Pte 23957 Alfred Joynson

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Alfred Joynson was born in Liverpool in the March Qtr of 1894, the son of Joseph Joynson and his wife Rebecca (nee Pendleton) who were married at St Peter's Church, Liverpool on the 13th March 1882. Joseph was a 22 year old labourer of Naylor St, father Timothy a coppersmith, whilst Rebecca was aged 22 also of Naylor St, father Joseph a carter. 

At the time of the 1901 census the family are living at 33 Pugin Street, Walton.

The 7 year old Alfred had three older siblings – Mary aged 17, Clara aged 13 and Joseph aged 10. Their father, Joseph, is 40 years old, born in London and was working as a labourer, and their mother Rebecca, born in Liverpool, was 41.

By 1911 the family had moved a short distance to 18 Brock Street.

Father Joseph was aged 50, working as a dock labourer, mother Rebecca was aged 51(married 29 years, 4 children). His eldest sister Mary Jane, aged 27, was living there with her husband William Gray, 25, and their 3 year old daughter, Lilian. Alfred, aged 17, and his brother Joseph, aged 20, were both working as railway porters, and Clara, aged 23, was a leather machinist. 

Alfred was admitted to the Railway Workers Union (Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants) in September 1911 and in August 1913 joined the National Union of Railwaymen, Liverpool No.3 branch, as a porter with the L and Y (Lancashire & Yorkshire) Railway. (However, Alfred’s name is not included among the 1,465 staff of the company who died during the war and are commemorated on the L and Y Railway War Memorial in Victoria Station, Manchester.)

Alfred enlisted in Liverpool, likely in December 1914, joining the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 23957. (Pte 23976 Ramsbottom enlisted on the 16th Dec 1914) 

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th 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 arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 22, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 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. 

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. 

Alfred was initially declared Missing and this was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 14th September 1916.   

King’s (Liverpools) - Joynson, 23957, A.; 

His mother contacted the International Red Cross (Pte. 23957 Joynson, 20th Batt. ,3rd Coy., 2nd Section), but their reply of 27th December 1916 gave her no hope, as they held no information on Alfred.

His death was later presumed to have occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

Alfred's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is 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.”

Alfred earned his three medals.

Soldiers effects, his Army pay and a War Gratuity of £7 went to his father.  His mother was awarded a pension of 9/6d a week from April 1917.

His brother Joseph Alfred enlisted on 02nd January 1915 and served as a Driver with the R.F.A.  He arrived in France in October 1915 and was demobbed in July 1919.

His father died in 1931 aged 71.

In 1939 his mother, 79 a pensioner, is still at 18 Brock Street, with granddaughter Lilian Gray, 32, and son Joseph, 49, and his family. 

His mother died in 1941 at the age of 81.

Sadly, Alfred has not been found on any local memorial.

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