Cpl 35165 Jack Ramsbottom

• Age: 27
• From: Darwen, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Serre Rd No 2 Cem, B-hamel
  Panel Ref: XXXIV.B.4

John (Jack) Ramsbottom was born on the 28th June 1889 at Darwen, Lancashire the son of James Ramsbottom and his wife Jane (née Mather) who were married on the 07th April 1880 at St Anne's Church, Turton, near Darwen. James was a 21 year old bank clerk of Turton, father William a plate layer, whilst Jane was aged 22 of Entwistle, father Jonathan a shopkeeper. Jack baptised at St Peter's Church of England, Over Darwen on 28th July 1889.  

The 1891 Census shows the family are living at 10 Higher Church Street, Over Darwen, Blackburn. John is one year old and lives with his parents and two siblings. His father is a 32 year old fruit and potato merchant, his mother is also 32 years of age. His siblings are Jane aged 9 and James aged 5. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 99 Tulketh Street, Southport. Jack's father, James, is aged 42, born in Entwistle, Lancashire in 1859 occupation, fruit and potato merchant, whilst his mother Jane is also aged 42, born 1859 in Edgeworth, Lancashire. They have three children in the household; Jane, aged 19, James junior aged 15 is a clerk to a fruit merchant (probably his father) and John aged 11.

Jack was connected with Christ Church and associated with the Men’s Bible Class as a member of the Young Christian Men’s Association.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 99 Tulketh Street, Southport. His father James aged 52, is a wholesale fruit and potato merchant, whilst his mother Jane is also aged 52. They have been married for thirty years and have had eleven children of which three have sadly died. Those children listed in the household in 1911 are; Jane aged 29, born Darwen in 1882 no occupation shown, James aged 25 and born in Darwen is a salesman and clerk, John aged 21 is also shown as a salesman and clerk, Annie aged 16, born 1895 in Darwen is a student, Herbert aged 14, born 1897 in Southport, Hilda aged 11, born 1900 in Southport, Cecil aged 8, born 1903 in Southport  and Lilian aged 6, born 1905 in Southport are all at school.     

Jack enlisted in Southport and was serving in the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Corporal No 35165 when he was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916 aged 27 at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

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 death was reported in the Southport Visiter dated 10th August 1916:

Son of Mr & Mrs J Ramsbottom, 97 Tulketh St, Southport. Cpl Ramsbottom joined the King's Liverpool in February 1916, and had only been at the front about five weeks when he was killed. A letter received by his parents from a fellow corporal stated that Cpl Ramsbottom was missing, and a parcel had arrived for him, but as he was missing they had divided it among themselves. He was later officially reported killed in action. He was connected with the Christ Church Men's Bible Class, and was a member of the Young Men's Christian Association. 

A further report from the Liverpool Echo also dated 10th August 1916 gave the following;

News has been received at Southport that Private John Ramsbottom of the King's Liverpool Regiment, is missing. He is twenty six years of age, and the second son of Mr. James Ramsbottom, Marker Street, Southport. He assisted his father in the wholesale fruit trade. 

Jack now rests at Serre Road Cemetery No 2, Beaumont Hamel, France.

In June 1916, the road out of Mailly-Maillet to Serre and Puisieux entered No Man's Land about 1,300 metres south-west of Serre. On 1 July 1916, the 31st and 4th Divisions attacked north and south of this road and although parties of the 31st Division reached Serre, the attack failed. The 3rd and 31st Divisions attacked once more on the 13 November, but again without success.

Early in 1917, the Germans fell back to the Hindenburg Line and on 25 February, Serre was occupied by the 22nd Manchesters. The village changed hands once more in March 1918 and remained under German occupation, until they withdrew in August.

In the spring of 1917, the battlefields of the Somme and Ancre were cleared by V Corps and a number of new cemeteries were made, three of which are now named from the Serre Road. Serre Road Cemetery No.2 was begun in May 1917 and by the end of the war it contained approximately 475 graves (Plots I and II, except for Row E, Plot II which was added in 1922 and Row AA, Plot I which was added in 1927), but it was greatly enlarged after the Armistice by the addition of further graves from the surrounding area.

There are now 7,127 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery, mostly dating from 1916. Of these, 4,944 are unidentified.

The cemetery, which was not completed until 1934, was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

He is also remembered on the family headstone in Duke Street Cemetery, Southport and the Southport War Memorial. 

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