Pte 24257 Edward Higgins

• Age: 39
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Edward Higgins was born on 22nd December 1876 at Toxteth Park, Liverpool and baptised 20th November 1878 at St Peter's Church of England Church, Liverpool. He was the son of Charles Higgins and his wife Ann (née Cubbin). His parents married on the 09th May 1875 at St Michael in the Hamlet Church, Toxteth. Charles was a 27 year old railway guard of Hurry Street, father Thomas a labourer, whilst Anne was aged 28 also of Hurry Street, father John a labourer. 

Edward was their eldest child and only son. He had younger sisters Eleanor Margaret Ann and Emily Catherine Annie.

In 1881 his parents, both aged 34, are living at 4 Homer Street, Toxteth Park. His father is a railway foreman born in Denham, Buckinghamshire, Ann was born in Rushen, Isle of Man. Edward is 4 and Eleanor 1 year old. 

Some time after the birth of Emily in 1882 the family moved from Toxteth, as the 1891 census finds them at 244 Marsh Lane, Bootle. His father is aged 42, now a greengrocer, mother Annie is 40, at school are Edward 14, Eleanor 11 and Emily 8. 

His sister Eleanor married in 1897.

They are still at 244 Marsh Lane in 1901. His father is aged 54, a greengrocer working on his own account, mother Annie is 54. Edward is 24, working as a greengrocer, and Emily is 18, no occupation listed 

The 1911 Census shows the family are still living at 244 Marsh Lane, Bootle, Liverpool. His father, Charles, is now aged 64, born 1847 in Buckinghamshire, his occupation still shown as a greengrocer whilst his mother Ann is aged 64, born 1847 on the Isle of Man. They have been married for thirty five years and have had three children. Edward aged 34, born 1877 and Emily Catherine aged 28, born 1883 have no occupation and are both at home. They were both born in Toxteth Park, Liverpool.

He enlisted in late 1914 in Liverpool joining the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 24257.

He was billeted in the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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. 

On 07th November 1915 he embarked for France with his battalion disembarking at Boulogne.

Edward was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 39, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 other ranks" 

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.  

Edward has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He earned his three medals.

His father appears to have died just weeks before Edward, in the June quarter of 1916, aged 69.

His mother Annie received Edward’s Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £7. She was awarded a pension of 5/- a week from February 1917, increased in April 1917 to 15/- a week.  

On the 1921 Census she is aged 70 years and 7 months and living alone at 1 Bullens Terrace, Marsh Lane, Bootle. 

Edward is commemorated on the following memorials -

Bootle Civic Memorial

Bootle’s Fallen

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 55 Left.

We currently have no further information on Edward Higgins. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.