Pte 27536 Frank McNichol

• Age: 19
• From: Peel, IOM
• 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.

Frank McNichol was born on 19th December 1896 at Peel, Isle of Man, the son of Robert McNichol and his wife Catherine Jane (née Roney). He was baptised on 06th January 1897 in Peel. His parents married in 1881, his father’s occupation at the time mariner. Frank was the youngest of their nine children: Robert Thomas, John Matthias, William Henry, Annie Elizabeth, James Hugh, Catherine Ellen and Ethel Mary who both died in infancy, and Katie Maud.

His father is away at sea on the 1881 Census when his mother Kate has one child and lives with her mother and the 1891Census shows Catherine is a dressmaker with four children. 

His eldest brother Robert joined the Royal Navy before Frank was born. The Isle of Man Examiner published in April 1900 a list of Manxmen serving during the Second Boer War, which included Robert, address 18 Market Street, serving on H.M.S. Powerful.

Robert was involved in the famous Relief of Ladysmith, as reported in the Mona’s Herald on 16th May 1900:

“Among the many men belonging to H.M.S. Powerful who have since their return from Africa been feasted and praised all over England is a youth named Robert McNicholl of Market Street, Peel, aged 18 years. He was chosen as one of the gallant naval crew to fetch up, just in the nick of time, those valuable guns which proved the saviour of Ladysmith, and was in the beleaguered town during all the siege, the first intimation his parents received of his whereabouts being a letter from that place.  The services of the Naval Brigade need no extra colouring; we all appreciate its worth, and it is fine to think what we read of them, we read of one of our own countrymen.”

At the time of the 1901 census the family is living at 18 Market Street, Peel. His father 39, is a marine stoker, and his mother is 38. They have five children at home, Frank is 4 years old. 

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved to Liverpool and are living at 25 Burleigh Road South. Frank's father, Robert, is aged 49 born in Peel IOM in 1862, his occupation is recorded as a marine fireman, whilst his mother, Catherine, is aged 49 and was also born in Peel. They have been married for thirty two years and have had nine children of which two had sadly died. Those listed on the Census and all born in Peel, are;  William Henry aged 26, born 1885 is a marine engineer for a steamship company, James Hugh aged 19, born 1892 is a wood turner for a timber merchants, Katie Maud aged 15, born 1896 no occupation listed and Frank aged 14, is an office boy in a shipping office. They have a boarder named Edward Clarke aged 26, born 1885 in Peel, Isle of Man who is employed as marine baker for a steamship company.  

Frank enlisted in Liverpool joinng the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 27536. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, Frank enlisted in about May 1915 when he was 18 and a half years old.

He arrived in France on 29th December 1915, when he had just turned 19.  

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

Frank'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.”

He earned his three medals. 

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £4-10s went to his mother Catherine, who was awarded a gratuity in lieu of a pension in February 1917.

Soldiers Effects to his mother Catherine.

His family paid tribute to Frank in the Peel City Guardian on 28th July 1917:

McNICHOL - In loving memory of our dear brother Frank, who was killed in action July 30th 1916.

He sleeps besides his comrades

In a far off grave, unknown;

But his name is written in letters of love

In the hearts he left at home.

Lovingly remembered by his sister's Andy and Katie
 

McNICHOL - In sad but loving memory of our dear son, Private Frank McNichol, Liverpool Pals, killed in action, July 30th 1916.

Sadly missed by his sorrowing Mother, Father and Brothers, 25 Burleigh Road, South Everton, Liverpool.

In a far off grave my dear son lies

Not one of us near him to bid him goodbye;

But the angels of heaven are guarding his soul

Till we meet him again at the call of the role.

Frank is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Peel, Isle Of Man

St German Cathedral Church Roll Of Honour also Peel. 

His mother died in 1930 aged 68, still living at 25 Burleigh Road.  His father died in 1944 in the Isle of Man, aged 83.

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