Great-nephew of gas worker killed on First World War battlefield joins Armistice Day service

A regional search for relatives of six Liverpool gas workers who lost their lives during the First World War has reached the great-nephew of Private Samuel Corfe, who joined Cadent today to pay his respects.

George Corfe along with his wife Sandra discovered the memorial through a family member after they heard about Cadent’s appeal.

The couple were invited to Cadent’s Huyton depot on Armistice Day, where colleagues from the gas distribution network gathered to remember those who lost their lives during war and observe a moment of reflection and silence.

Private Samuel Corfe served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He died on 11 September 1918, age 34. He was the son of Thomas and Eleanor Corfe, of Garston, and husband of Annie Corfe, of Lincoln Street, Garston.

More than a century later, Samuel’s story continues to be shared by his great-nephew George, who passes it on to his own child to help ensure his name and memory live on.

The memorial is located at Cadent’s Merseyside operational headquarters in Huyton.

Dale Martin, Customer Operations Area Manager for Cadent in the North West said: “We are honoured to be joined by George and Sandra as we pay our respects to those who lost their lives during war.

“Learning more about Samuel helps us put a story to the name we see outside our depot every day. These are the stories that we share with our colleagues to remember the people who came before us and ensure the history is respected.

We welcome any relative of the Liverpool gas worker features on the memorial to come and pay their respects. We have also been visited for several years by the great-niece of Thomas Thompson.

Cadent – which manages the gas network today – is hoping to find relatives of James Hitchmough, Richard Ireland, Alexander McDonnell, Allan Prophet and John Williams.

Online searches of the six names inscribed on the gas works memorial suggests the following:

• Stoker 1^st Class Allan Prophet served in the Royal Navy. He was 20 when he died, when HMS Black Prince was sunk in the Battle of Jutland. It is thought his parents, William and Martha Prophet, lived in Derby Street, Garston.
• Private Richard Ireland, of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, was killed in Belgium in February 1918, age 30. He lived in Aston Street, Garston.
• Private John Williams, of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, was killed in France in July 1918, age 42. It is thought he lived in Otway Street, Garston.
• Lance Corporal Alexander McDonnell, of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, was killed in France in May 1915, age 21. His parents, Alexander and Margaret McDonnell, lived in Argyle Road, Garston.

There is reference to a Lance Corporal James Hitchmough serving with The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in the First World War. He was killed in November 1914 and his name is added to the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium.