NOTE: William Marsden Duckett (Duckitt)has no known links to Oswestry that would explain him being on the Gates. The only clue thus far found is tentative – his step mother, Margaret nee Cherrington was from Bolas Magna, Shropshire.

William Marsden Duckett was born in 1891 at Liverpool. He was the only child of William and Elizabeth (nee Knox). They had married at Everton in 1890 and lived in West Derby in the City. Elizabeth died in 1900. They then went to live with William’s aunt and father’s sister, Fanny, at 117 Rocky Lane Walton on Hill. Father William was a baker, confectioner and flour dealer. In 1903 his father had remarried to Margaret Cherrington. They wed at Newport, Shropshire; Margaret was from nearby Bolas Magna. By 1911 they were living at 2 Moscow Drive, Stoneycroft, Liverpool – William now had 2 step siblings, Marjorie and John. At this time William was an apprentice in the dry and green fruit trade – probably a merchants rather than a retailer.

William enlisted at Liverpool joining the 19 Bn King’s Liverpool Regiment – the 3 Liverpool Pals. He was not awarded the 1915 Star so could not have gone over to France until at least January 1916, the battalion went to France in November 1915. If so he was likely a draft. He was KIA on 11 July 1916 at Trones Wood. He was likely in No. 3 Company which was supporting the 2 Bn Bedfordshire Regiment at the edge of the wood. The War Diary records that they were ‘badly cut up losing its Company Commander and three officers, 9OR killed, 45 wounded and 10 missing’. His body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He is also commemorated at St Oswald’s Church, Oswestry with his name spelled as ‘Duckitt’.

Liverpool Pals Memorial. Montauban, Somme.

Acknowledgements.

References and Sources

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