Pte 15282 William Wood Norcliffe

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

William Wood Norcliffe was born on 2nd July 1894 in Liverpool, the son of Henry and Janet Norcliffe (nee Wood). He was baptised in St. Dunstan's Church, Edge Hill, on 02nd September1894, his parents at that time living in Underley Street, and his father’s occupation given as grocer. His parents married on the 14th Sept 1893 at St George, Everton. Henry was a 25 year old grocer of 6 Mere Lane, father James Carr, whilst Janet was aged 25 of 13 St Domingo Grove, father John. William was the eldest of their four children; his siblings were Gladys Mary, Charles Henry, and Howard. 

By 1901 they have moved from Liverpool to Cheshire, and are living at 22 Rice Hey Road, Egremont, with two children; father Henry is aged 33, mother Janet is also 33, William is 6 years old. His father is a grocer’s assistant. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 24 Oxton Road, Poulton, Seacombe, Cheshire. 

William's father, Henry, is aged 43, born in Halifax in 1868 his occupation is shown as a grocer’s manager, his mother, Janet, is aged 43, born in Liverpool in 1868, she has no occupation listed. They have been married for seventeen years and have four children, all of whom are in the household. William Wood is aged 16, born 1895 is a clerk in a shipping office, Gladys aged 15, born 1896 is at school, and were both born in Liverpool. Charles aged 3, born 1908 was born in Egremont and Howard born 1911 in Poulton. They also have a niece Dora Bozie aged 10, born 1901 who is at school and she was born in Liverpool.

William was educated at Wallasey Grammar School, after schooling he entered the offices of the White Star Line. He was a member of Liscard Cricket Club and attended St Nicholas Church, Wallasey.   

He enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15282.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

William was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 22, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

17th Battalion Diary 

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.

William's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated 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 parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 14th August 1916:

“July 30, killed in action, aged 22 years,  Private W. W. Norcliffe, the dearly-loved eldest son of Henry and Janet Norcliffe, 24, Oxton Road, Wallasey.  (“Greater love hath no man”.)”

A newspaper report written at the time of William's death shows the esteem that he was held in by his Pals:

Private William Norcliffe, of the Liverpool Pals, the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Norcliffe, of 24, Oxton Road, Poulton, was killed in action on July 30th. He was educated at the Wallasey Grammar School, and afterwards entered the White Star Office. He was a member of the Liscard Cricket Club, and attended St. Nicholoas’ Church, Wallasey.

A friend in the same company writing to the parents say:

“It is with heartfelt sorrow that I have to inform you of the death of your dear son, who was killed in action on Sunday, July 30th. We had advanced that morning in accordance with orders, and it was a few hours after we had reached our new position that poor Will was hit by a bullet. I need hardly tell you how keenly his loss is felt out here, where he was loved by everybody with whom he came in contact, and especially do I, who regarded him as one of my nearest and dearest friends, miss him. Our hearts go out in sympathy with you over your irreparable loss, but we fervently hope in the midst of your sorrow you may seek some consolation (poor though this may seem compared with the sacrifice), that Will died nobly doing his duty. I am sure it will be some relief to you to know that poor Will suffered no pain, his death being instantaneous.” 

Willie earned his three medals.

In December 1916 his Army pay went to his father Henry, who died one year after Willie’s death in August 1917, aged 49. His mother received a War Gratuity of £8-10s.

William was remembered by his family, on the first anniversary of his death, in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost At The Battle Of Guillemont”:

“Killed in France (1st Pals), July 30, 1916, dearest Willie. Dearly-loved and sorely missed by all at 24, Oxton Road, Poulton, Wallasey. (“Oh, for the sound of the voice I loved.”)” 

His mother placed an In Memoriam notice on the first anniversary of his father’s death in 1918:

“Norcliffe - In loving memory of my beloved husband Hal, who passed away August 19, 1917.  Also my dearly-loved eldest son, William Wood, who was killed in action July 30, 1916.  (“I long for you both in silence unseen.”) - Mother”

In 1939 his mother, 72, was still at 24 Oxton Road with son Howard, 29, a chartered architect.  She died in 1960 at the age of 92.

Willie is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Wallasey Grammar School 

Parish Of Poulton

Wallasey Civic Memorial (Hospital)

Wallasey Roll of Honour

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 19

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