Pte 22539 Richard Sixsmith

• Age: 23
• From: Upholland
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

22539 Private Richard SIXSMITH, 20th Battalion KLR.

Richard Sixsmith was born on June 24th 1893, the son of Thomas Sixsmith, and his wife Ellen (nee Pennington). Thomas and Ellen married in 1882 at the Wigan Registry Office when Ellen was only 18 years of age. Thomas was born in Upholland in 1859, and Ellen in 1863 also in Upholland. Richard was baptised on the 06th August 1893 at the Parish Church, Upholland, his father was a collier of 282 Tawd Bridge, Upholland. 

The 1891 Census at 262 Ormskirk Road, Upholland shows that there was another son, Albert Edward Pennington, born in 1881, and described as the son of Thomas Sixsmith. In 1919 in a sworn declaration, Thomas states that Albert Edward was in fact Richard’s half brother, which suggests that he was born to Ellen before her marriage to Thomas. Although Albert is named Sixsmith on the 1901 census, he in fact keeps the surname Pennington. 

In 1901 the family lives at 280 Ormskirk Road, Upholland, living with Thomas and Ellen are ten children – Albert E. 19, Sarah J. 18, John T. 16, James 15, Mathias 13, Ellen 11, William 8, Richard 7, Alice 5 and 1 year old Bertie. Their mother is aged 37, father is aged 42 and is an underground coal miner as are the older sons, Albert, John, James and Mathias. Ellen’s widowed mother Jane Pennington, aged 72, is living with the family.

Thomas and Ellen had two more children, Arthur in 1902 and May in 1904.

Richard's mother Ellen died, aged 44, in 1908.

The 1911 Census shows the widowed Thomas, aged 51, living at 318 Ormskirk Road. Richard aged 18, his brother William aged 19 and their father are all working below ground in the mines. Their sister Ellen is at home with her 82 year old grandmother Jane, looking after the younger children Bertie 11 at school;, Arthur 9 and May 7.

Richard enlisted in Liverpool on 13th November 1914, joining the 20th Battalion as Private 22539. He gave his age as 21 years 5 months, his occupation as collier and his next of kin as his father of 318 Ormskirk Road. He is described as 5’ 7”, weighing 128lbs, 36" chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England.

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 20th 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.

During his training in 1915, Richard was disciplined on three occasions for being absent without leave, forfeiting pay each time.

The war diaries record the events of the day for the 20th Battalion:

Maricourt

Zero Hour 7.30am. After 65 minutes intensive bombardment the Battalion advanced to the attack of the German trenches. The Battalion advanced in four lines each of the two leading Companies on a frontage of 2 platoons – No’s 1 & 2 Companies (in that order from the right) leading. No.3 Company in the 3rd wave, No.4 Company in the 4th wave. There being a distance of about 100 yards between each line. The lines advanced through the enemy’s artillery fire as though on parade in quick time. The leading waves went on without a pause to Alt Trench and Casement Trench which were secured at (time not stated) am. The casualties up to this being small. Our barrage lifting Dublin Trench (the 1st Objective) was captured and consolidation immediately proceeded with. Captain Whiting with the 3rd wave entrenching about 150 yards in the rear. Captain Robinson was wounded and No.2 Company was commanded during the day by Lt C P Moore. Casualties up to now were killed 2 officers – 1 wounded and 49 other ranks casualties killed and wounded.

At 11.50 am orders were received for the assault of the Briqueterie. The Battalion operation orders for this were issued from NW of Germans Wood. Our barrage lifted at 12,30 pm and No. 4 Company under Captain E C Orford assisted by a section of bombers under 2nd Lt Baker who went up Nord Alley and Chimney Trench to secure his left flank, who had got right forward under cover of the fire of our guns rushed it almost without opposition. On the far side a party of the enemy were found in deep dug-outs. They brought a machine gun into action and some close fighting ensued in which Lt Gooch and Lt Williams were wounded. Opposition was however speedily overcome and the garrison consisting of the H.Q. of a Regt, one Colonel and 4 other officers – 40 rank and file , 2 machine guns together with maps, orders, documents and material fell into our hands. Steps were immediately taken for consolidating the ground won, which however owing to the destruction wrought by our “heavies” was a matter of great difficulty, what had been trenches being almost unrecognisable as such and the earth so pulverised that cover could only be made by aid of sandbags.

The garrison was heavily shelled through the afternoon and most of the night and casualties were many. Battalion H.Q. were at the junction of Glatz Alley and Casement Trench north west of Germans Wood and this together with Dublin Trench received considerable attention from enemy guns. Casualties during the day 2 officers killed (2nd Lts F Barnes and JC Laughlin) and 3 wounded (Captain H H Robinson, Lt S Gooch and 2nd Lt F J Williams). 75 other ranks killed and wounded.

Richard's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave being 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.”

Soldiers Effects and Pension to father Thomas, Tawd Bridge, Upholland. Personal items returned:- 1 disc, 2 letters, belt, steel mirror in case, and a photo. 

In his sworn declaration dated 10th July 1919, Thomas listed his son’s surviving family of six brothers, a half-brother and four sisters, all except one son living at various addresses in Ormskirk Road. They were recorded as; John Thomas aged 35, James aged 31, Matthias 31, William 27, Bertie 19, Arthur 17, half brother Albert Edward Pennington 38, Sarah Jane Bentham 37, Ellen Fairclough 29, Alice Ashurst 23 and May aged 15.   

A report in the Wigan Observer dated 27th July 1916 has photographs of Thomas and three of his sons - Richard, killed on 01st July 1916; Mathias who served as Driver 114570, Royal Field Artillery; and William, served as Private 23980, 20th (Pals) Battalion, KLR and who was wounded on the Somme on 03rd July 1916, two days after Richard's death.

Matthias and William survived the war.

His father died, aged 73, in the December quarter of 1933, the death registered in Wigan.  

His brother, William, died in Barnsley on 27th January 1972.

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