Pte 15996 Arthur Stanley Huntley

• Age: 28
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Arthur Stanley Huntley was born in 1888 in Liverpool and was the son of Walter Huntley and his wife Margaret (nee Cain) who were married at St Michaels in the Hamlet Church, Liverpool on the 1^st August 1895. Margaret had been born in Liverpool 1855 and was the daughter of Patrick, a shipwright, and Mary Cain who were both born in the Isle of Man. Walter’s parents were Thomas and Emma Huntley who had moved to Liverpool from their native city of London where Walter had been born in 1853. 

Arthur was the seventh child of nine children born to Walter and Margaret – the others were Edith born in 1876, Emma 1878, Walter 1880, Ernest 1881, Florence 1883, Gertrude 1885, Vera who died in infancy in 1891 and Percy born in 1892.

The 1891 census shows that Arthur’s father Walter was the librarian for the free public library at 18 Great Nelson Street in Liverpool, and the family’s address was given as number 16, so next door.

Walter died in June 1895 at the age of 41 and is buried in Anfield Cemetery.

The 1901 census shows the widowed Margaret living at 82 County Road, Walton with seven of her eight surviving children, the eldest Edith having married in 1896. Her children Walter and Ernest are both working as provision merchant’s clerks and Florence and Gertrude are school teachers. Margaret’s elderly mother Mary is also living there.

Margaret married a widower named Thomas Green, a 51 year old book keeper, on the 9^th December 1906 at St Nicholas Church. They gave their address as Queen St. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 51 Spellow Lane, Walton Liverpool.

Margaret’s new husband is not present in the household and Margaret is shown as the head. Living at home are daughter Florence who is a teacher, Gertrude who is now married, Arthur is working as a clerk for an oil manufacturer and Percy is a clerk for a cigar importer. Also visiting at the time of the census is son Ernest who is a clerk, with his wife Fidelia aged 27, and their three children - Vera Fidelia aged 4, born 1907, Rita Gertrude aged 2, born 1909 and Elizabeth born 1911. All three children were born in Seacombe.

Arthur enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on the 02nd September 1914, joining the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15996. He gave his age as 26 years and 245 days and gave his occupation as a Clerk. He was 5 foot, 5 Inches tall, of fresh complexion, had brown eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England.

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. 

He embarked for France with his Battalion on the 7th November, 1915.

His service records show:

16.07.15: Belton Park: Absent from 10pm 16.07.15 to 7.40pm 17.07.15. He was admonished and forfeited two days pay.

05.09.15: Lark Hill, Salisbury

27.09.15: Absent from midnight 26.09.15 to midnight 27.09.15. 7 days CB and forfeit 1 days pay.

27.06.16: 96 Field Ambulance- Gunshot wound to right arm. Admitted

27.06.16: 21 Casualty Clearing Station- Gunshot wound to right arm. Admitted

30.07.16: Wounded remained at duty. (Wound to Right arm)

02.09.16: Granted first good behaviour badge on completion of two year’s service.

Arthur was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 aged 28 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

He was part of the Machine Gun section and had been previously gassed and wounded. On one occasion he was the only man remaining at his gun when a shell burst killing his comrades.

17th 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 17th 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 17th 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.”

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 01st November 1916:

"Private Arthur S.Huntley,K.L.R.,has been killed in action. During his service with his battalion in France he had been wounded and gassed. He was in the machine gun section,and on one occasion was the only man left at his gun, a shell killing the rest of the gun team. Much regret will be felt in the Aintree district by many to whom he had endered himself by his bright and happy personality. He lived with his mother at 51,Spellow lane".

Letter of disposal of items belonging to the late Private Arthur Stanley Huntley was issued by the War Office to Infantry Records, Preston and sent to Mrs Green his mother at 51 Spellow Lane, Liverpool.

Arthur Stanley has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme in France.

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.”

Liverpool Echo 12^th Oct 1917 

HUNTLEY—In loving memory of our dear son and brother. Arthur Stanley (sans changer) who was killed in action October 12, 1916 – Sadly miss by sorrowing Mother, Edith, Florence and Percy(in hospital).— 5l, Spellow Lane, Liverpool.  

HUNTLEY—In loving remembrance of Arthur, who was killed in action October 12, 1916. (Ever remembered bv Ethelle.) 

He is also commemorated at St Luke’s Church, Walton.

Soldiers Effects to mother Margaret Green but Pension to Margaret Huntley. 

Arthur’s brother Ernest served in the R.A.M.C as Private 119021 from May 1916 to January 1919, and brother Percy served in The King's Liverpool Regiment from December 1915 to April 1918.

Their mother died aged 73 in March 1928. 

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