Former Liverpool mayor Gary Lucas has turned an interest in local history into research focusing on the town’s military past.
After just missing out on being re-elected to Liverpool Council in 2012 he intensified his research efforts.
The result is little known Liverpool military history has been brought to light, including identifying the graves of some of the locals who made the ultimate sacrifice over the years.
Recently, as part of his research into Liverpool soldiers from WWI, Mr Lucas, a Chipping Norton resident of many years standing, came across the burials of those who died in training camp at Holsworthy.
“There was a soldier called Eric George Batson, who was one of those that had died and was buried at the Liverpool New Cemetery on the 9th November 1915,’’ Mr Lucas said.
“As he had no headstone, I contacted the Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC) who saw to it that a proper headstone was installed last month – 99 years later.’’
The research uncovered 17 names of World War I soldiers registered at Liverpool New Cemetery on Flowerdale Road, of which one by the name of Blyth has to be entered for the Liverpool Old Cemetery (Pioneer Park) records.
“One (Brown Bede Vaughan) is not on the official records from the Cemetery Trust for the Liverpool New Cemetery, so where he is buried is anyone’s guess,’’ says Mr Lucas.
But there was more to the story, as he explains.
“There are 39 burials (of World War I soldiers) at Pioneer Park and the CWGC saw fit to remove the Commemorative Plaques in 1961 to Rookwood, leaving the bodies where they lay, and so there is no identification of the site layout.
“Only two, Blyth and Polhill, can be located due to the headstones being of sandstone, making it difficult to remove them.
“Liverpool Council will be shortly reinstating the headstone for Blyth back to whence it came from,’’ Mr Lucas told the South West Voice.
“It has been a worthy and interesting exercise.’’
