Pte 16209 David Scarlett

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Danzig Alley Cem, Mametz
  Panel Ref: Mem 16

16209 Private David SCARLETT 18^th Battalion KLR.

David Scarlett was born on 25^th April 1896, the only son and elder of two surviving children born to Robert Henry Scarlett, a schoolmaster, and his wife Emily (nee Sinfoil), both from London, where they married on 24th December 1893 at Immanuel, Streatham Common, London. Robert was a 27 year old schoolmaster of 27 Eade Rd, Finsbury Park, father Robert Henry, whilst Harriet was aged 26 of Factory Square, father Dennis. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 44 Brookdale Road, Liverpool. David is 4 years of age and the only child in the household of his parents. His father is a 34 year old schoolmaster born in Westminster, London and his mother a 33 year old born in Streatham, London. 

By 1911 the family have moved to 22 Ferndale Road, Liverpool. His parents are both present in the household and have been married for 17 years, they declare that two of their four children have survived. David is now a 14 year old schoolboy and he has a younger sister Dora Mary aged 5. There is also a cousin resident; Frank Alfred Scarlett aged 7 born in Erith, Kent.  

David enlisted at St George's Hall, Liverpool on 03^rd September 1914 joining the 18th Battalion as Private 16209. He gave his age as 19 years 131 days when he was actually only 18 years old, his occupation as analytical chemist and his next of kin as his father at 99 Kenmare Road, Liverpool. He is described as being 5' 7" tall, weighed 119lbs, 34” chest,  had a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England.

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.  

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

He was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, aged 20.

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.

He was originally buried in Vernon Street Cemetery, Carnoy but the location of his remains lost probably through enemy shelling. He is now commemorated on the war memorial at Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz.

The village of Mametz was carried by the 7th Division on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, after very hard fighting at Dantzig Alley (a German trench) and other points. The cemetery was begun later in the same month and was used by field ambulances and fighting units until the following November. The ground was lost during the great German advance in March 1918 but regained in August, and a few graves were added to the cemetery in August and September 1918. At the Armistice, the cemetery consisted of 183 graves, now in Plot I, but it was then very greatly increased by graves (almost all of 1916) brought in from the battlefields north and east of Mametz and from certain smaller burial grounds, including:

VERNON STREET CEMETERY, CARNOY, in the valley between Carnoy and Maricourt, at a place called "Squeak Forward Position". 110 soldiers who died in July-October 1916 were buried here by the 21st Infantry Brigade and other units.

Dantzig Alley British Cemetery now contains 2,053 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 518 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 17 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 71 casualties buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo dated 11th July 1916 -

KILLED IN ACTION

SCARLETT - Killed in action, July 1, aged 20 years, DAVID (Liverpool Pals), the loved and only son of R.H. and H.A. Scarlett, 99 Kenmare-road, Wavertree. 

Liverpool Echo on 13th July 1916 

Killed. 

SCARLETT - July 1, killed in action, aged 20, DAVID (" Pals "), the loved and only son of R.H. and H. A. Scarlett, 99 Kenmare-road, Wavertree. 

Liverpool Daily Post 7th Aug 1916 

Killed. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Scarlett, 12609, D. (Liverpool); 

Probate 1916:- 

SCARLETT David of 99 Kenmare Road, Wavertree Liverpool private 18th King’s Liverpool regiment died 1 July 1916 in France Administration Liverpool 21 August to Robert Henry Scarlett schoolmaster. Effects £108 5s 8d. 

David is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Beoco Ltd (British Edible Oils Co) Regent Road, Bootle

Holt High school, Queens Drive, Childwall(now Childwall Comprehensive)

St Bridget Parish Church, Bagot Street, Wavertree, Liverpool.

It reads:- 

Of Your Charity Pray For  

The Soul Of  

My Dear Husband  

ROBERT HENRY SCARLETT  

Died December 13th 1919  

Aged 55 Years.  

Also DAVID,  

Beloved Son Of The Above  

Killed In Action In France  

July 1st 1916 Aged 20 Years 

Soldiers Effects to father Robert H. His effects (photos, his AFB2065 Attestation Form, and a cloth grenade badge) were sent to his father in October 1916 and he acknowledged receipt of “the above very small part of my son’s personal effects”.

Pension to mother Harriet Annie. 

Liverpool Echo on 1st July 1918 

SCARLETT - In loving memory of our dear DAVID, 18th K.L.R., killed in the battle of the Somme, July 1, 1916. “Sans Changer.” 99 Kenmare Road. 

Father died aged 53 on the 13th Dec 1919 and was buried on the 17th at Allerton Cemetery. 

Liverpool Daily Post 18th Dec 1919 

SCHOOLMASTER’S DEATH.  

Much regret felt in Liverpool scholastic circles at the death of Mr. Robert H. Scarlett, from septic pneumonia, following blood poisoning. He was the principal assistant and science master at the Oulton Secondary School, where he had worked assiduously and with exceptional results for over 20 years. There was a large gathering at the funeral yesterday in Allerton Cemetery, including Mr. Robert Nixon, headmaster, Miss G. Jones, M.Sc., headmistress and colleagues on the staff of Oulton School together with students from the upper forms, members of the Old Students’ Association, several of whom are now at Liverpool University. 

Mother drops off the Electoral Roll at 34 Field Way, Wavertree in 1935, and moves to Devon to be with daughter Dora. They appear on the 1939 register at Brymore Cottage, Crediton where Harriet, dob 17th Dec 1867, is living with Dora, a poultry keeper. She died aged 83 in 1950 in Kent. 

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