Pte 52037 Frank Henderson

Frank Henderson was born in Everton, Liverpool, on the 25th June 1885, the son of Phillip Henderson and his wife, Jane, (née Haworth/Howarth/Howarth, records vary). Phillip, born about 1851 in Leith, Scotland, and Jane, born in Liverpool, in 1854, married on the 14th May 1879 at St Peter's Church, Everton. Phillip was a 29 year old mariner of 18 Mill Lane, father William a mariner, whilst Jane was aged 25 of 53 Caird Street, father Lawrence Haworth a rigger). They had ten children, three of whom died young.  Frank had older siblings Margaret Grace, born in 1881, William 1882, and Phillip 1884 (who died at age 1), and younger siblings Phillip 1886, Frances 1888, David 1890 (died at 11 months), Christina 1892, Alfred 1894, and Lawrence 1895 (died at age 2). 

 

Frank was baptised in St. Augustine's Church, Everton, on 16th November 1885.

 

In 1891 the family is at 15 Margaret Street, Everton, with six children.  His father, 40, is a ship’s rigger, his mother is 36, Margaret, 10, William, 8, Frank, 6, and Phillip 5, are at school, Frances is 3 and David is 7 months.

 

The 1901 census finds the family at 36 Lampson Street, Everton, with five children. His father is aged 50, and is a ship’s rigger, his mother is aged 47, and a dressmaker, Frank is aged 15, a caterer’s assistant, Phillip is 14, an errand boy at the port, Frances 13, Christina 8, Alfred 7, are at school. 

 

 

The 1911 census shows his father, is aged 61, and is a ship rigger, his mother, is aged 56. They state that they have been married for 31 years, and have had 10 children, 7 of whom have survived. His mother is a dressmaker, working on her own account, Frank is 26, single, a labourer with Corporation Tramways, Frances 23, and Christina 18, are shop assistants, Alfred is 17, a light porter for a linen draper.  

 

The 1911 Census shows his father, 61, is a ship rigger, his mother, 56, is a dressmaker, working on her own account, Frank is 26, single, a labourer with Corporation Tramways, Frances 23, and Christina 18, are shop assistants, Alfred is 17, a light porter for a linen draper. 

 

Frank married Alice Ann Spencer in 1912 in a civil ceremony (it appears they had different religions, Frank was C. of E. and Alice R.C.)  

 

His brother Phillip died aged 27 in 1913.  

 

Their daughter Alice Lavinia was born on the 04th January 1915. 

 

As his service record has not survived, the details are not known, but the amount of the War Gratuity suggests that Frank served 13 months, enlisting in August or September 1915. He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 52037 when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

It had rained incessantly at the beginning of October 1916 and the ground was full of mud. In his book ‘The Liverpool Pals’ Graham Maddocks describes the day of the 12th of October 1916.

It was obvious that the Germans knew an attack was coming and from which direction it would be mounted. On the evening of the 11th the 20th Battalion moved up the line and dug two deep assembly trenches behind the 17th Battalion’s position for the attack the next day. The 19th Battalion also moved into its reserve positions known as Flers Trench. Although the rain has stopped, the ground was like a morass, with all the natural vegetation destroyed, it was difficult to tell exactly where the objectives lay. On the afternoon of the 12th at exactly 2.05pm, the attack began along the whole Corps line, covered by the local batteries of the Royal Field Artillery which still had line of sight. As the whistles blew, the 17th Battalion left its trenches to move forwards, at the same time No.1 and 2 Companies of the 20th Battalion moved forward and occupied the trenches vacated by the 17th. As they too went over the top, No.3 and 4 Companies took their place and waited in their turn to follow. No.2 and 3 Companies of the 19th Battalion moved up to occupy the assembly trenches dug the previous night by the 20th.

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. Those German regiments 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.

Brigadier-General F.C.Stanley wrote that the Battalions were also suffering casualties due to the short shooting of the British heavy artillery fire. “I know from practical experience that they were our own guns which were shooting, and which were causing us quite a considerable number of casualties. The fault lay at that time from the fact that the heavy gunners would not send their FOO’s (Forward Observation Officers) far enough forward, but were content to observe us from right back”

Some ground was gained that day, about 150 yards, the 20th Battalion were not relieved until 24 hours later causing the men to endure another day and night in the front line trench.

Frank was buried near to where he fell and his grave marked with a cross. (CWGC graves registration form shows 3875 E Henderson 9/King’s, later amended.)  After the war when graves were concentrated his body was removed and reburied at Warlencourt British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, where he now rests.

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. 

His brother Alfred enlisted in the 5th Bn K.L.R. on 7th August 1914 giving his parents as next of kin, living in Stanfield Road.  He served over three years in France and earned his medals, he was disembodied in 1919 and transferred to the Territorials in 1920.

In 1939 Alice and daughter Alice Lavinia are living at 57 Harewood Street, Liverpool, with her husband and one son.  Alice Lavinia is 24, employed as a factory packer. She married in 1955 and had a son and died in 2003.  His widow Alice died in 1952 aged 66.

 

Sadly, Frank has not been found on any memorials.