Pte 21918 Benjamin Arthur Jackson

• Age: 21
• From: Bootle, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

21918 Private Benjamin Arthur JACKSON, 18^th Battalion KLR.

Benjamin Arthur Jackson was born in Othello Street, Bootle on the 28th January 1896 the only son of Joseph Joackson, a crane engineer born in Hereford, and his wife Sarah Ann (nee Gomarsall) who were married in Melbourne, Australia in 1888. Arthur was baptised in St Peter's Church, Liverpool on the 08th March 1896. 

His mother, Sarah Hannah, and her brother Arthur Herbert were taken to Melbourne, Victoria by their father Benjamin Walker Gomarsall after the death of his wife Ann in 1881 in Idle, Yorkshire. He died aged 57 in 1890, just a few years after Sarah’s marriage. 

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 43 Candia Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. Benjamin A. is 5 years of age and lives with his parents and three siblings. His father, Joseph, is shown as a 46 year old dock crane engine driver, born St Owens, Hereford, whilst his mother, Sarah, is 36 years of age and was born in Liverpool. Benjamin's siblings, all born in Australia are shown as; Bessie aged 12, Annie G. aged 10 and Nellie W. aged 7. 

By 1911 the family have moved to 90 Harebell Street, Kirkdale. Both parents are present in the household, his father, Joseph, is aged 51, a stationary engine driver, his mother, Sarah Hannah, is aged 46 and they advise that they have been married for 23 years and all four of their children have survived. Recorded as Arthur Benjamin, he is now 15 and an apprentice brass finisher in an engineer's shop. His siblings are shown as having been born in Melbourne; Annie Gomarsall Jackson 20 a domestic in a cafe, and Nellie Walker Jackson 17 and a dressmaker.   

Arthur was educated at Stanley Road Board School and prior to enlisting he worked as a clerk with the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board.      

He enlisted in Liverpool on the 14^th December 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 21918. He was aged 19 years 11 months, employed as a clerk (chartered accountant), born in Bootle and living at 15 Fonthill Road, Kirkdale. He was described as being 5' 7" tall, weighed 130lbs, 35" chest and with a good physical development. His religion is stated as Church of England. He gave his father as his next of kin.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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 was in trouble several times at Knowsley Park - 2 days CB for being AWOL on the 14^th July 1915; 3 days CB for being absent from fatigues on the 17.09.1915; 2 days CB for improper conduct on the 10.10.1915; and 7 days Field Punishment No 2 for using threatening language to an NCO on 29^th October 1915.

He sailed to France on 20^th January 1916 aboard SS Onward, as part of a reinforcement draft. He was initially posted to 30 Infantry Base Depot, at Etaples, before joining his Battalion on 06th February 1916.

He was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01st July 1916 whilst serving with the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

Arthur's body was either not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave being commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

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.”

His death was reported in the Liverpool Courier on 22nd July 1916:

Private Arthur Jackson, aged 20. He was employed by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. Played formerly for Waterloo Juniors. He was the only son of Mr.and Mrs. J. Jackson, of 15 Fonthill-road, Kirkdale.

It was also reported on 01st August 1916 in the Liverpool Echo:

Private Arthur Jackson, aged 20, of the Pals, formerly employed by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, killed in action early in July. He was the only son of Mr.and Mrs. J. Jackson, 15 Fonthill-street, Liverpool. 

On 6^th May 1919, his father completed a sworn declaration listing his family as himself; his wife Sarah Elizabeth; and their three daughters, Bessie Jackson aged 30, Annie England 28 and Nellie Walker Pickering aged 26. The witness to the declaration endorses it “Mr Joseph Jackson is exceedingly ill so I got him to make his mark”. In fact, Joseph died that year, aged 59.

His mother, Sarah, continued to live with married daughter Nellie Pickering at 29 Rockfield Road and 44 Douglas Road until Nellie and Joseph moved to Manchester. Mother must have followed them as she is found there on the 1939 register, dob 19^th Sept 1864. Sarah died aged 75 in the September quarter of 1940, her death registered in Manchester. 

Benjamin Arthur Jackson is remembered on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 60 Right

Mersey Docks and Harbour Board Memorial located in at the Pier Head, Liverpool

Methodist Church, which once stood on Boundary Street East, Everton

St Anathansius’ Church, Kirkdale, (until the church was destroyed by bombing in WW2).

Grateful thanks are extended to Paul Quilliam for permission to use the photograph of Arthur now shown on this site.

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