Gunner William Brizell

(1882-1916)

75068 64th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

William Brizell was born in Liverpool to an Irish carter, Archibald Brizell, and a Liverpool mother, Isabella Fraser, in 1882. They lived near Scotland Road in Kirkdale, to the north of Liverpool, a heavily populated Irish part of the town.

Whereas in 1891 Archibald’s brother and his family were living in his house, by 1901 it would seem Archibald had fallen on hard times and he and his family, including William, had moved into his nephew’s home. This was not uncommon in this poor area during this period. Archibald was still a carter and William, now 19, a dock labourer.

In 1906, William married Esther Fazakerley, a farm worker of Walton. Their son, William, was born the following year, although their daughter Esther had been born in 1904. William’s family was now living in the Everton part of Scotland Road. His father Archibald died in 1910. When war broke out William enlisted with the Royal Field Artillery, as Gunner 75068 in the 64 th Brigade. After 6 months training he was posted to France on 7 November 1915. The 64 th Brigade was relocated numerous times throughout the war, being sent to wherever there was a need for heavy artillery. They saw action near Vimy Ridge, the Somme and the Ypres Salient.

Gunner William Brizell was killed in action on 29 April 1916 in a battle to the north of Lens, and is buried in Vermelles British Cemetery.

The cemetery was begun in August 1915 during the Battle of Loos, when the Chateau was used as a dressing station.

There are now over 2134 First World War casualties commemorated in this cemetery. Of these, 198 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to six soldiers from the United Kingdom, known to be buried among them. This cemetery also contains the graves of 11 casualties of other nationalities.

Connor Brizell is the great-great grandson of

Gunner William Brizell.

Gunner William Brizell - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record