Pte 49243 Joseph Hurst

• Age: 35
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 9th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Wancourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: Sp Mem. 11

Joseph Hurst was born 25th June 1882 in Liverpool and was baptised on 02nd July 1882 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool. He was the son of Charles Hurst and his wife Sarah (nee Beattie) who married on the 07th March 1870 at St Michael in the Hamlet Church, Toxteth. 

At the time of the 1891 census the family lived in court housing in Clive Street, Toxteth. Joseph was 9 and at school. His father Charles was 41 and was a carter, his mother Sarah was 40. He had siblings: William aged 16 a labourer, Edwin 11 and Albert 7 both at school, and Robert aged 4 and Annie just 4 months.

By 1901, the family had moved to 21 Rhyl Street, Toxteth. Joseph was living with his parents and was working as a dock labourer. The couple had two other children at home – Albert who was an apprentice packing case maker, and Robert who was at school.

Joseph married Annie Edwards in December 1909, and in 1911 the census records the couple living at 22 Chalmers Street. Living with them is a 9 year old nephew William Edwards. Later that year the couple had a son called Arthur.

Joseph enlisted in Liverpool and served originally as Private 15203 of the Royal Lancaster Regiment. He was wounded in 1916 and again in 1917 and only two weeks after release from hospital in 1917 he was killed in action, serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 49243, on the 09th April 1917, aged 35, during the Battle of Arras.

Arras 09th April 1917

Details of the circumstances the 18th Battalion had to contend with are illustrated below:

The battalion formed the left assaulting battalion of the brigade, the 2nd Wiltshire Regiment being on the right, the 19th Manchester Regiment being in support and 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment furnishing “moppers -up” for the two assaulting battalions. The brigade advance was timed to begin at ---- hour after “Zero”, suited to conform with the movements of 56th Division and other divisions on our left further north (near Arras). This battalion’s objective was the front-line system Lion Lane on the left (exclusive) to Panther Lane on right (exclusive). This sector included the strongpoint known as “The Egg”.

The brigade advanced at prearranged time, i.e., 11.38 a.m, from position of assembly trenches south of Neuville Vitasse to German front line. This necessitated an advance across the open of at least 2,000 yards. This area up to Neuville Vitasse- Henin road was crossed in artillery formation; after this, owing to machine-gun fire and considerable resistance from German posts forward in the sunken roads, it was found necessary to deploy. During the whole movement across the open the advancing columns had been under considerable artillery fire from guns of all calibres. On gaining the position immediately in front of German line it was found that the wire was practically uncut; this wire formed two strong belts in front of German trenches. Two small gaps were eventually discovered and Second-Lieut H.F.Merry gallantly led a bombing party through them, but his three remaining men were killed as they reached the German trenches.

From the moment the battalion was “held up” in front of German wire Capt. R. W. Jones, the senior company commander on the spot, at once began the work of consolidating in front of German wire. The battalion held on in this position for the remainder of the day, until relieved by the 16th Manchester Regiment about 3 a.m. on the 10th of April, all the time under intense machine-gun and rifle fire.

Between 9th-10th April, 1917, the 18th King's lost 2 officers 2nd Lt. F. Ashcroft and 2nd Lt. H.G. Ewing and 59 other ranks killed. 8 other officers were wounded.

Joseph now rests at Wancourt British Cemetery, France, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“GOD HAS CLASPED THE BROKEN LINK”

Wancourt was captured on 12 April 1917 after very heavy fighting and the advance was continued on the following days. The cemetery, called at first Cojeul Valley Cemetery, or River Road Cemetery, was opened about ten days later; it was used until October 1918, but was in German hands from March 1918 until 26 August, when the Canadian Corps recaptured Wancourt. At the Armistice, the cemetery contained 410 graves, but was very greatly increased in the following years when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and isolated positions on the battlefields south-east of Arras. Including HENIN NORTH CEMETERY, HENIN-SUR-COJEUL, about 800 metres North of the village, contained the graves of 29 British soldiers who fell on 9 April 1917, almost all of whom belonged to the 2nd Wilts or the 18th King's Liverpools. The cemetery now contains 1,936 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 829 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 76 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to 20 who were buried in Signal Trench Cemetery whose graves were destroyed in later battles. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

An In Memoriam notice in the Liverpool Echo on 09th April 1918 from his wife:

HURST - In sad and loving memory of my dear husband JOSEPH, late of the "Pals," killed in action, April 9 1917 - Sadly missed by his sorrowing wife and child of 11 Chalmers Street, Edge-Hill

Soldiers effects and pension to his widow Annie and child Arthur. 

Joseph is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 56

His father died in 1927, aged 77, and was buried in Allerton Cemetery on the 04th June 1927.

His mother Sarah died in the December quarter of 1929, aged 79, and was buried in Toxteth cemetery.

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