Pte 16870 George Richard Seddon

• Age: 28
• From: Pemberton, Lancs
• 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.

16870 Private George Richard SEDDON, 18^th Battalion KLR.

George Richard Seddon was born in Pemberton near Wigan on 2nd February 1888, the son of Edwin, a timber agent born in Atherton and his wife Mary Jane (nee Mather) who married in 1874 at Manchester Cathedral (formerly Manchester Collegiate Church). 

In 1891 his parents live with ten children, including George Richard aged 3, at 339 Ormskirk Road, Pemberton. His father is a 40 year old timber agent who was born in Atherton,and his mother is 41 years of age and was born in Manchester. George's siblings are recorded as: Ethel Alice aged 15, Ida Ruth is 14, Elsie G. is 10, Percy Edwin is 9, Dora Mary is 8, Reuben is 6, Sydney Thomas is 5, Gladys H. is 1 and Nina Mabel is 3 months old.   

In 1901 they have moved and now live at 12 Oriel Road, Bootle with six of their children. Both parents are in the household, his father is aged 50, a timber agent, and his mother is aged 51, and George is now aged 13. He lives with his five siblings; Ida Ruth aged 24, Elsie G. a 20 year old school governess, Dora M. is an 18 year old pupil teacher, Reuben is a 16 year old timber apprentice and Sydney T, is a 15 year old shipping apprentice.

George was baptised on 24^th May 1902, with four of his siblings; Dora, Reuben, Percy and Sydney at the Chapel of S Mary's in Bootle.

In 1911 at 137 Hornby Road, Bootle, with five children including George Richard who is said to be a 23 year old rice milling clerk. His father now aged 60, is still employed as a timber agent, and his mother is aged 61 and they advise that they have been married for 36 years and have had 11 children, seven of whom have survived.   George's siblings still resident at home are recorded as; Ida Ruth aged 34, Elsie G. aged 30 an assistant teacher, Dora M. aged 28 is also an assistant teacher and Reuben is aged 26 and a timber clerk.   

George Richard enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 01^st September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16870. He gave his age as 26 years 211 days, his place of birth as Pemberton, his occupation as clerk and his next of kin as his father, Edwin, living at Moss Lea, Lower Lane, Fazakerley. He was described as being 5' 4" tall, weight 125lbs, 34” chest, with good physical development and a sallow complexion. He has blue eyes and brown hair and states that his religion is 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. 

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

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.

George Richard has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

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.”

His anniversary saw a notice from his family in the Liverpool Echo on the 02nd July 1917 

LOST AT THE SOMME BATTLE: 

SEDDON—In loving remembrance our darling boy, G. R. SEDDON, K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action, July 1, 1916. - “Moss Lea”, Lower Lane, Fazakerley. 

He was also remembered in the Liverpool Echo on the 01st July 1918: 

SEDDON—In remembrance our darling boy, G. R. SEDDON, K.L.R., killed in action, July 1, 1916. 

He is also remembered on the war memorial in Emmanuel Parish Church, Longmoor Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool.

The family grave in Atherton Cemetery reads:- 

In Loving Memory of  

GEORGE RICHARD  

Youngest Son of EDWIN & 

MARY JANE SEDDON  

of Fazakerley (Late of Atherton)  

18th Kings Liverpool Regt.  

Killed at the Battle of the Somme  

July 1st 1916  

Buried on the Battlefield  

Aged 28 Years. 

Also recorded are :- 

His father who died, aged 73, on the 07th June 1924. 

His mother who died, aged 82, on the 26th April 1932.

A document misfiled in the service record of Frederick Seanor, says that George’s effects (identity disc, prayer book and two photographs) were forwarded to his father. Soldiers Pension to mother Mary Jane. 

As of July 1919 his siblings are recorded as; Ida Ruth aged 44, Elsie Gertrude 39, Percy Edwin 38, Dora Mary 36 Reuben 34, and Sydney Thomas 33.   

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