Pte 22521 Robert Henry Scaife

• Age: 31
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• D.O.W Monday 7th August 1916
• Commemorated at: Abbeville Cc
  Panel Ref: VI.K.11

Robert Henry Scaife was born 16th September 1884 and was baptised 02nd November 1884 at Emmanuel C. of E. Church, Everton. He was the son of Robert William Scaife and his wife Alice (nee Eaton) who were married 12th December 1876 at Christ Church, Kensington, Liverpool.

The 1891 Census finds the family living at 22 Godfrey Street, Everton.  Parents Robert W. aged 35 a coachman for doctor, and Alice aged 33, with children Catherine 13 a scholar, Alfred 9 a scholar, and Robert H. 6 a scholar (everybody born Liverpool).

The 1901 Census shows that the family have moved to 101 Cresswell Street, Everton - Parents Robert W. aged 45 a coachman, and Alice aged 43 a laundress, with children Catherine 23 a barmaid, Alfred 19 a newspaper publishers clerk, Robert 16 a hydraulic lift attendant, Thomas 8.

His mother Alice died in the December quarter of 1908 aged 50. 

His father Robert died in the June quarter of 1911 aged 56.

The 1911 Census shows Robert Henry boarding at 8 Gladstone Road, Liverpool. He is boarding with the Clarkson family and is aged 26 and employed as a packer, his brother Alfred William aged 29 and a clerk in a newspaper office is also boarding at the same address.

Prior to enlisting Robert worked at L.S.Dixon & Co. Ltd wholesale stationers based at 38 Cable Street, Liverpool.

His service records show that he enlisted in Liverpool on 09/11/1914 joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regment as Private 22525. He gave his age as 30 years and 2 months old and his occupation as a packer. He was 5’3½” tall, weighed 119lbs with a 36½” chest, fresh complexion, hazel coloured eyes, dark brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England.

Shortly after enlistment with the 20th Battalion, Robert Henry married Millicent Maud Lacy Gorrie on 27th December 1914 at St John the Baptist Church, West Derby.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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. 

07th November 1915: He embarked for France with his battalion.

Robert was wounded: GSW (back) at Guillemont on 30th July 1916, a telegram from the the South African General Hospital, Abbeville states he had a GSW to the sarcum [base of the spine] and died in consequence of his wounds on 07th August 1916. SDGW shows he died of wounds on 06th August 1916 whilst CWGC and his headstone records the date as 07th August 1916. 

Details of the action of 30th July 1916 are contained in the 20^th King’s Battalion Diary:

“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.   

He now rests at Abbeville Communal Cemetery.

For much of the First World War, Abbeville was headquarters of the Commonwealth lines of communication and No.3 BRCS, No.5 and No.2 Stationary Hospitals were stationed there variously from October 1914 to January 1920. The communal cemetery was used for burials from November 1914 to September 1916, the earliest being made among the French military graves. The extension was begun in September 1916. During the early part of the Second World War, Abbeville was a major operational aerodrome, but the town fell to the Germans at the end of May 1940. On 4 June, an attempt was made by the 51st Division, in conjunction with the French, to break the German bridgehead, but without success. Towards the end of 1943, eight large ski shaped buildings appeared near Abbeville. These proved to be storage units for flying bomb components an they were heavily bombed by Commonwealth air forces. Abbeville was retaken on 4 September 1944 by Canadian and Polish units. Abbeville Communal Cemetery contains 774 Commonwealth burials of First World War and 30 from the Second. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 9th and 16th August 1916

SCAIFE – August 7th died from wounds received age 31, Private R. Scaife “Pals” the dearly beloved husband of Millie Scaife (nee Millie Gorrie) – 67 Silverdale Avenue, Tuebrook.

and also in the Liverpool Courier on 11th August 1916

Pte R Scaife (31), Liverpool Pals, husband of Mrs M Scaife, 69 Silverdale Avenue, Tuebrook, died of wounds in France on August 7th. Prior to the war he was employed by L.S. Dixon and Co., Cable Street, where he was highly respected.    

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his widow Millicent Maud Lacy. 

Robert Henry Scaife is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 39.

His widow remarried in 1923 at St John the Baptist Church, Tuebrook to Frederick G. Lamb. They had a son Ernest Lamb born in the December quarter of 1924. 

Millie died on 03rd February 1944 in Sale, Cheshire with probate to her son Ernest Lamb.

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