Pte 17080 Frank Valentine Narracott

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 18th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Frank Valentine Narracott was born in 1893 in Liverpool and was the son of Matthew Henry Narracott and his wife Isabella Charlotte (nee Stewart) who were married in 1888 in the Liverpool Registration district. Prior to the outbreak of war he had been employed on the Clerical Staff of Cunard Steam Co at Derby Road, Bootle. Frank was a cotton clerk in 1911.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 7 Recreation Street, Bootle cum Linacre.

Father Matthew H. 39 a joiner, b.Leicester, mother Isabella 37 b.Liverpool, children all born Liverpool, Matthew 12, Henry 9, Frank 7, Ronald 6 and Nellie 3. 

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 58 Boswell Street, Bootle.

Father Matthew H. 49 a joiner, mother Isabella 47, children Matthew 22 a bricklayer, Henry 19 sugar clerk, Frank 17 cotton clerk, Ronald 16 apprentice plumber, and Nellie 13 at school. The parents had been married 24 years with 8 children born and 5 still alive. 

Frank enlisted on the 31st August 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. he was aged 20 years and 300 days and gave his occupation as a Clerk. He was 5ft 7 inches tall, weighed 140lbs, 34” chest, had a fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Baptist. His NOK was father Matthew, 58 Boswell St. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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. 

His service records have survived and show :

29.08.15: At Knowsley he was absent without leave between 12 midday on 29.08.15 to 01:00am on the 30.08.15. Awarded forfeiture of Indulgences for three days.

26.09.15: At Knowsley he was absent without leave between 12 midday on 26.09.15 to 10:15am on the 27.09.15. Punishment of three days confined to Barracks awarded 28.09.15.

29.12.15: Embarked for France.

30.12.15: Arrived at Etaples.

07.01.16: Attached to No2 Entrenching Battalion.

17.05.16: whilst on duty attached to 120(railway Company) Royal Engineers at Borre Siding he lacerated his Right Index Finger.

18.05.16: Admitted to 3rd Canadian General Hospital, Boulogne.

23.05.16: To Depot.

02.06.16. Discharge to Base.

08.06.16: Etaples.

08.06.16: Boulogne Classified “A”

He was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 17080 when he was killed in action on the 18th October 1916, aged 23, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

18^th Bn Diary

18^th October 1916

Attacked German trenches commencing 3.40 am. Relieved by 19^th Manchester Regt. Took up position in support Bn trenches W. of Goose Alley.

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals gives an overview of the events of the day:

“At 3.40 am the whistles blew, and the Battalion left its assembly trenches, in three waves, approximately fifty yards apart, and began to cross No Man’s Land. Almost immediately, the German Barrage fell on the first wave and halted its advance, so that the second wave soon caught up with it. This was not a great problem at first, and the two combined waves were able to advance together for about 300 yards, whereupon they encountered the German Grid Trench system. On the right of the advance, it was found that the wire was largely intact, apart from a few gaps, and the Germans bombed and machine gunned these gaps, which prevented any further progress. Elsewhere along the trench, however, the wire was cut and there did not seem to be any serious opposition. Nevertheless, the men hesitated to jump down into the German trenches, and instead, began to filter back across to the safety of their own lines.

By this time the third wave had caught up, as had a fourth wave, which had been detailed to mop up any opposition once the trenches had fallen, and all four waves became intermingled which added to the confusion. No less than three attempts were made to try to get the men to go forward again, but each attempt became markedly less successful than its predecessor, and eventually the attack came to a standstill. Although the British assembly trenches had received the attention of the German guns, the attackers in No Mans Land had not come under any great intensity of fire up until this point.

However, once it became obvious to the Germans that the attack was disorganised and faltering, they began to fire into the massed men from the flanks. It was probably this that finally settled the issue and convinced the Pals that they could no longer gain the enemy trenches, and all four waves, now merged into one, began to retreat to their own lines. The whole attack had been an abysmal failure, and no ground had been gained at all”.               

He was originally posted as Missing and was reported as such in the Bootle Times 24th November 1916

Information is sought concerning Private Frank V. Narracott, K.L.R., who previous to joining the colours resided with his parents at 58, Boswell-Street, Bootle. Before joining the Army he was a member of the clerical staff of the Cunard Company at Derby-Road.

Liverpool Daily Post - Wednesday 29 November 1916 

Missing. 

King’s Liverpool Regiment - Broady, 17046, W. T. (Egremont); Cadwell, 29492 J. J. (Southport); Cromwell, 16706, Corpl. T. L.; Fitzroy, 32741, F; Golothan, 32690, Corpl. W. P. (Chester); Griffiths, 32795, J. W.; Hilditch, 17057, A. J.; Leadsom, 39054, S.; Leighton, 16975, H. N. (Seaforth); Narracott, 17080, F. V.; Orrett, 16984, Sergt. J. S. (Prescot); Poole, 33265, F. (Shrewsbury); Powell, 23167, J.; Rench, 16992, T. F.; Ronson, 16054, G. R.; Speed, 26587, R.; Taylor, 23841, A. 

Liverpool Echo 22nd Aug 1917 

NARRACOTT - Reported missing, now officially presumed killed, October 18,1916, aged 23 years, Frank Valentine (K.L.R.), the third beloved son of Mr and Mrs Narracott, 58 Boswell Street, Bootle. 

Frank has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing for the Somme, France.

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 is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Bootle Civic Memorial

Christ Church C. of E. Church, Bootle

Ash Street Baptist Mission, Bootle

Christ Church C. of E. School, Bootle

Cunard Steam Co Plaques and Roll of Honour now situated in Our Lady and St Nicholas Church, Liverpool  

St Leonard’s C. of E. Church, Bootle. 

Soldiers Effects to father Matthew H., Pension to father and sister Nellie M. 

Mother Isabella died aged 55 in 1919. 

Brother Henry served as L/Cpl 22187 KLR. 

Liverpool Daily Post 25th July 1916 

FALLEN AND WOUNDED "PALS" 

Corporal H.S. Narracott has been seriously wounded and is in hospital at Stockport with his left leg amputated. He was employed by the Sicilian Marble Company Ltd, Vauxhall Road, and resided with his parents at 58 Boswell Street, Bootle. He has three brothers in France. 

He was Gazetted for the Military Medal on the 14th Dec 1916. 

He was discharged on 17th Feb 1917 and received a Pension. 

Brother Ronald served as Pte 1274 KLR, and Pte 325148 Lancashire Fusiliers. 

His brother, Matthew Fleming Narracott served with the Labour Corps (No 36409) and was discharged from the army on the 11th October 1919

Father died in hospital on the 4th June 1938 aged 77. 

Liverpool Daily Post - Tuesday 07 June 1938 

NARRACOTT - June 4 in hospital, aged 77, MATTHEW HENRY, husband of the late Isabella Narracott, 58 Boswell Street, Bootle. Interment at Bootle Cemetery to-morrow (Wednesday) at 4pm. (No mourning.) 

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