Pte 16934 David Stanley Roberts

• Age: 28
• From: Birkenhead, Cheshire
• 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.

16934 Private David Stanley ROBERTS 18^th Battalion KLR.

David Stanley Roberts was born on the 06th November 1887 in Birkenhead, and was baptised on 18^th December 1887 in St Peter’s Church, Birkenhead. David was the second of five children and the elder of two sons born to Frederick, and his wife Isabella (nee Monaghan), who married at St John's Church in Birkenhead on the 25^th April 1885. 

On the 1891 Census the family are living at 42 Bright Street, Birkenhead. His father is aged 29, a tailor born in Bangor, Caernarvon, mother is aged 26, born in Seacombe, and children born Birkenhead are Louisa aged 5, David S. 3, and Margaret aged 1. 

The 1901 Census finds the family have moved and are living at 11 Keighley Street, Birkenhead. David S. is 13 years of age and is an office boy, he lives with his parents and three siblings. His father is a 39 year old tailor born in Bangor, North Wales, whilst his mother is 36 years old and born in Seacombe. His siblings are shown as; Louisa aged 15 and a dressmaker, Margaret aged 11 and Phoebe aged 5.

Stanley or “Stan” as he preferred to be known was educated at Cathcart Street Council School.

In 1911 the family have moved to 83 Paterson Street, Birkenhead, when David Stanley, 23 years, is employed as a clerk in the corn trade and is living with his parents and three siblings. His father is now 49 years old and a master tailor, whilst his wife is 46 years of age. His parents advise that they have been married for 26 years and four of their five children have survived. His siblings are shown as Louisa aged 25 and a shop assistant, Margaret aged 21 and Frederick aged two years. 

Stan enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16934. He gave his age as 26 years 300 days, a clerk by occupation and gave his next of kin as his father of 83 Paterson Street, Birkenhead. He was described as being 5' 4" tall, weight 118lbs, 35" chest with a fair complexion, blue eyes and red hair. His religion is stated as Baptist.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd 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.

He crossed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on 07th November 1915.

In March 1916 he was admitted to 98^th Field Ambulance suffering from German measles and was hospitalised at the Meerut British General Hospital in Rouen. On being discharged on 01^st April 1916 was attached to No. 2 Entrenching Battalion. On 10^th April he was again admitted to hospital with measles, this time at No.7 General Hospital in St Omer and thence to an isolation hospital at Steenworde before rejoining 3 Company, 18^th Battalion on 20^th April.

He was killed in action at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, aged 28.

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 days 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. 

Stan's death was reported in the Birkenhead News of 22^nd July 1916:

“He was very well known as a prominent and exceedingly popular member of the YMCA, which he joined in about 1904. He distinguished himself particularly in the Association’s football and gymnastic clubs and was a member of the Victoria and Oxton Cricket Clubs. Known as “Stan”, he will be especially missed by members of the Church of Christ, Alvanley Place, where he attended and was a member of the Sunday School and Mr Delf’s bible class for many years. Pre-war he was employed by Mr Richard Cornelius, corn merchant, of Brunswick Street, Liverpool. A letter received by his mother from one of Stan’s colleagues says ‘He was everybody’s friend and we shall miss him very much. Stanley died a glorious death charging the enemy in one of the finest charges in the history of the British Army. Death was instantaneous and he bore a peaceful look. He was laid to rest with his comrades almost where he fell. Stanley was a hero and did his duty like a man’. Another comrade wrote to say “In Stan I had a real pal and I tell you it touches me very much to lose him. He died for his King and Country, which is the finest thing a man could do”.

Although his comrade’s letter described how Stan was laid to rest with his comrades almost where he fell, those graves were presumably obliterated in later fighting as he has no known grave being 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.” 

Stan is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall Panel 45 

Birkenhead War Memorial, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead.