240091 Sergeant Hugh "Stan" Stanhope Elliott 6th Battalion The King's Liverpool Regiment
- Amanda T
- May 24, 2020
- 5 min read
Identification
There was only one Hugh S Elliott in the CWGC database and he was in the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, research showed he lived in Liverpool, so I am confident that it is the right man.
Family Information
Born 12th January 1892 in Liverpool and baptised 10th April of the same year, the baptism record (below) shows that his parents were John and Elizabeth (formerly Brakell) of Adelaide Road and John's occupation was plumber.
Adelaide Road was in the Kensington area of Liverpool.
In the 1901 census Hugh was 9 years old and living with his parents and 5 brothers (William 10, John 7, Robert 4 who was deaf and dumb, James 2 and Herbert 2 months) and 1 sister (Lilian, 3) at 36 Alfred Street. His father was a Plumber and working on his own account. It is interesting to note that 2 doors down was a Master Plumber who was an employer.
Alfred Street was very close to St James' Church, in the area that is now the Anglican Cathedral and student housing.
In the 1911 census the family were living at 16 Streatham Avenue, Hugh was an apprentice plumber, presumably with his father who was working as a 'hot water engineer'. Only 6 of the 7 children were surviving, John having died since the last census.
A newspaper notice printed after his death shows that Hugh Stanhope Elliott went by the name "Stan" to his family and friends.
Military Service
The medal card for Hugh S Elliott shows that he was in the Liverpool Regiment as a Private with the regimental numbers 1181 and 240091 and was eligible for the 1915 star, then he was promoted to the rank of Sgt and as such was also eligible for the British and Victory medals.
The change of regimental number shows that Hugh was in a Territorial Force (TF) Battalion of the KLR, all TF battalions were renumbered to 6-digit numbers in early 1917.
The card also shows that the 'Theatre of War first served in' was France from 24/2/1915 and it bears the remark 'deceased' but no date.
The CWGC certificate for Hugh shows that at the time he died, he was in B company of the 1st/6th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (The Liverpool Rifles) It also records that he died on 20th September 1917 aged 27. (He was actually 25)
The Devereux Database at the Museum of Liverpool gives this additional information from the 6th Battalion casualty ledger:
Admitted to hospital in Ypres 6/3/1915 for a sprained ankle, admitted to No3 Casualty Clearing Station on 8/3/1915 and discharged to Base Details 22/3/1915.
He was appointed paid Lance Corporal on 24/3/1915 and rejoined his battalion 18/4/1915.
Granted Class II Proficiency Pay 9/8/1915.
He was promoted to Corporal and posted from B to C company on 28/8/1915.
Hugh re-engaged for 4 years from 27/2/1916 and attended a 55 Division HQ anti-gas course on 21/3/1916.
He rejoined his battalion on 26/3/1916 and was appointed Lance Sergeant on 19/5/1916.
To 3rd Army Inf School 10/6/1916 and rejoined battalion 9/7/1916.
Promoted to Sergeant 11/7/1916. Went to base as instructor 30/9/1916. Posted to No1 training camp 1/10/1916 then joined 24 Infantry Base Depot 23/12/1916.
Rejoined Battalion 26/12/1916. Killed in Action 20/9/1917.
(Thanks to the Museum of Liverpool for permission to share this data)
This record gives some invaluable information about Hugh’s military career. Men of the Territorial Force were not obliged to serve overseas so we know that Hugh chose to sign the Imperial Service Agreement. The fact that he re-engaged for 4 years in February 1916 confirms his desire to serve his country, as a member of the TF he was entitled to leave when his period of engagement was up, instead he chose to reenlist. This was before conscription started and if he had chosen to go home he was guaranteed some time before he would have been called to serve again.
It seems obvious from even the little that we know about his military service that Hugh Elliott was a successful soldier, as well as his rise in rank he spent some time as an instructor.
Death and Commemoration
Sergeant Hugh S Elliott was killed in aciton on 20 Sep 1917 in Flanders whilst serving with the 6th Battalion, The King's Liverpool Regiment. The Battalion War Diary for the days surrounding his death gives the following information:
Vlamertinghe, 18/9/1917 (X day)
Battalion in huts. Battalion moves up by night from Flamertinghe to St Jean after dark. Major S.E Gordon in command. Bn assembles in Old British Front and Congreve Walk. H.Q. OXFORD trench dugout.
Old British Front Line 19/9/1917 (Y Day)
At night Bn forms up in battle position in rear of 9th KLR between BANK FARM + POMMERN CASTLE. HQ at BANK FARM. Major Gordon in command. Captain Blacklige 2n in command, Capt Phillips Adjutant A Coy 2nLt Maclaren B Coy Capt Eastwood, C Coy 2 Lt N.R.Phillips, D Coy Capt Rowe much difficulty in forming up owing to rain + darkness of the night.
20/9/1917 (Z day)
165 Brigade attack Green Line from 100* S of KANSAS CROSS to a point 1008 E of WATEREND HOUSE with 9th KLR & 7th KLR to take first objective, 6th KLR & 5th KLR to take GREEN LINE – zero hour 5:40am. The 9th + 6th KLR became heavily involved in the fight for Hill 35 which was finally captured after a stiff fight, the 6th consolidating strong points on Hill 35 including LENS. Major Gordon & Capt Phillips wounded while reorganising the line in a further advance. Capt Eastwood, 2 Lt N.R. Philips, 2 Lt Spratt were killed in Hill 35. 2 Lt Wallington & all No 1 Platoon of A Coy were killed in a gallant attempt to capture a strongpoint to the South of Hill 35. The 1/5 Loyal North Lancs + the 1/5 South Lancs having come up to reinforce Hill 37 was captured by them & the survivors of this Bn.
Towards dusk a strong enemy counter attack on Hill 37 was beaten off with heavy casualties to the enemy. At 7.30pm Lt Col McKay and Caot Brownell arrive from transport told ? takes over command of the Bn.
Old British Front Line 21/9/1917
Battle continues. Several strong enemy counter attacks beaten off.
22/9/1917
Battle continues. At night the Brigade is relieved by 59th Division fighting strength at commencement of the Battle 21 Officers 510 other ranks.
Casualties:
4 officers 25 other ranks killed
1 officer 43 other ranks missing
7 officers 149 other ranks wounded.
Sergeant Hugh S Elliott has no known grave and his name is inscribed on Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.
Hugh’s brother William was killed when his ship was torpedoed just three months earlier. The brothers are named together on the St James Church memorial as well as on the memorials in St Barnabus Church, St Matthew and St James Church (see images below) and on Garston Roll of Honour.
The family notice of their deaths were also printed in the Liverpool Echo together on the 10th October 1917.
ELLIOTT - June 8 at sea, through the torpedoing of his ship, aged 27 years, William Henry Irving (Will), engineer, eldest and dearly-beloved son of John Irving and Elizabeth Elliott, 16 Streatham-avenue, Sefton Park.
ELLIOTT - September 20, killed in action, aged 21 years, Sergeant Hugh Stanhope (Stan) K.L.R. second and dearly beloved son of John Irving and Elizabeth Elliott, 16, Streatham-avenue, Sefton Park.
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