WILLIAM EDWARD CECIL McPHERSON

From May through to September 2026, Andrew will be fulfilling his dream to hike the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats! You are all warmly invited to follow Andrew’s epic journey on his Facebook page, “Andrew Beal LEJOG”: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577588795730

As Andrew hikes the 1,300+ miles, he will raise funds for the Ipswich War Memorial Project to help finance our future exhibitions and research of the brave Ipswich men and women who lost their lives in conflict. If you would like to make a small donation, please click on the link: https://gofund.me/5d4a50570

Thank you for your love and support. Andrew & Helen – I.W.M.P.

Born: 31st December 1898, Battersea, London.

Baptised: 21st May 1899, at St. Simon Zelotes Church, Chelsea. Parents: Blanche Maude McPherson & William Thomas McPherson, a Drill Instructor, of 74, Walton Street, Chelsea.

Died: 14th June 1942; age: 43; Killed by enemy action.

Residence: 8, Avondale Road, Ipswich.

Enlistment Details: Location: Chatham; Date: 31st December 1916 – signed up for 12 years. Height: 5ft 6 1/2ins, fresh complexion, brown eyes & dark brown hair. Boil scars left side of

neck, scar right knee.

Service Record:

Ganges – Boy II – 18th April 1914

Ganges – Boy I – 20th November 1914 – 10th December 1914

Pembroke I – Boy I – 11th December 1914 – 26th December  1914

Yarmouth – Boy I – 27th December 1914

Yarmouth – Ordinary Seaman – 31st December 1916

Yarmouth – Able Seaman – 30th October 1917 – 6th April 1918

Pembroke – Able Seaman – 7th April 1918 – 2nd September 1918

Vivid – Able Seaman – 3rd September 1918 – 15th October 1918

Caesar – Able Seaman – 16th October 1918 – 31st March 1919

St. George – Able Seaman – 1st April 1919 – 30th June 1919

Europa – Able Seaman – 1st July 1919 – 15th August 1919

Caesar – Able Seaman – 16th August 1919 – 30th September 1919

Julius – Able Seaman – 1st October 1919 – 16th November 1919

Victory – Able Seaman – 17th November 1919 – 23rd March 1920

Pembroke – Able Seaman – 24th March 1920 – 28th May 1920

Castor – Able Seaman – 29th May 1920 – 1st October 1920

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 2nd October 1920 – 19th November 1920

Emperor of India – Able Seaman – 20th November 1920 – 31st March 1921

Benbow – Able Seaman – 1st April 1921

Benbow – Leading Seaman – 1st May 1921 – 7th March 1923

Pembroke I – Leading Seaman – 8th March 1923 – 28th April 1923

Vernon – Leading Seaman – 29th April 1923 – 19th November 1923

Pembroke I – Leading Seaman – 20th November 1923 – 29th August 1924

Caledon – Leading Seaman – 30th August 1924

Caledon – Acting Petty Officer – 10th August 1925 – 28th August 1925

Pembroke I – Acting Petty Officer – 29th August 1925 – 12th October 1925

Benbow – Acting Petty Officer – 13th October 1925 – 11th December 1925

Pembroke I – Acting Petty Officer – 12th December 1925 – 13th February 1924

Pembroke I – Acting Regulating Petty Officer – 14th February 1926 – M. 39591

Pembroke I – Regulating Petty Officer – 14th February 1927 – 2nd January 1928

Columbo – Regulating Petty Officer – 3rd January 1928 – 21st January 1930

Pembroke – Regulating Petty Officer – 22nd January 1930

Greenwich – Regulating Petty Officer – 23rd July 1930

Pembroke II – Regulating Petty Officer – 19th January 1933

Cumberland – Regulating Petty Officer – 31st January 1933

Pembroke II – Regulating Petty Officer – 1st March 1935

Ganges – Regulating Petty Officer Regulating – 21st May 1935

Ganges – Master At Arms – 24th December 1936

Pembroke II – Master At Arms – 10th February 1937

Emerald – Master At Arms – 12th February 1937

Emerald – Master At Arms – 28th April 1938

Cape Town – Master At Arms – 29th April 1938

Pembroke II – Master At Arms – 11th June 1938

Fervent – Master At Arms – 1st October 1939

Pembroke – Master At Arms – 15th April 1941

Liverpool – Master At Arms

Rank: Master of Arms; Service Number: C/M 39591.

