L/Cpl 23112 Emil Thomas Meinig

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

By 1914 his father was living at Rose Cottage, Mollington, Cheshire. Despite living in England for at least 24 years, he was declared an enemy alien, and interned (likely in 1915) at Knockaloe POW Camp, Isle of Man, where he remained for the rest of the war.

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool on 13^th November 1914 and was serving in the 20th Battalion as Private 23112. He gave his age as 19 and 344 days and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being 5’6 and a quarter inches tall, weighing 119 lbs, 34” chest, with grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and as next of kin, his father Emil, at 8 St Howard Street. 

Whilst at Knowsley, on 25/5/1915, he went absent without leave and was apprehended, after 17 days, by the Civil Police in Liverpool on 15/6/1915. As punishment he was confined to barracks for 8 days and forfeited pay. At Larkhill, on 02/10/1015, he was again absent without leave, for 3 days. He was confined to barracks for 14 days and forfeited 3 days’ pay.

He went to France with his battalion on 7th November 1915, disembarking at Boulogne.

He was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 05/05/1916, and appointed paid on 01/07/1916.

He was killed in action on 30th July 1916, aged 21, although he was originally posted as missing.

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.

A notice in the Liverpool Post and Mercury on the 09^th November 1916 stated that Meinig, 23112, Lce Corpl. T. (Mollington), previously reported Wounded, now reported Wounded and Missing.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost in the carnage that followed. His name is recorded 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.”

His father was released from internment on 15^th September 1919, and after the war lived at 48 Hilberry Avenue, Tuebrook. They then moved to Mollington, Cheshire where they are found on the 1939 Register at 2 Rose Cottage, Grove Road. Max, date of birth  14th November 1870, is a retired hotel manager, Florence, date of birth 15th May 1874, is a retired hotel manageress. There is no record of Max’s internment during WWII.

He died in 1948, aged 77, and Florence aged 84 in 1961. 

His brother Joseph served in the Royal Field Artillery.

Thomas is commemorated on St. Clement’s School plaque (as Emil).

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