Pte 26592 John O'Neill

• Age: 18
• From: Prescot, Lancs
• 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.

John O’Neill was born in the March quarter of 1898 in Prescot, Lancs and was the son of John O'Neill and his wife Esther (née Ward) who were married on the 19th Feb 1889 at St Bartholomew’s, Rainhill. Their first child, Thomas, died before his first birthday. John had older siblings Henry Ottiwell, Mary, Annie, and Richard, and younger siblings Martha Ward, James, and George. 

In 1891 they lived at 49 North Hill Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool, father was aged 24, a greengrocer born Whiston, mother is aged 27 born Whalley, nr Blackburn, and son Henry O. aged 6mths born Little Woolton.

They moved to St. Helens in about 1893. 

The 1901 Census finds 3 year old John living with his parents at 16 Salisbury Street, Prescot.

His father, John, is shown as aged 33 and employed as a metalman below ground (coal mine). His mother Esther is shown as 37. He has four siblings; Henry aged 10, Mary 8, Annie 6 and Richard 5.  

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved and are living at 39 Emily St, St. Helens.

His father John is now shown as aged 45, born 1866 in Whiston, his occupation declared as a coal mine contractor. His mother Esther is aged 48, born 1863, born in Billington, Lancashire. They have been married for twenty three years and have had nine children of which one had died. Those listed as present in the household are;  Henry Ottiwell aged 20, born 1891 is a coal miner drawer, Richard aged 15, born 1896 occupation errand boy for a nurseryman, John aged 12, Martha aged 9, born 1902, James aged 6, born 1905 and George aged 3, born 1908. His elder sisters are both in service, Mary, 18, in Rainhill, and Annie, 17, in the household of her uncle and aunt, Ottiwell and Sarah Ward, at Prescot Hall Farm.

John enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 26592. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, John enlisted in about April 1915, when he would have turned 17 years old.  

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory, 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 shipped to France with his battalion on 07th November 1915.

John was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 18, 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.

John was originally posted as Missing. A report in the Liverpool Echo dated 13th September 1916 states:

"St. Helens Man Missing":

Pte. John O'Neill, of the K.L.R., is reported missing since July 30. Any news will be gratefully received by his parents at 18, Emily-street, Thatto Heath, near St. Helens. 

His death was later officially presumed to have occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

John'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.”

John earned his three medals.

Soldiers’ effects and a War Gratuity of £4-10s to his father, John.

John is commemorated on the St. Helens Cenotaph and St. Helens Roll of Honour.

His elder brother Henry served in the R.A.M.C. as Pte 1676 and arrived in France on 08/09/1915. He returned to the U.K. for demobilisation in January 1919. His other brother Richard also served in R.A.M.C. as Pte 1480.  

His father died in 1930 aged 63, and his mother in 1937 at 74.

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