Peter's Story.
Birkenhead News 03 June 1916New Ferry Footballer Killed.
Shot Through the Heart.
Bebington Church Lads’ Brigade Football Club has suffered heavily since the war broke out in the loss of a number of their most prominent members. Private Peter Callaghan was one of these, and this gallant young sportsman was killed in action on May 15th.
Before the war his home was in Woodhead Street, New Ferry, but a week after its outbreak, his mother died, and the home was transferred to 8, Ingleby Road, where a sister resided. Pte. Peter Callaghan in civilian life was employed in No. 2 Stamping Room at Messrs. Lever Bros.
His three elder brothers are also in the Army, two of them being in the same battalion of the Cheshire Regiment as the dead hero. William, the eldest brother, is a sergeant in the South Lancashire Regt. The sporting youth of New Ferry deplores the loss of Peter Callaghan, who had the making of a fine footballer.
The following letter has been received by the dead soldier’s sister from his chum, Signaller E. Reynolds :- “No doubt by now you will have heard of Peter’s death in action. I am sorry to have to convey the sad news. He died a soldier’s death, and more than once proved himself a man. He was caught by a sniper after a great many of his comrades had fallen. His death was instantaneous, so he did not suffer any pain; that is the only consolation. The shot went right through his heart. I have known him for years, and feel it very badly losing such a good pal. We are out for a short rest now. We lost some very good men our last time in the trenches, but the casualties were not all on one side. The devils left heaps of dead in No Man’s Land. They came over in massed formation, but did not gain what they came for.”
Sergt. G. Ellis, writing to Miss Callaghan expresses his own and the Machine Gun Section’s deep sympathy. He says :- “Than Peter a more cheerful and brave lad it is impossible to imagine, and we have lost a valuable comrade by his death. I have known Peter for many months, and always found him the same, smiling and courageous. He is buried in a cemetery somewhere near, and if you write to the Graves Registration Commission B.E.F., they will give you all information and, I believe, will supply a photograph of his grave.”