Pte 10626 James Henry Nesbitt

• Age: 34
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: IV.L.10

James Henry Nesbitt was born in July 1882 in Liverpool the son of Samuel and Catherine Nesbitt (nee Powell), 20 Maynard Street, Liverpool. His parents married on the 12th Feb 1872 at St Nicholas, Liverpool. Samuel was a coppersmith of Hopwood St, father John, whilst Catherine was of Milton St, father William. They had nine children, of whom two died, according to his mother's statement on the 1911 census. Seven children are found on censuses: older siblings Elizabeth, born in 1872, William John 1874, Susannah 1877, and Samuel 1880 and younger siblings Sarah, born about 1885 (no birth record found; baptised C of E in 1891), and Thomas 1895, (no birth record found; baptised Roman Catholic in 1904).  

Before James' birth, in 1881, the family were living at 31 Hopwood Street.  They had four children, Elizabeth, William, Susannah, and Samuel. His father worked as a coppersmith.   

The 1891 Census shows the family living at St Arnaud St, Edge Hill, Liverpool.

James' father, Samuel is aged 39, born in Liverpool in 1852 is a coppersmith, whilst his mother, Catherine is aged 37, born 1854 also in Liverpool as were their children. They have four children at home at the time of the Census; William aged 16, born 1875 is a planer, Samuel aged 11, born 1880 , James Henry aged 7, born 1884 (sic) and Sarah aged 5, born 1886 are all at school. His sister Susannah, 13, is employed as a housemaid in Normanby Street, Toxteth Park.  

His eldest brother William joined the 3rd Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment in 1894 in Warrington when he was 19 (signed Nesbitt), and in April 1895 was posted to 2nd Bn. K.L.R.  He was transferred to the Reserve in 1902, and discharged in 1907 after 12 years' service. 

Samuel joined the 3rd South Lancashire Regiment in Warrington in 1898 when he was 17 (signed Nesbitt). He served in South Africa during the Boer War and was discharged on termination of engagement in September 1904. 

James followed his older brothers, attesting in Warrington on 01st August 1899 as Private 6506, 2nd Bn., K.L.R. (signed Nesbit), giving his age as 18 years (in fact he had just turned 17), and his occupation as labourer.  He is described as being 5' 5 and a quarter inches tall, weighing 118 lbs, with a sallow complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.  He has slightly defective teeth, and numerous scars on the back of his head. He gives his religion as C of E, and as next of kin his parents, in court housing in Maynard Street. 

He served in South Africa from March 1901 to January 1903, earning the South African Medal and Clasps - Cape Colony, Orange Free State, and Transvaal.  After his arrival back in the U.K he was transferred to the Reserves and discharged on termination of 12 years' service at the end of July 1911. James has not been found on the 1911 census.  

In 1901 his parents, both 49, are found at 91 Edgeware Street, Edge Hill, with son Thomas, 6, his father employed as coppersmith.   

In 1911 his father, 60, a coppersmith (marine boilers), is living with married daughter Susannah Boardman and her husband and son at 22 Maynard Street.  His mother, 55, and youngest brother Thomas, 16, a messenger (typewriters), are at 15 Edgeware Street, Edge Hill, boarding with John and Lilian Martin and family. 

James re-enlisted soon after war was declared as Private 10626, joining the 1st Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, and arrived in France on 19th September 1914, earning the 1914 (Mons) Star.   

At some point he was transferred to the 17th Bn K.L.R.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 34, 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.

He was buried as an Unknown British Soldier. After the armistice, in 1921, when graves were concentrated, he was identified (20th Bn.) and reinterred at Guillemont Road Cemetery where he now rests. 

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries, including:-

HARDECOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY. The village of Hardecourt-au-Bois was captured by French troops on the 8th July 1916, and again by the 58th (London) and 12th (Eastern) Divisions on 28 August 1918. Five British Artillerymen were buried by their unit in the French Military Cemetery, in the middle of the village, in September 1916; and in 1918 the 12th Division buried in the same cemetery 14 men of the 9th Royal Fusiliers and two of the 7th Royal Sussex.

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

James was reported Killed in the Liverpool Daily Post on 21st September 1916.  

The Medal rolls (1914 Star and Clasp, Victory Medal and British War Medal) give his surname as Nesbit, and the Medal Index Card notes, "K in A 14/5/1915".  No records have been found to support this, however.

The 1914 Star was awarded to officers and men of the British and Indian Expeditionary Forces who served in France and Belgium between 5 August and midnight of 22–23 November 1914.  A clasp was instituted in 1919, and was awarded to those who had served under fire or who had operated within range of enemy mobile artillery.  Approximately 145,000 to 150,000 clasps were issued, although the exact number is unknown since the clasp had to be claimed personally by the recipients, of whom a large number had either been demobilised from the army in early 1919 and  neglected to apply or had died. It was proposed that the clasp be automatically issued to the next of kin of the deceased, and this was approved on 17 July 1919.  

His father Samuel received his Army effects of over £19 and a War Gratuity of £9.  A pension claim was made by his father in 1924, then living at 68 Smithdown Lane, but was refused. 

His brother Samuel, a father of five, rejoined the S. Lancs Regiment on 5th September 1914 and arrived in France in January 1915.  He was wounded in action in September 1915, returned to the front, and was demobbed in January 1919.

His youngest brother "Francis Thomas" married with a child, enlisted (or was conscripted) in the Lancashire Fusiliers in October 1917.  He was wounded in action on 16th October 1918, suffering a gunshot wound to the left foot, and admitted to the Military Hospital, Sherlock Street, Liverpool.  He was discharged as no longer physically fit in May 1919 with a Silver War Badge, and awarded a partial disability pension of 5/6d a week.  He earned the British War Medal and Victory Medal but after being convicted of bigamy in Manchester in 1922, and sentenced to four months in prison, Infantry Records enquired about depriving the convicted man of his medals. The medal roll makes no note of forfeiture. 

His mother died in 1928, aged 73, and his father in 1930, aged 77.

Sadly, James has not been identified on any memorial.

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