Pte 21961 John Percival Litchfield

• Age: 19
• From: St Helens, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: IV.H.7

John Percival Litchfield was born in the March quarter of 1897 at St Helens the son of Mr John William Litchfield and his wife Mary Agnes (nee Yates) who were married on the 15th March 1889 at St Helen's Parish Church. His father, John, was a 25 year old compositor of 48 Hardshaw Street, father John a compositor, whilst Mary was aged 21 of same address, father George deceased, a Professor of Music. 

John was baptised on the 27th January 1897, his father was a clerk of 19 George Street. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at Tarbock Road, Beech Terrace, Huyton. His father, John William aged 38, is a newsagent, born in Stourbridge, and his mother, Elizabeth, is aged 36 with no occupation listed. They have four children living with them at the time of the Census; Edgar aged 11, born 1890, Norman aged 9, born 1892, Eric aged 7, born 1894 and John Percival aged 4 in 1897

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 21 St James Road, Liverpool. His father, John William, is aged 48, born in Worcester in 1863 occupation shown as a publishing clerk. His mother, Mary Agnes, is aged 46, born in Liverpool in 1865 occupation laundry manageress. They advised that they have been married for twenty two years and have had six children of which one had died. Those recorded in the household are; Norman aged 19, born 1892 is a laundry clerk, Eric aged 17, born 1894 is an apprentice fitter for a mechanical engineers and John Percival aged 14, born 1897 is at school and they were all born in St Helens their daughter Olive Mary aged 8, born 1903 is also at school. They have a visitor William Leslie May aged 12, born 1899 in Liverpool and he is still at school.  

He enlisted on 10th November 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 20^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 21961. He gave his age as nineteen years and occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet five inches tall, weighed 126lbs, 34" chest with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Wesleyan and named his father as his next of kin at 22 Ferndale Road, later 403 Smithdown Road. (It would appear John had lied about his age on enlistment as he was born in 1897.)

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. 

14.3.16: Embarked for France on board SS Onward from Folkestone.

1-2.4.16: As re-enforcements, joined the 20th Battalion K.L.R. and proceeded to 30 Infantry Base Depot.    

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 19, 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.

John was initially reported as Missing as shown in the Liverpool Daily Post on the 08th September 1916:  

Missing

Private John Litchfield, K.L.R., was officially reported wounded on July 30; since then nothing has been heard of him, his parents reside at 403 Smithdown Road, Liverpool. Private Lichfield is a son of Mr J. W. Litchfield. the St Helens manager of the “Liverpool Courier” and “Evening Express.” 

The St Helens Advertiser on 08th September 1916 carried details of three sons in service: 

THE TRIBUNAL.  

A SPLENDID RECORD.  

There was a sitting of the Tribunal at the Town Hall, yesterday, when Alderman J. Forster occupied the chair. There were 27 appeals to be heard, but the bulk of them were heard in private. Mr. J. Litchfield, the local manager for the “ Liverpool Courier” and “Express” appealed on behalf of John Conlan, assistant publisher in St. Helens, as an indispensable man. He said he was his only assistant, and the work at the office was extensive and could not possibly be done efficiently by one man. Three of his own sons had voluntarily enlisted, and he had had to take up the management of a business started on their behalf. If one of the soldiers had been released he would have been relieved of those duties. His sons who had enlisted were Sub-lieutenant Edgar Litchfield, R.N.R.; Private Norman Litchfield, and Private John Litchfield, who were in the King’s Liverpool Regiment, and were in France. His only other son, Eric Litchfield, had for fourteen months been engaged as fifth engineer on H.M. Transport “ Statesman.” With regard to John Conlan, his three younger brothers had voluntarily enlisted, their names being Michael, 31, Owen, 27, and James, 22. They were in the King’s Liverpool Regiment, and they were all in France. The Tribunal granted exemption until the 30th of November. 

The St Helens Advertiser on 15th September 1916 also reported John being posted as Missing:   

ALL HIS SONS SERVING  

In the case of John Litchfield, Major Fox stated that newspaper men ought to be more in touch with the regulations than anyone else, but in view of Mr. Litchfield’s family’s efforts on behalf of their country he would say no more about it. All his sons were serving, and recently he had had news that one of them was missing. 

John was buried close to where he fell and after the war, when graves were concentrated, his body was removed and reinterred in Guillemont Road Cemetery where he now rests. 

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries.

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

The inscription on his headstone reads:

THE TIME IS COMING AND NOW IS WHEN THE DEAD SHALL LIVE
JOHN V. 25

His father received his army pay of £2 15s 5d and the war gratuity of £7 10s. His mother received a pension of 5/- pw from 8th Jan 1918. 

His father also received his identity disc.

Ten years after his death, his family paid tribute to John in the Liverpool Evening Express on Friday 30 July 1926: 

ROLL OF HONOUR. 

LITCHFIELD – In loving memory of our dear boy, JOHN LITCHFIELD 21961 20th K.L.R., youngest son of J.W. and A. Litchfield, 403 Smithdown Road, killed in action at Guillemont, July 30, 1916.

His father died, aged 68, on the 02nd February 1932 and was buried on the 05th February at Toxteth Cemetery. 

Probate:- 

LITCHFIELD John William of 403 Smithdown Road, Sefton Park Liverpool died 3 February 1932 Administration Liverpool 22 March to Mary Agnes Litchfield widow. Effects £1831 3s 10d. 

His mother died, aged 85, on the 28th August 1949 and was buried on the 31st August at Allerton Cemetery. 

Probate:- 

LITCHFIELD  Mary Agnes of 16 Reedale Road, Mossley Hill Liverpool widow died 28 August 1949 Probate London 13 September to Gladys Corrin (wife of Harold Corrin). Effects £844 18s 9d. 

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