Sgt 13889 Thomas Bestwick

Thomas was just 6 years of age when his father, John Thomas Bestwick died, aged 38, in the December quarter of 1888.

 

The April 1891 Census shows Thomas as a scholar aged 8 living with his widowed mother, aged 41, now a Laundry Washer woman and the family still at 12 Frederick Street, Wednesfield, with five children. Eldest brother Henry John, only 13, is an iron plate worker. 
Albert Henry was born a few months after the census in 1891.

At the time of the April 1911 Census there is still no sign of Thomas in England and Wales. His brothers have moved to Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. Joe, John, and Albert live at 29 Enfield Road. Joe, 30, the head of household, and Albert, 20, both married, are boot repairers, and John is 34, single, a steel mill labourer.

George, 25, also married, lives at 55 Highfield Road and is employed as a galvanizer in an iron works. (The Mersey Iron Works was a major employer in Ellesmere Port and although Thomas was a metal worker (according to his attestation papers) his name does not appear on the company memorial.)

Fanny, 22, is now married and lives in Birmingham.

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool (although SDGW gives Wolverhampton as his residence) on 29th August 1914 as Private 13889 joining the 16th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He was aged 30 years and 60 days and gives his occupation as metal worker. He was described as being 5 foot 7 and a half in height, weighed 139 lbs, 37” chest, and had a sallow complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England. He gives as next of kin his married sister Annie Moseley, 64 Grove Street, Wolverhampton. 

On 31st January 1915 whilst stationed at Hoylake he overstays his pass and misses a Military Tatoo, his punishment was listed as admonished. 

He was appointed Lance Corporal on 10th March 1915 and on 14th May promoted to Corporal.

30th July 1916

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 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. 

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 service record contains an entry dated 27th(?) May 1917, "death accepted for official purposes" as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

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 01^st 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.” 

On 31st October 1917 his Army pay arrears of £3 18s 6d was shared between his sisters and brothers but not John. 

No pension card has been found, indicating that Thomas had no dependents.

His brother, Albert, returned to Wolverhampton and enlisted in December 1914 in the South Staffs Regiment. He stated previous service in the 6th S. Staffs (discharged with a fractured leg in 1908). Two weeks later, on 12th January 1915 he was discharged as not likely to become an efficient soldier (reason not given or not clear), character good.


Joe's funeral in Ellesmere Port in 1926 was well-attended by ex-servicemen, suggesting military service. A Joseph Bestwick served overseas as Private 65522 in the 4th North Staffs Regiment.

Sadly, Thomas has not been found on the Wednesfield or Heath Town memorials, or any memorial in the U.K. He is, however, listed on the Heath Town Roll of Honour (online).

 

 

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