Up ] D.E. Bawtree ] [ D. H. Brooks ] L. A. Brooks ] E.L.Felgate ] C.A. Greenleaf ] E. Hughes ] L. Minns ] P. Mortlock ] R. Radford ] O. Theobald ] J. Thomson ] B.Wendon ] G. Wright ] C.Wyncoll ] map ]

BROOKS, David Henry

Private 57907

17th Battalion,

 King's (Liverpool) Regiment

89th Brigade, 30th Division

who died on

Monday, 5th March 1917. 

David was the brother of Arthur Brooks . For family details see Leonard Arthur Brooks. He was born in Marylebone. He joined up during the first Quarter of 1915, at Putney in Surrey and his residence is shown as Harlesden in London. He was initially in the 9th (Service) battalion of the East Surrey Regiment. At some stage he transferred to the 516 London Division Cyclist Company. In December a large number of these cyclists were transferred to the 17th King's (Liverpool) Regiment, who were a Service Battalion. This Battalion had been formed by Lord Derby on the 29th August 1914 and have the distinction of being one of the first if not the first "Pals" Battalion. However, they had suffered heavy losses during the Battle of the Somme, which had raged from July till mid November. David and his fellow cyclists were the replacements arriving in France on the 12th December 1916. 

The role of the Service Battalion was to support the front line troops; digging trenches, hauling up ammunition & stores etc.. They were often exposed to artillery and snipers and suffered accordingly.

Avesnes just prewar

David died after 83 days in France in one of the Casualty Clearing Stations near VI Corps Headquarters at Avesnes-Le-Comte. 

David was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.

The memorial at Montauban to the Liverpool Pals.

The 17th, 18th, 19th & 20th Battalions of the King's 9Liverpool) Regiment

Cemetery: AVESNES-LE-COMTE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Pas de Calais, France

Grave or Reference Panel Number: I. C. 8.

Location: Avesnes-le-Comte is a large village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, approximately 20 kilometres west of Arras and 18 kilometres south-east of St. Pol. The Communal Cemetery lies on the CD No. 8 between the road to Manin and a side road called "Petit chemin de Manin" on the north-west side of the village and the extension is on the western side of it.

Historical Information: The village of Avesnes-le-Comte was for some time the VI Corps headquarters. The 37th and 30th Casualty Clearing Stations were there from April 1916, the 42nd in June 1916, and the 41st in January 1917. The communal cemetery contains two Commonwealth burials of the First World War, both made in April 1916. Thereafter, burials were made in the extension, which contains 332 graves. Most of these were from the 37th CCS which stayed in the village until July 1917. The extension also contains one Second World War burial. The extension was designed by Charles Holden.

10/04/02 date last updated

EDITORS NOTES :-

The original list of names in Saint Andrew's referred to Arthur and David Brookes with an "e". However, press cuttings from the Essex County Standard show "Brooks". Whilst we are fairly confident that we have the correct records for Arthur from the vary many "Arthur Brooks", there is a little doubt regarding "David Brooks" as we have not yet been able to trace the transfer from the 9th East Surreys to the Cyclists.

References

We are indebted to the Commonwealth War Grave Commission for the picture of the Calais  Cemetery. Details on David are from the CWGC, the Essex County Standard, the CD Rom "Soldiers Died". Also we are grateful to the Archivist for the information on the Kings. His Service Records have not survived at the PRO

The picture of Avesnes is from the book "the Great War". Publishers & authors not listed.

**********************************************************

These pages are dedicated to the memory of the Fallen from the two World Wars, who lived in Abberton & Langenhoe.. Prepared by Saint Andrew's Parochial Church Council. November 11th 2000

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1