Regiment: Royal Navy, H.M.S. ‘Liverpool.’

Medals Awarded: King George VI Coronation Medal 1937 and Long Service & Good Conduct medal – 3rd February 1932.

Memorial Reference:

64.3.

Chatham Naval Memorial,

Chatham,

Kent.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of William George & Blanche McPherson; husband of Kathleen Florence Marie McPherson, of Ipswich.

CENSUS

1901   16, Selwood Terrace, Kensington, Middlesex.

William was 2 years old and living with his parents & siblings.

William Thomas McPherson, 26, a Gymnastic Instructor, born St. Simon Zelotes, Upper Chelsea, Middlesex.

Blanche Maude McPherson (nee Saich), 29, born Newmarket, Cambridgeshire.

Mildred McPherson, 3, born Battersea, London.

Cyril Robert McPherson, 7 months, born Battersea.

1 general domestic servant.

1911   44, Devonshire Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.

William was 12 years old and living with his mother, stepfather, siblings & stepsiblings.

Edward John Davis, 34, a Taxi Cab Driver, born Finsbury, London.

Blanche Davis, 38.

Millie, 13.

Cyril, 10.

Winifred Maude Davis, 7, born Cambridge.

Edward George Davis, 5, born Cambridge.

Reginald Jack Davis, 3, born Cambridge.

Harry Ronald Davis, 11 months, born Cambridge.

1921   Constantinople.

William was 22 years old and married. He was ranked a Leading Seaman for the Royal Navy, H.M.S. Benbow – a battleship.

In 1921, William’s wife and son lived at their family home – 26, Baxter Road, Islington.

William’s father, William Thomas McPherson, died in January 1908, at 9, Peas Hill, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.

On the 14th August 1918, at St. Paul’s Church, Canonbury, Islington, Middlesex, 20 year old, William, an Able Seaman – H.M.S. Actaen, married 18 year old, Ethel Rosena Eleanor Cooper, born January 1900, Islington, Middlesex- daughter of Martin Ernest Cooper, a builder’s labourer, and Jane Agnes Cooper (nee Atkins), of 271, Essex Road, Islington.

Ethel and William had one son:

Edward Leonard Charles McPherson, born 1920, Islington, Middlesex.

In 1938, Ipswich, William married Kathleen Florence Marie Cunnell, born November 1915, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk – daughter of James Cunnell, a timekeeper and clerk, and Margaret Cunnell (nee Cook), of 8, Avondale Road, Ipswich.

ENGLAND & WALES REGISTER 1939

William was a Regulating Petty Officer for the Royal Navy, M39591. He and Kathleen lived at the home of Samuel William Turner, an Officer’s Servant & Sarah Eliza Turner – 99, James Street, Gillingham, Kent.

14th June 1942.

Operation: Harpoon was a British supply convoy of cargo and oil to Malta. H.M.S.’Liverpool’ sailed for the Mediterranean on the 5th June 1942, as part of the convoy’s distant cover. On the morning of the 14th June, the convoy came under an air attack by Savoia-Marchetti aircraft. One freighter, H.M.S. Tanimbar, was sunk south of Sardinia, and H.M.S. Liverpool was hit by a torpedo from the Italian bombers on her starboard side in an engine room. This caused major flooding, and a 7-degree list and steering jammed. She was taken into tow by H.M.S. ‘ Antelope’, arriving back in Gibraltar on the 17th June.

William was 1 of 15 crew members killed from H.M.S.’Liverpool; they were buried at sea, 22 men were wounded.