Pte 21727 James Arthur Horace Slater

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

James Arthur Horace Slater was born in Liverpool on 10th September 1895, the son of Thomas Andrew Slater and his wife Margaret Ann (née Lewis). His parents married on the 29th December 1889 at St. Chrysostom's Church, Everton. Thomas was a 23 year old mariner of Ruskin Street, father John a warehouseman, whilst Margaret was aged 22 of 28 Aubrey Street, father George deceased. They had eight children, James had older siblings Thirza Catherine Rowlands and Lilian Jane, and younger siblings George Lewis, Thomas George, Amy Elizabeth, Thomas Andrew, and George Henry.  

On the 1891 census and at Thirza’s baptism that year his parents lived at 69 Molyneux Road and his father was recorded as a mariner.

James was baptised on 17th November 1895 at St Saviour's Church, Everton. His father is described on the baptismal record as being an electrician and the family address is recorded as 61 Stockbridge Street.  

The family suffered tragedy on 02nd September 1898 when their son George Lewis Slater died aged 11 months. Further tragedy followed on 13th August 1899 when another son Thomas George died aged 6 months. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 8 Fielding Street, Liverpool. His father is described as a foreman in electronic telephonists, born in Liverpool in 1869, whilst his mother was born in 1870 in Rock Ferry, Cheshire. James is five years of age and is shown as being born in Manchester, he has three sisters all born in Liverpool; Thirza C b.1892, Lilian J. b.1894 and newborn Amy E. b.1901. There are also two boarders recorded at the property, one of them his mother’s aunt, Catherine Lewis, 66, living on her own means.     

James was enrolled at Newsham School in 1904. 

His mother, Margaret Ann, died on 15th January 1908 aged 40 when James was 12 and the youngest child three years old. She was buried on the 20th January at Walton Cemetery, her address 69 Eastlake Street. 

The 1911 Census shows James as a 15 year old shop assistant living with his siblings at 113 Red Rock Street. Thirza, 20, listed as daughter, is the housekeeper, “head [of household is] away”. Lillian, 18, is a dressmaker, Amy is 10, Thomas 8, and George 5.

His father is living not far away, at 98 Whitefield Road with "wife" Mary and their son Arthur, born in 1910, and her children Alice, Samuel, and Wilfred Brough. She states they have been married for two years (in fact they didn’t marry until 1922).

James enlisted on the 07th November 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private No 21727. He served in No.2 Company. He gave his age as 19 years and two months, born in Manchester, and his occupation was declared as a clerk. He was described as being five feet four inches tall, weighed 112lbs, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. He gave as next of kin, his father at 111 Red Rock Street.

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation 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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

His service records show:

17.2.15: At Knowsley grumbling when warned for duty improper language to an NCO. Confined to barracks for three days.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion from Folkestone.

25.3.16: To  21 Casualty Clearing Station (Dental). Admitted with dental caries.

26.3.16: Rejoined battalion.

03.4.16: To 30th I.B.D. at Etaples  for dentures at 18 Gen. Hospital. 

07.7.16: Posted to 18th King's Liverpool Regiment.

21.7.16: Transferred to 19th Battalion. 

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 20, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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.

James was initially declared as Missing. His father contacted the International Red Cross in hopes that his son was alive and had been captured, but was informed in a reply dated 08th September 1916 that they held no information on James.

He was listed as missing in newspaper on 18th September 1916.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is 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.”

His family were notified of his death not long after what would have been James’ 21st birthday.  They placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 04th October 1916:

“July 30, killed in action (previously reported missing), Private James Slater, aged 21 years, the beloved son of Thomas Slater.

  A loving soldier true and kind,

    The sunshine of our heart,

  With him our happiness was sure,

    ‘Twas sad we had to part.

- Loved by all at 111, Red Rock Street.”

His three medals were sent to his sister Thirza.

Soldiers Effects to sister Thirza C. Woods and a War Gratuity of £7-10s to Thirza, who was awarded a gratuity in lieu of pension in March 1917.

Thirza married in 1919 (when the youngest sibling would have left school) and had a son she called James.

In June 1921 the military authorities requested the assistance of the Liverpool police in ascertaining the whereabouts of his father in order to dispose of the Memorial Plaque and Scroll, as correspondence sent to his last known address, 111 Red Rock Street, was returned “not known”. Enquiries revealed that his father was indeed at the address but claimed he had received no communication from the Army.  On the 1921 Census, also taken in June, his father is at 98 Whitefield Road, a GPO Telephone foreman in Birkenhead, and Mary is now a newsagent.  

His father, Tom Andrew, of 30 Malmesbury Road, West Derby, died on 19th June 1932, aged 63, at Braddan, Isle of Man (from probate) and was buried (“our dear father”) with his first wife and their infants in Walton Park Cemetery. The headstone also commemorates James:

ALSO JAMES, BELOVED SON OF THE ABOVE,

        KILLED IN ACTION JULY 30TH, 1916

                     IN HIS 21ST YEAR

    LOVES GREATEST GIFT REMEMBRANCE

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