Pte 29717 Ernest Lunt

• Age: 25
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

This soldier was born George Ernest Siddell Hagan in Toxteth Park, in about October 1890, the son of Robert John hagan and his wife Mary Ellen (nee Siddell) . He was baptised in St. Silas' Church, Toxteth Park, as John Ernest Siddell Hagan on 09th November 1890, his parents’ abode 80 Tavistock Street, Liverpool and his father’s occupation given as a carter. The name “John” was probably a recording error. Robert John Hagan and Mary Ellen Siddell married on the 02nd May 1886 St. Michael’s, Toxteth Park. Robert was a 25 year old carter of Loxdale St, father John a mariner, whilst Mary was aged 20 of Beloe St, father John James a mariner. 

His father is found on the censuses under his birth name until 1891, when the surname changed to Lunt, which was his mother’s maiden name.  However, all ten children’s births were registered as Hagan, and the first four were baptised Hagan; those born after 1892 were baptised as Lunt.

Their first child, Robert John Lunt Hagan, died at six weeks old. Ernest had an elder sister Catherine Ellen, and younger siblings Caroline (who died at 15 months), May, (William) Arthur, William, Harold (who died at age 3), Herbert, and Edwin. 

In the 1891 census the Lunt family is at 80 Tavistock Street, with Catherine, 2, and George E.S. who is 5 months old.  His father, 30, is a van driver, his mother is 25.  Also in the household is his grandmother Honor Siddell, 54, a monthly nurse, his married aunt Emma Jones and her one month old son Samuel P. Jones.

By 1901 the Lunts have moved to Hawkestone Street, Toxteth Park, and have five children, Catherine, George, now 10, May, Arthur, and William. His father is a bread van driver, His grandmother Honor Siddell, 65, is still living with them.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 37 Ledward Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. His father, Robert John, is shown as being aged 49, born in Liverpool in 1862, his occupation recorded as bread van driver. His mother, Mary Ellen, is aged 45, born in 1866 in Liverpool as were their children. They have been married for twenty four years and have had ten children of which three sadly had died. Those recorded in the household are; Ernest aged 20, born 1891 is a house painter, May aged 14, born 1897 no occupation listed, Arthur aged 12, born 1899, Willie aged 10, born 1901 and Herbert aged 6, born 1905 are at school and Edwin is aged 3, born in 1908.  

He enlisted on the 14th September 1914 at Liverpool and gave his age as 23 years and his occupation as a painter. He was five feet nine and half inches tall, weighed 138lbs,37" chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and fair hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. He was discharged 30th October 1914 as not being likely to become an efficient soldier. He was at that time serving in the South Lancs Regiment as Private 14607.

Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, Ernest volunteered for the second time in about May 1915. He arrived in France in 1916.

Ernest's service papers for his subsequent enlistment into the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 29717 have not survived. He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 25, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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.  

He was reported as wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post on 11th September 1916:

King’s(Liverpools) - Lunt, 29717, E. (Liverpool);  

Ernest was subsequently reported wounded and missing on 30th September 1916.  

Ernest's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

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.”

Soldiers Effects along with his Army pay and a War Gratuity of £4 went to his mother Mary, of 19 Harvey Street, Edge Hill. Multiple pension cards show that she was awarded a pension of 8/- a week from July 1917, and show his name as Ernest Lunt as well as George Ernest Siddell Lunt, also (alias Hagan), show his mother as Mrs. Mary Ellen Lunt (Hagan), and give his battalion as 4th K.L.R. 

In 1939 his parents (Lunt) are still at 19 Harvey Street.  His father is 79, a retired dock labourer, his mother is 74.  Son William Lunt (name noted also as Hagan) is 39, a temporary postman. 

Ernest is commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance (as Lunt) on Panels 23 and 24 Left 

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