Pte 22466 Thomas March

• Age: 29
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

Thomas March was born in 1891 in Litherland, the second child of three born to William Wallace March and his wife Anne (nee Shepherd). His siblings were William Wallace and Eliza. His parents were married at St Philips Church, Litherland in 1889. His father was born in Scotland whilst his mother was born in Liverpool. 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 26 Delta Street, Litherland. His father is employed as a skinner.

His father died in 1893 aged just 27.

In 1901 the family are living at 46 Delta Street, Litherland. His widowed mother Ann is aged 31, and a dressmaker. She lives with her children Eliza 10, Thomas 9, and William Wallace 7.

Thomas married Isabella Aldred on the 28th March 1910 at St Andrews Church, Bebington.

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool on 10^th November 1914 joining the 20^th Battalion as Private 22466. He advised that he was born in Liverpool and was aged 25 years 349 days. He was described as being 5’4 inches tall, weighed 142 lbs with brown eyes and dark brown hair, religion Church of England. He stated that he was employed as a Clerk.

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 07^th November 1915.

His service records show:

Thomas was killed in action with the 19th Battalion K.L.R. on 28^th March 1918.  

The Battalion diary records the events of the day as follows:

During the morning the enemy attacked the troops on our right flank and succeeded in capturing ARVILLERS, menacing our right flank. Three companies of the Battalion had to be immediately echeloned backwards as protection, the Battalion engaging the enemy, who were attempting to come out of ARVILLERS. This position was held during heavy fighting until 2pm when the Battalion was informed that French troops had come into position in the rear. In order for the Division to be relieved the Battalion had to hold their ground whilst the 2^nd Bedfordshire Regt and 2^nd Bn. R.S.F.’s passed through on their way to the rear. At 4pm the Battalion commenced to move off in small parties, passing through the French, and marching through MEZIERES, MOREUIL to MORISEL where hot dinner was provided. The Battalion then formed up and moved up by companies to ROUVREL and were billeted for the night. By this time the total casualties had reached 23 Officers and 457 O.R.

Thomas' body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Pozieres Memorial in France.

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.

This was not the only tragedy to befall the family as his daughter Isabella died on 12th August 1918 probably as a result of the Spanish Flu pandemic, she was just 7 years of age. The very next day his wife Isabella died on 13^th August 1918 of influenza and pneumonia. Her mother, Harriet Roddy became Guardian of her grandchildren. A letter states that Thomas’s medals and Memorial Scroll are to be held in trust for his son James until he is old enough to appreciate them.

A report of the family deaths appeared in the Bootle Times newspaper on 23^rd August 1918:

The chief mourners were Miss Aldred, Miss Roddy, and Miss M. Roddy (sisters), Mrs. March (mother-in-law), Mrs. Sawyer (sister-in-law), Mr. March (brother-in-law), Mr. March (uncle), Mr. Arrowsmith (uncle), Mr. and Mrs. Aldred (uncle and aunt), Miss Aldred and Mr. Arrowsmith (cousins), Mrs. Harding (aunt), Miss Harding (cousin), Mr. Fletcher (uncle), Mr. F. Bailey, Miss Craddock, Miss A. Craddock, Mr. Craddock, etc.   

Floral tributes were sent by Mother and Sister, Grandma and Aunties, tom's Mother, Brothers and Sisters, Grannie March, Uncle Willie and Aunt Lily, Aunt Mary, Auntie Dot, and Uncle Alf, Maggie, Tom, Uncle Tom and Aunt Alice, Aunt Emma and Cousin Alice, Polly Mercer, Her Friend Jessie, Alice, Anna, Willie, and George, George and Katie, Mrs. Bailey, Mr. and Mrs. Clay, Freda Clay, Mrs. Stevenson and family, The Neighbours, Friends at Blackledges, Cousins Lena, Alfred and Harold, and many others.  

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. Thompson's, Ltd., 352 and 354, Stanley-road, Bootle, 2 and 4, Orrell-lane, Walton, 72, St.John's-road, Waterloo, and 137, County-road, Liverpool.

His mother Ann, date of birth 27th August 1869, appears on the 1939 register at 59 Hornby Boulevard, Litherland with sons William W., Thomas and granddaughter Ann Edna March(Hale). 

His mother died in the September quarter of 1946, aged 77. 

Grateful thanks are extended to Eileen Simpson for her research into Thomas and his family and for allowing us to share this truly heartbreaking story.

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