L/Cpl 23628 Thomas Leonard Maybrick

He enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 23628.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory training there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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 and attained the rank of Lance-Corporal.  

He was killed in action by a sniper on the 30^th July 1916, aged 31, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th 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 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th 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.

The Liverpool Echo of 11th August 1916 reported his death:

AN ONLY SON.

Mr. Thomas Maybrick, of Ancaster-road (sic), Birkdale, has received news that his only son, Lance-corporal Thomas Maybrick, aged 30, of the " Pals," was killed by a sniper July 30. At the outbreak war Lance-corporal Maybrick was holding excellent position in Chile, which he gave up in order to serve his country. He joined the "Pals" in December, 1914, and went to the front last November, being attached to the Scouts Section. He had been specially commended for bravery.

A further local newspaper reported

KILLED IN ACTION

MAYBRICK--Killed in action, July 30th, 1916, in his 31st year, Thomas Leonard Maybrick, Lance-Corpl., King's (Liverpool Regt.) (Pals), dearly loved and only son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Maybrick, Lancaster-rd, Birkdale. 

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