasometers” and opposite the railway from the direction of the Passchendaele station. But except for night bombing and heavy shellfire on the lines there was very little activity in the sector. On the 1st of march 1918 the Cameronian (Scottish Rifles) 5th/6th Battalion moved in to the frontline in Passchendaele, relieving the 2nd Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. They remained in the frontline till the 5th of October when they were relieved on their turn by the 2nd Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
Private John Liddell died on the 2nd of March 1918. He was possibly mortally wounded while holding the Battalion’s lines in Passchendaele. He was directly buried in Buttes New British Cemetery.
The Cameronian (Scottish Rifles) 5th/6th Battalion had already been engaged in the Third Battle of Ypres and participate in the Battle of Menin Road Ridge and in the Battle of Polygon Wood. The 33rd Division no longer participated in any phase of the offensive, but it did remain in the area. Even after the offensive the Division kept on holding part of the line.
The Division was relieved by the 50th Division and moved back to the Steenvoorde area for Christmas. In the first week of 1918 the Division was moved back into its old frontsector at the ruins of Passchendaele. On many occasions, the front of the 33rd Divisions was raided by Germans, particularly from the so called “Gasometers” and opposite the railway from the direction of the Passchendaele station. But except for night bombing and heavy shellfire on the lines there was very little activity in the sector. On the 1st of march 1918 the Cameronian (Scottish Rifles) 5th/6th Battalion moved in to the frontline in Passchendaele, relieving the 2nd Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. They remained in the frontline till the 5th of October when they were relieved on their turn by the 2nd Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
Private John Liddell died on the 2nd of March 1918. He was possibly mortally wounded while holding the Battalion’s lines in Passchendaele. He was directly buried in Buttes New British Cemetery.
Sources 4
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"The Thirty-Third Division in France and Flanders 1915-1919",Hutchinson G.S.,The Naval & Military Press, sd, page 79 Sources used |
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Ancestry https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1262&h=199432&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=OYW5&_phstart=successSource Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/480335/liddell,-/ Sources used |
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The long, long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army Sources used |