Pte 16671 Henry North

• Age: 21
• From: Everton, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16671 Private Henry NORTH, 18^th Battalion KLR.

Henry North (Harry) was born in Everton, Liverpool on the 07th April 1895 and was the son of Benjamin Thomas North and his wife Florence (nee Fairbairn). They were married in 1891. 

Henry was a member of the Crescent Sunday School, Everton Brow which during the war produced a monthly publication.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 38, Kepler Street, Everton, Liverpool. His father, Benjamin, is aged 35, born in Rothley, Leicestershire in 1866 and is a forwarding clerk, his mother, Florence, is aged 31, born 1870 in Islington, Middlesex and has no occupation listed. They have four children in the household; James aged 8, born 1893, Henry aged 5, born 1896, Benjamin aged 3, born 1898 and Arthur aged 1, born 1900. Their children were all born in Liverpool. They also declared James Masters (brother in law) aged 23, born 1878 and employed as a hardware traveller, Elizabeth Masters (sister in law) aged 22, born 1879, James Masters their nephew born 1901 and a niece Mary Green law aged 15, born 1886 who is employed as a cigarette maker. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 80 Aubrey Street, Everton Liverpool. His father, Benjamin, is aged 45, and is now a cotton warehouseman, his mother, Florence, is aged 41, and has no occupation listed.  They advised that they had been married for 19 years, and had 7 children, 6 of whom had survived. They have three children in the household; James aged 18, is a drapery salesman, Henry aged 15, is an office boy, Benjamin aged 13, Arthur Stanley aged 11, John Edward aged 9 are at schooland and their daughter Florence is aged 1, born 1900. Also living at the address is the mother in law Mary Fairbairn, a widow aged 66, born 1845 in Islington, Middlesex, sister in law Alice May Fairbairn a widow aged 28, born 1883 occupation vest maker who was born in Liverpool as was her daughter Alice Edith aged 6, born 1905 who is at school.

When Henry enlisted in Liverpool on the 04th September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16671, he was was aged 19 years and 150 days and employed as a clerk with the Liverpool Post and Echo. He was described as being five feet seven inches tall, weighed 129lbs, with a 35” chest, a fresh complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. He stated his religion as Congregationalist and gave his mother, Florence, of 80 Aubrey Street as his next of kin.

From the 23rd September 1914 they were billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03rd 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.

Whilst training in the UK, he fell ill with acute nephritis and was treated at the Military Hospital, Belton Park, Grantham between 2^nd May and 7^th June 1915. The illness no doubt debilitated him as he did not sail with his Battalion to France on the 07/11/1915. He crossed to France as part of a reinforcement draft on 23/12/1915.

On arrival he joined the 30^th Division Base Depot and on 07^th January 1916, he was attached to No2 Entrenching Battalion. He did not join the 18^th Battalion until 28th May, 1916.

Henry was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, aged 21 years.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the day’s action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.  

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

The Liverpool Daily Post on the 24^th July 1916 reported:   

"ECHO" EMPLOYEE KILLED

Official news has been received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. North, of 80, Aubrey Street, Everton, that Private Harry North , of the "Pals" has been killed in action. North was employed in the "Post" and "Echo" offices and joined Kitchener's Army in September, 1914. He went out to the front in December last. He was just over twenty one years of age. He was a well known member of Crescent Sunday School, Everton Brow. 

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he 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.”

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Florence, she also received his personal items, just 1 letter.   

Henry is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 19.

Liverpool Daily Post and Echo, Old Hall Street, Liverpool 

His family remembered him in the Liverpool Post and Echo on the first anniversary of his death: