We have placed a Plaque with your name on around Police HQ, and children are making a Poppy mosaic which will contain your name. We will remember you. On the 13th June 2018, Detective Peter Salter held a plaque with your name on, whilst filming for Merseyside Police to commemorate those that fell in WW1. 25713 Guardsman William DIGNAN, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. Born on 28th March 1890, son of James and Winifred Dignan nee Durr, of Bekan, County Mayo, and baptised RC on 30th March 1890, when his sponsors were William and Bridget Carty. In 1901 the family, of which William was the fourth eldest of 7 children, was living at Cloonacurry, Bekan, Mayo. William’s family remained in County Mayo but by 1911 William himself was living in Liverpool. The Census of that year shows him aged 22 years as a police constable living at 9 Vandyke Street, Lodge Lane, as a boarder with Michael and Mary Carty and their two young daughters. Michael Carty describes William as a cousin and Michael, also a serving police constable, shows his place of birth as Knock, County Mayo. Sometime after the outbreak of war, William enlists in Liverpool as Guardsman 25713, 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards. His Medal Card shows that he was awarded the BWM and VM which, if correct, indicates that he probably did not arrive in France until sometime in 1916. There is nothing to suggest other than that he enlisted with no previous military service in the Militia or Reserve, and his regimental number suggests he enlisted in March or April 1916, which would explain why he did not find himself in France any earlier. On 27th September 1918, just six weeks before the fighting ended, William was killed in action. His body was never identified and is remembered on the Vis-en-artois Memorial.

Merseyside Police