L/Cpl 21578 John William Negus

• Age: 19
• From: Northampton
• 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.

John William Negus was born on 26th September 1896 in Northampton., the son of Harry John Negus and his wife Mary Ann (née Bodley). His parents married in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, in 1888.  John was the middle of their seven children, and the eldest son.  Their two eldest daughters, Helen May and Gladys Mary, were born in Newport Pagnell, and by 1894 they had moved to Northampton, where Muriel Kate and John were born. By 1898 they had moved again to Cheshire, where Bertram, Edward, and Dorothy were born. 

The 1901 census finds the family at 25 Stewart Street in Crewe. 

His father is a 42 year old railway coachmaker, his mother is 34. They have five children; John is 4 years old. Muriel, 6, is living in Laughton, Newport Pagnell, with her grandparents William and Caroline Bodley, who keep the Fountain Inn.  Also in the household is her uncle Frederick Bodley, 34, who is a butcher.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 25 Stewart Street, Crewe. His father, Harry John, is aged 52, born in Olney, Bucks in 1859 and his  occupation is recorded as a railway coachman. His mother Mary Ann is aged 43, born in Simpson, Bucks in 1868. They have been married for twenty two years and have seven children, those listed on the Census are: Gladys Mary aged 29, born 1892 in Newport Pagnell, Bucks, John William aged 14, Bertram Harry aged 12, born 1899 and Edward Victor aged 10, born 1901 are at school and Dorothy is aged 8, born 1903 and were all born in Crewe. Helen May (listed as Maisie), 21, and Muriel, 17, are with their widowed grandmother and uncle Frederick, who now runs the Fountain Inn.

John William was educated at Edleston Road County Primary School and Crewe Secondary School. John apparently attended classes at the Crewe Technical Institute, as in 1912 he earned his Union of Lancashire and Cheshire Institutes certificates in geometry, theoretical mechanics (solids), and practical mathematics.  He was awarded the Kean Prize 1st Class in his 4th year mechanical engineering course.

He enlisted on the 04th September 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 19th Battalion as Private 21578. He lied when he gave his age as 19 years and 3 days as he was just short of his 18th Birthday. He stated that he is an apprentice with the London and North Western Railway, Crewe, expiring in 1916.  Railway employment records describe his timekeeping, character and abilities as good. He had been employed four years and five and a half months. He was described as being five feet six and quarter inches tall, weighed 126lbs, 35” chest, fresh complexion, blue eyes, light brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England. His next of kin was father Harry, 25 Stewart St, Crewe. 

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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 papers show:

Qualifications: Machine gunner. 

24.8.15: At Belton Park: Leaving rifle range without permission. Confined to barracks for four days. 

06.10.15: Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

02.7.16: Wounded and remained on duty.

13.7.16: Appointed paid Lance Corporal.

He 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.   

His name appeared among the list of K.L.R. wounded published on 7th August 1916 in the Liverpool Daily Post. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Negus, 21578, Lce.-Corpl. J. W. (Crewe);   

Like so many other Liverpool Pals killed at Guillemont John William was originally declared as Missing. 

The Nantwich Guardian reported on 29th September 1916 

MISSING. LANCE-CORPORAL J. W. NEGUS. Lance-Corporal J. W. Negus, of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, has- been reported missing since the 30th July. Before the war was a fitter in Crewe Works.  

Mr. A. Holland, of 281 West Street, Crewe, made enquiries with the International Red Cross regarding L/Cpl Negus J.W., no.21587 K.L.R., Machine Gun Section, “disparu depuis début juil. (off.)”, i.e. officially missing since the beginning of July, but received a reply dated 13th September 1916 that they held no information on John. Arthur Holland worked for the L&NWR.

The Nantwich Guardian reported on 29th September 1916

MISSING. LANCE-CORPORAL J. W. NEGUS. Lance-Corporal J. W. Negus, of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, has- been reported missing since the 30th July. Before the war was fitter in Crewe Works. 

One year later his death was presumed to have occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

John William'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 effects and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his father.  His mother was awarded a pension of 5/- a week from June 1917.

John is commemorated on The London & North Western Railway Memorial stands outside Euston Station -

   IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE 3719 MEN OF THE

LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY

 WHO FOR THEIR COUNTRY, JUSTICE AND FREEDOM

             SERVED AND DIED IN THE GREAT WAR

                                       1914-1919

           THIS MONUMENT WAS RAISED BY THEIR

                                COMRADES AS A 

          LASTING MEMORIAL TO THEIR DEVOTION

Bertram enlisted as soon as he turned 18 in September 1916 joined the 72nd Training Reserve Battalion, was later posted to the South Wales Borderers and transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. He served overseas from March 1918 as a machine gunner and signaller. He was gassed in October 1918, hospitalised in Boulogne, and invalided to Edinburgh War Hospital.  He was demobbed on 01st February 1919 with a partial disability pension due to the “effects of gas on chest and stomach”.

In 1919 his parents were still at 25 Stewart Street with Gladys 26, Bertram 20, Edward 18, and Dorothy 16.  Helen, 29, was in Buckinghamshire, and Muriel, 24, lived in Crewe. 

His father died on the 18th Sept 1931 aged 72. 

Probate:- 

NEGUS  Harry John of Olwen Rope Lane, Shavington-cum-Gresty near Crewe died 18 September 1931 Probate Chester 9 October to Mary Ann Negus widow. Effects £485 3s 10d. 

His mother died on the 8th Feb 1935 aged 67. 

NEGUS  Mary Ann of Rope Lane, Shavington near Crewe died 8 February 1935 Probate Chester 27 February to Dorothy Lightfoot (wife of Winston Lightfoot). Effects £416 6s 4d. 

His memorial plaque sold for £70. https://www.harlandmilitaryantiques.co.uk/ourshop/prod_8204308-Memorial-Plaque-to-John-William-Negus-Liverpool-Pals.html

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