Pte 36380 John Edward Smith

• Age: 22
• From: Cookley, Worcestershire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 47 Lea Street, Kidderminster. His father William is aged 35, was born in 1866 at Cookley, Worcestershire and is a gardener, whilst his mother Eliza is aged 35, was born in Bitterley, Shropshire in 1866. John Edward is aged 7 born 1893 and his siblings, both born at Kidderminster are shown as; Margaret Eliza aged 5, born in 1896 and William aged 3, born 1898. 

Later in 1901 he was admitted to St George's Boys National School at Kidderminster.

By 1911 the family have moved to 83 Chester Road, Kidderminster. Both parents are present in the household, William is aged 45, a domestic gardener, Eliza is also aged 45 and they have been married for eighteen years and have three children .John Edward is now 17 years of age occupation gardener. His sister Margaret Eliza is 15 years of age and employed as a Bit Maker in a carpet factory, whilst his younger brother William is aged 13 and is still at school.      

He enlisted at Seaforth and was serving in the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36380. John gave his place of residence on enlistment as Knowsley, Prescot, Lancashire.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 22, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

30th July 1916

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“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 was initially declared Missing on 30th July 1916, his name appeared in the list of rank and file Missing in the Evesham Standard on 16th September 1916.  

His father contacted the International Red Cross but was informed in a reply dated 02nd October 1916 that they held no information on John.

His death was presumed for official purposes as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.  It is not known when his family were informed of his fate.

John Edward's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.

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 father, William received his army pay of £3 3s 7d, and a War Gratuity of £3 on 30th August 1919. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, John had served no more than a year before he was killed.

From the pension card in the name of his father at 83 Chester Road, Kidderminster, showing “refusal N.P.D. 06/03/1918”, it appears that a pension was refused, likely because John had lived away from home.

John is commemorated on the Prescot Roll of Honour, suggesting he was living away from home in Knowsley when he enlisted. (But his name is not on the British Insulated and Helsby Cables Memorial, a large employer in the area.)

He is also commemorated on the Kidderminster War Memorial.

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