Sgt 17276 William Henry Barnes (MM and Bar, CDG)

• Age: 31
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 22nd March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

William Henry Barnes was born on Christmas Day, 25th December 1886 in Liverpool, the son of William Mossop Barnes and his wife Frances (née Griffiths).William was baptised in St. Clement, Toxteth Park, on 06th March 1887, his parents’ address given as 20 Alt Street, and his father’s occupation as cooper. Both born in Liverpool, his parents married in 1880 and had at least eight children. Twins Emma (who died at age 1) and Mary Ann were born in 1881, followed by Eliza in 1883, Charles 1885, and William. His younger siblings were Frances Ada, born in 1889, Albert Edward 1891/2, and Lucy Eveline in 1897. 

At the time of the 1891 census the family is living at 15 Aigburth Street, Toxteth Park. His father, 39, is a cooper, and his mother 28. They have five children, William is 4.

The 1901 census finds them in Solway Street, Toxteth Park.  His father is a cooper, Eliza, 18, is a pupil teacher, Charles, 16, is a cycle fitter, William is 14, employed as an  office boy.  Frances is 11, Albert 9, and Lucy 3.  Also in the household is his widowed grandmother Eliza Griffiths, 71.

His mother died in 1909 aged 46.

In 1911 William is head of household at 22 Annerley Street.  He is 24, a clerk for a salt manufacturer.  His two younger sisters are living with him.  Frances, 21, is a housekeeper, and Lucy aged 13, at school.

Before enlisting, William worked for Salt Union Ltd., a major producer of salt at the time.

He enlisted at St George's Hall, Liverpool on 02nd September 1914, joining the 19th Battalion as Private 17276. He gave his age as 27 years and 251 days, and his occupation as clerk.  He is described as being 5’ 2” tall, weighing 127 lbs, with a brown complexion, eyes and hair.  He gives his religion as Wesleyan and as next of kin his father in Upper Hill Street, Dingle. 

Formed on 07^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. 

Whilst at Grantham on 04th May 1915, he was confined to barracks for three days for hesitating to obey an order.

He arrived in France on 07th November 1915.

His service papers show:

18/01/1916 serving as batman to 2nd Lt. Lloyd, to Field Ambulance

26/01/1916 rejoined unit 

31/03/1916 to 05/04/1916 to School of Instruction as batman 

06/04/1916 attached to (?)H.2.18th Div (fatigue)

27/04/1916 rejoined unit 

02/09/1916 granted Good Conduct Badge and Class II Prof. Pay

William was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field during the Battle of the Somme, notification from War Office 21/09/16.

26/09/1916 appointed unpaid L/Cpl

05/11/1916 to Div. Infantry School

30/11/1916 rejoined unit

13/12/1916 granted leave to the U.K.  

27/12/1916 rejoined unit 

14/01/1917 to 30th Div. School 

21/01/1917 rejoined unit

05/03/1917 appointed paid L/Cpl

18/04/1917 appointed paid A/Cpl and confirmed in rank.

Awarded Bar to M.M. on 27th June 1917, London Gazette 18/07/17.

27/08/1917 to Second Army rest camp

09/08/1917 rejoined unit

The Ministry of Pensions requested information from Infantry Records for a Court of Enquiry on Accidental and Self Inflicted Wounds:

On 11th September 1917 at 5 p.m. Cpl. Barnes, ‘A’ Company, was sitting at the entrance to a dugout having tea with Sergeants Naylor and Woodworth when he was struck on the left ear, suffering 3 or 4 slight incised wounds, and a haemorrhage from the ear canal, which required immediate dressing.  After this was done, R.A.M.C. Lt. N. C. Rogers, concerned about the possibility of a skull fracture, sent Cpl. Barnes to 97 Field Ambulance.  (William rejoined his unit on 17th September.) 

A Court of Enquiry was held in the field the next day, 12th September.  Witnesses testified that C.S.M. Robinson, about 20 yards away, playfully threw an old  cartridge clip in response to a jocular remark.  Cpl.Barnes testified that “I was struck on the ear by a cartridge clip which knocked me semi unconscious.” 

