Pte 21529 James Hobbs

• Age: 25
• From: Gt. Crosby, 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.

James Hobbs was born in Great Crosby, Liverpool, in 1891, the son of James and Christina Hobbs (nee Lace) , the couple had married at St Mary's Church, Kirkdale, Liverpool on the 7th November 1877. His father was born in Wiltshire, and his mother in St. Helens. James was the youngest of their five children. He had older siblings Arthur James (who died just before his first birthday), Albert James, Florence, and Arthur.

Their only daughter Florence died in 1890 at the age of 8.

The family were living at 6 Warrenhouse Road, Crosby at the time of the 1891 Census. Young James is only one month old. His father James is 37, born in Market Lavington, Devizes,Wiltshire, and working as a gardener, his mother Christina is 36 and a dressmaker. James has two older brothers Albert aged 10, and Arthur aged 5. 

By the time of the 1901 Census the family are living at 10 Shaftesbury Road, Crosby. His father, James, is aged 47, a non-domestic gardener, mother Christina is 48. The two older sons are now working, Albert, now 21, as a railway porter and Arthur, 15, as a chemists messenger. James is 10. 

The 1911 Census records the family living at 2 Harrington Road, Crosby. James senior, 58, is still a gardener, his mother is 56 years of age. They advise that they have been married for 34 years and have had five children, three of whom have survived. Albert, aged 32 is a gardener,  Arthur, 24, is a blacksmiths striker, and James junior, 19, is a plumbers assistant.

James enlisted on 11th September 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 21529. He gave his age as 22 years and 180 days and gave his occupation as a painter. He was described as being five feet three and three quarter inches tall, weighed 119lbs, 35" chest with a fresh complexion, hazel coloured eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. He has served an apprenticeship with Mullholland in Crosby, expiring in 1914. He gave as next of kin his father at 9 Harrington Road. He served in No.4 Company.

Formed on 7^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to 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. 

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

23.3.16: Sick to 97th Field Ambulance.

24.3.16: Quinsey (tonsil abscess). 

25.3.16: Quinsey (tonsil abscess). Admitted to 30 D.R.S. (Divisional Rest Station)

03.4.16: Discharged to duty.

James was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 25, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

19^th Battalion Diary 

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. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 25th August 1916; 

Private J. Hobbs, " Pals." Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs, 9, Harrington-road. Joined August, 1914. Employed at Cammell, Laird, and Company's works. 

A further report of his death appeared in the Bootle Times dated 01st September, 1916: 

Private J. Hobbs, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs. 9 Harrington Road, Great Crosby, joined the K.L.R. in August, 1914. He was employed at Cammell Laird and Company Works.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Monday 11 September 1916: 

Killed.  

King’s(Liverpool Regiment) - Hobbs, 21529, J. (Liverpool); 

James' body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he 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.”

James is also remembered on the following Memorials:

St Luke’s Church, Crosby

Great Crosby and Blundellsands War Memorial in Alexandra Park, Crosby

Liverpool's Hall of Remembrance, Panel 55 Left 

His mother received his outstanding Army pay at his father's request and was awarded a gratuity in lieu of a pension in March 1917. The War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his father.

His eldest brother Albert attested on 23rd November 1915 when he was 35 and was mobilised on 20th March 1916.  He served overseas with the 7th K.L.R. He was hospitalised at Rouen with influenza in May 1918 and evacuated to the U.K. He was discharged in February 1919.

In May 1919 his parents were still at 9 Harrington Road with Albert, 39.  Arthur is not mentioned.

His father died in 1925 aged 69, and his mother in 1932 aged 82.

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