William Alfred Edward's Story.
Sapper William Gallagher, 8457, of the Royal Engineers, was accidentally killed in the collision of two armoured trains near Stormberg, Burgersdorp, on 31st January 1902. He was 22 years old. He is buried at Burgersdorp Cemetery, Eastern Cape, South Africa. He is commemorated on the Royal Engineers South African Memorial Arch in Brompton Barracks, Gillingham, Kent.
What do we know about William?
William Alfred Edward Gallagher was born on 21st October 1879 in Birkenhead, Cheshire, the eldest son of Henry (1843 - 1938) and Maria nee Turner (1849 - 1923). One of eight children, he was brother to Maria, Margaret, Henry, Robert, Thomas, Rebecca and Joshua. In 1881, he was living at 2 Alma Street in Birkenhead, but by 1891, the family had moved to William Street. In March 1901, their address was 46 Vine Street, Birkenhead. William was employed as a bricklayer.
He enlisted with the Cheshire Royal Engineers at Birkenhead on 8th March 1901, and was sent to South Africa.
He was killed in a railway accident near Burghersdorp, on 31st January 1902. The collision of two armoured trains near Lalisa Station, Stormberg involved three other men of the Cheshire Royal Engineer Volunteers – 27952 Corporal S H Brewer (29), 1565 Sapper Tom Coops (24) from Crewe. and 8462 Sapper J G Hother (21), who died of “injuries sustained in the collision on railway”.
As William was unmarried, his father Henry was named as his next of kin.
Memorial in South Africa
Researched by Shena Lewington 2025
He enlisted with the Cheshire Royal Engineers at Birkenhead on 8th March 1901, and was sent to South Africa.
He was killed in a railway accident near Burghersdorp, on 31st January 1902. The collision of two armoured trains near Lalisa Station, Stormberg involved three other men of the Cheshire Royal Engineer Volunteers – 27952 Corporal S H Brewer (29), 1565 Sapper Tom Coops (24) from Crewe. and 8462 Sapper J G Hother (21), who died of “injuries sustained in the collision on railway”.
As William was unmarried, his father Henry was named as his next of kin.
Memorial in South Africa
Researched by Shena Lewington 2025