An Alien at War, perhaps

Which one played for us ?

Harold L. Bretland

George F. Bretland

Written and researched by David Bohl, with the kind help and documents supplied by World War 1 historians worldwide.


Liverpool Newspapers record a Mr Bretland playing for the Aliens on a regular basis for four seasons.

(Liverpool Courier 26th September 1908)


Haney, Quine, Lloyd, Bond(capt.) Boyce, Scott, Bate, Askew, Bretland, Brown, Bywell, Cannell, Emblem, Raffle, Williams

(Liverpool Courier 28th September 1908)


Aliens Reserve 10 New Brighton 4th nil
He is still playing in the team announced in the Liverpool Daily Courier 23rd March 1912

Two Bretland brothers appear on a Liverpool Teachers database and on the 1911 Census. They are both born in Salford to a Liverpool father and a Manchester mother, and to confuse the issue both are School Teachers.

Harold lives in Everton and teaches at Anfield Road whilst younger brother George lives in Wavertree and teaches at Earle Road, also in Wavertree.

George Bretland graduated with Alfred Cannell in 1903.


Teachers Database 1903

BRETLAND, Frederick G

Pupil Teacher

Earle Rd

Senior Boys

1899

1901

Not registered

BRETLAND, Harold

Ex-Pupil Teacher Assistant

Anfield Rd

Senior Boys

1899

1903

Not registered

Census 1911

BRETLAND, George Frederick

Boarder

Single

M

27

1884

Elementary School Teacher

Lancs Salford 

103

Salisbury Rd, Wavertree

Boarding with the SCHOLLICK family

BRETLAND, Harold

Boarder

Single

M

28

1883

Elementary School Teacher

Lancs, Salford

81

Dacy Rd, Everton

Lodging with Mary PATERSON

Fellow Alien Lionel Stringer is also teaching at Anfield Road School so I can forward the view that it is Harold that was influenced to join the Aliens.

Other familiar Aliens appear in the School Diary such as Robert G. Griffith, George L. Robinson , James G. Williams, William A. Stewart and John H. Helme. The Diary also records "I cannot refrain from acknowledging the enthusiasm and self-denying services rendered to the school in the cause of Athlete Training by Mr Lionel Stringer."

 

STRINGER, Lionel

Head

Married

M

46

1865

Schoolmaster

Ches, Northwich

1

Thurston Rd, Anfield

Listed in Gore's

STRINGER, Lionel

Certificated Assistant

Anfield Rd

Senior Boys

1891

1891

Not registered

Marriage Record

Harold L Bretland Spouse: Minnie G. Oddy Marriage: Apr 1912 - West Derby, Lancashire

 

Everton FC Records

Reference number 796 EFC/1/1/11
Title Minutes 1912-1914
Date 29 Nov 1912-4 May 1914

B. Kelly   to Emilie Kelly 1 15/- share 1057

"             to R. P. Kelly 1 15/- share 1058

"             to H. L. Bretland 1 15/- share 1059

Anfield School Diary 1911-36

Harold Launcelot Bretland 01.03.1899 - 01.1915 Died, WW1 pupil teacher/Teacher

Robert G. Griffith 31.01.1908 1908 Pupil Teacher

George Leonard Robinson 01.09.1908 [I+II]/Class 6
dob.24.01.1889
48 Greenway Road, Runcorn
[service 06.10.1916, Motor Transport, Norwood]
War Service - KGR+ entertainment
Personal: Widower (1918), Sports - football (both codes) Cricket, rowing

7th May 1897

The Football Challenge Cup offered by Liverpool and District Teachers Association for schools in City.

I cannot refrain from acknowledging the enthusiasm and self-denying services rendered to the school in the cause of Athlete Training by Mr Lionel Stringer.

26.06.1916

Mr Bretland [staff] joined armed forces

20.10.1916

Mr Robinson joins Army.