The Court of Enquiry was of the opinion that the injury was more likely to have been caused by Shrapnel than by the clip, as there was considerable enemy anti-aircraft fire at the time.  Lt. Col. Rollo, O/C 19th Bn., stated his opinion that no other person was to blame.  Brig. Gen. W. W. Seymour, 89th Bde., was satisfied that the injury was caused by a piece of A.A. shell, and should be considered a battle casualty.

06/10/1917 granted leave to the U.K. 

19/10/1917 rejoined unit

24/12/1917 promoted Sergeant 

William was killed in action on the 22nd March 1918, aged 31, during the German Spring Offensive. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

The Battalion diary outlines the events of 22nd March 1918 as follows:

22^nd  GERMAINE – HAM- MOYENCOURT

The battalion moved up accordingly being in position at 6:30 a.m. About 3pm the enemy attacked the left of our position and advanced on our left flank towards FLUQUIERES. At 4:30 pm an attack was launched on our front and the enemy forced his way through on our right. The remainder of the Battalion was forced to retire to south of FLUQUIERES. During this engagement the Battalion lost 11 Officers and About 21 O.R. The order was given to retire to the defences at HAM. The Battalion by this time was very weak, and passing through the 20^th Division took up positions in HAM, as ordered, getting into position at 2am.

At the time of his death William was the holder of the Military Medal (M.M.) and Bar and the Croix De Guerre (Belgium).

A notice was placed in the Liverpool Echo on 10th April 1918: 

“March 22, killed in action, William Henry Barnes, (K.L.R.), 37, Kenyon Road, Wavertree, late 26 Thornycroft Road.  (One of the best, and loved by all.)”

His award of the Croix de Guerre (Belgium) was published posthumously in the Supplement to the London Gazette on 15 April 1918

A newspaper report of his death appeared in the Liverpool Echo on 16th April 1918: 

"Sergt.W.H.Barnes, 37, Kenyon-rd.,killed March 22. Won M.M., bar and Croix de Guerre.Former secretary Windsor Wesleyan F.C. Employee Salt Union".

An informative article appeared in the Liverpool Echo Bee’s Sports Notes on 8th May 1918: 

“Walter Thompson writes from France: -  I heard last night from one of the same regiment (which trained at Knowsley) of the deaths in action of Sergeants “Jimmy” Topping and Billie Barnes, both of the Windsor Wesleyan football and cricket clubs, the former being also a well-known player of the Wavertree Cricket Club.  Topping was of small stature, with fair hair, and played centre-half for the Windsor club for many seasons, and was well known to all members of the I Zingari League. He was a first class “bat” and his fielding at “slip” is well known to all local cricketers. He would not follow George Chadwick and J. S. Stubbs to the Sefton Club, preferring to remain with the club that made him; but he finally threw in his lot with the Wavertree Club.  With the cue also he could play a good game.  For generosity I have yet to meet his equal.  Billie Barnes was a fine outside right and a good sprinter, and I have often converted his fine centres.  Over here, whilst out for “greater game”, he had won a Military Medal and had gained a bar to it.  He was also a fair cricketer and could play a good game at billiards.  Kindly let Ted Hilditch know about Topping, as Ted kept goal for the Windsor Club for a few years and was a great friend of his in the old days.[…]”

Infantry Records corresponded with his father at 26 Thorneycroft Road regarding the Memorial Plaque and Scroll, without response.  A second notice was sent to his sister Frances A. Barnes, 37 Kenyon Road, Wavertree.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £19-10s went to his married sister Frances A. Cairns. His sister Lucy, at 37 Kenyon Road, received a gratuity in lieu of a pension, amount not specified.

In about 1921 his brother Albert, 30, provided information on Billie’s living relatives in an undated and uncertified statement:  he gives the names of both parents but no address, states he is living at 37 Kenyon Road, Wavertree, and that sister Lucy, 27, also lives in Wavertree at Loreburn Road, and mentions no other siblings.  (His elder sisters Mary Ann and Eliza had emigrated to Canada.)

His father died on Christmas Day in 1928, aged 71.  

Billie is commemorated on the Salt Union Ltd. Roll of Honour in Marston, Chester

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