L/Cpl 15870 Randolph Singleton Haworth

• Age: 30
• From: Blackburn
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: II.B.26

Randolph Singleton was born on on 23rd February 1886 in Blackburn the son of Moses Haworth and his wife Margaret (nee Singleton) who were married on the 15th April 1879 at St James' Church, Accrington. Moses at the time of the marriage was a 28 year old canal agent of 89 Whalley Road, father James, whilst Margaret was aged 25 of Green Haworth, father George.

Randolph was baptised on the 17th March 1886 at St Peter's Church, Blackburn, parents address 50 Eanam, father a canal agent.  

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Canal Cottage, Eanam, Blackburn. His father, Moses, is aged 49, a canal agent, born in Accrington, mother Margaret is aged 37 born in Haslingden. Their children were all born Blackburn, George Herbert 11 a scholar, James Cecil 8 a scholar, Charles Singleton 7 a scholar, Randolph 5 a scholar, Reginald 3 and Sidney 1. Also present is Moses’ mother Elizabeth aged 68. 

By 1901 the family have moved away from Blackburn and are living at 54 Ferndale Road, Waterloo. His father, Moses, is aged 50, a canal assistant manager, mother Margaret is aged 47. They have four children in the household; Charles Singleton aged 17, an art student, Randolph aged 15, a day scholar, Reginald 13 and Sydney 11.  

Randolph attended Merchant Taylor's School between 1901 - 1902. When he left school he went to work in Finance. In 1906 working at the Bank of Liverpool,  Victoria Street,  he passed the Institute of Banker's Preliminary Examination. In 1907 working for the same company but now based at Linacre he passed the Institute of Bankers Final Examination.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at Freshfield Farm, Freshfield with Randolph working as a bank clerk for the Bank of Liverpool. His father ,Moses is aged 60, a canal conveying agent, His mother Margaret is aged 57(. They advise that they ahve been married for 26 years and have had 6 children. Reginald is aged 23, an accounts clerk, and Sydney is aged 21, a farmer . 

Randolph was a keen sportsman excelling at Golf, Billiards and Cricket.

He enlisted at the first opportunity at St George's Hall in Liverpool, joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15870 on 31st August 1914. He advised the recruiting desk that that he was born in Blackburn and was 28 years and 300 days old, occupation clerk. He was desrcibed as being 5’5 and a half inches tall, weighed 120lbs, chest 35”, with a sallow complexion, blue eye sand brown hair. He stated his religion as C.of E. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

Randolph was killed in action on 12th October 1916 at Le Transloy aged 30.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

Randolph rests at Warlencourt British Cemetery at II.B.26 where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS".

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified.

She died, aged 89, in the December quarter of 1939. 

We currently have no further information on Randolph Singleton Haworth, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.