Collection being made on behalf of the ‘Jack Cornwell’ memorial [youngest Victoria Cross medal recipient (16yrs)

27.10.1916

Battle of Passchendaele

08.01.1917

Information received during the holiday that Mr. H.L.Bretland, who was serving at the front, had
been killed in action. Mr Bretland joined the Kings L’pool regiment on 22.06.1916

12.01.1917

Special prayer used as a mark of respect to the memory of H.L.Bretland, a former class master

who was killed in action, somewhere in France, on 09.12.1916

08.01.1917

Members of staff of the boys school on active service [see photo p.176]

The Forward cup presented to the father in law of late Mr Bretland as a memento of his long connection with the school.

02.03.1917

Mr Roberts attends military medical board at Seaforth

24.05.1917

Special prayer said as respect for Emlyn Daview and Stanley Reid, Old Boys Killed in Action last month

07.12.1917

‘The School Roll of Honour now contains the names of some 53 ex-scholars of the school who have given their lives for their country.

06.09.1918

Special prayer for Lt. James G. Williams, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, KIA France, 26.08. He was an
ex-master of the boys dept. and left in September 1908 to become a tutor at Bangor Normal college

11.11.1918

Armistice signed, end of World War One.

15.11.1918

School closed on afternoon of 11th and all day 12th to mark signing of Armistice

10.02.1919

Mr George L. Robinson resumes duty (war service since 06.10.16)

07.06.1920

School closed on Friday 4th June, 1920 on account of the unveiling of the War Memorial.
The unveiling took place at an evening meeting under the chairmanship of the Revd. H.W. Campbell Baugh +
was carried out by the Lord Mayor

21.01.1924

Railway strike resulting in late staff (Mr. G.L. Robinson who lives in Runcorn)

Junior Boys Dept

Mr William Allan Stewart
09.11.1931 - 28.06.37

John Hendry Bagot
14.08.1924
dob. 20.06.1904;
address:20 Iveria Rd
Sheffield Training College

William A Gall
01.10.1930 Headmaster of Harrington C School

William Allan Stewart
09.11.1931
04.08.1937

HEADMASTER
[deceased]

 

John Henry Helme
12.09.1932
30.08.1933
Senior Assistant
dob.10.05.1887
reg.no. 08/142
Chester Diocasian Training College [1906-08]
Married, one child
Left for Headship in Furness

Recordings of his Death
BRETLAND, HAROLD LAUNCELOT
Rank: Private
Service No: 46633
Date of Death: 09/12/1916
Age: 34
Regiment/Service: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 13th Bn.
Grave Reference Plot 2. Row A. Grave 10.
Cemetery BERTRANCOURT MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:

Husband of Mrs. M. G. Bretland, of 465, Rice Lane, Walton, Liverpool.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Link
© 2017 The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/118084/bretland,-harold-launcelot/
Country: England

Cemetery: Liverpool (Kirkdale) Cemetery

Area: Lancashire

Rank: Private

Official Number: 4633

Unit: Kings Liverpool Regiment

Force: Army

Nationality: British

Details:


9th December 1916 . Buried in Bertrancourt Military Cemetery

 

NUT Record of teachers Death


Pte. Harold Launcelot Bretland

(1882-1916)

Appendix - The Bretland Family

Father William, mother Henrietta and sons Harold and George

 
Bretland, William
Noted events in his life were:
• Occupation: Draughtsman, 1871, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Census
• Death, 1904, W. Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Age 52
William married Henrietta Cowap, daughter of Edmund Stephenson Cowap and Elizabeth, in 1876 in W. Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. (Henrietta Cowap was born in 1854 in Levenshulme, Manchester, Lancashire, England and died in 1885 in Salford, Lancashire, England.)


Cowap, Henrietta
Noted events in her life were:
• Death, 1885, Salford, Lancashire, England. Age 31
• Occupation: Dressmaker, 1871, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England. Census
Henrietta married William Bretland, son of Robert Bretland and Mary Ann Machin, in 1876 in W. Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. (William Bretland was born in 1852 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England and died in 1904 in W. Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.)


Bretland, Harold Launcelot Harold married Minnie Gladys Oddy in 1912 in W Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. (Minnie Gladys Oddy was born in 1888 in W Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.)


 
Bretland, George Frederick George married Mary Alice Kerman in 1915 in W Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. (Mary Alice Kerman was born in 1892 in Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.)
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