Pte 17479 James Arthur Sowerby

• Age: 22
• 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 Sowerby was born in the December quarter of 1893 in Liverpool the son of John Sowerby and his wife Eleanor Lister (née Ord). His parents married on the 15th October 1891 at St Clement's Church, Toxteth. Widower, John, was a  35 year old flagger, father Thomas a roper, whilst Eleanor was aged 30, father John a coachman, both of 18 Whittier Street. John’s first marriage was to Hannah Mashford on the 19th November 1876 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool, but she died in 1888 at the age of 30, leaving him with four children, Thomas, Rebecca, Eleanor, and Ethel. They had seven children together. Jim had an older brother John Alexander, and younger siblings Charlotte Alice, Alfred Harry, Doris Emily, Robert Lister, and Joseph Philip. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 41 Webb Street, Liverpool. His father, John, is aged 46, born in Liverpool in 1855, his occupation recorded as a stonemason, whilst his mother Eleanor is aged 41, born 1860 in Liverpool as were their children. At the time of the Census they have eight children living at the address; Thomas aged 23, born 1878 is a postman, Ethel aged 14, born 1887, John aged 9, born 1892, James aged 8, born 1893, Charlotte aged 7, born 1893, Alfred aged 5, born 1896, Doris aged 3, born 1898 and Robert born 1901. Half-sisters Rebecca and Eleanor are in domestic service in Edge Lane.

By 1911 the family has moved to 28 Webb Street. His father, is now aged 55 and is a stone mason, his mother is 50; they have seven children at home. John, 18, is a telegraph clerk, James is 17, a railway clerk.  Charlotte is 15, a student, Alfred, 14, is an apprentice electrician, Doris is 12, Robert 10, and Joseph 9.  Also in the household is an 11-year old niece, Eleanor Gladys Batty.

At the time of the Census, Jim was employed as a clerk with the London & North Western Railway at Edge Hill, Goods Dept, Liverpool. 

His sister Charlotte died in February 1914 at the age of 18.

Formed on 7^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 some minor misdemeanours:

7.12.14 at 13.15: At Knowsley improper conduct after lights out and not complying with an order. Confined to barracks for ten days.

2.10.15: Larkhill, Salisbury absent without leave from Tattoo till Reveille 04th October 15. Confined to barracks for eight days and forfeit of three days pay. 

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 22, 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

His parents posted a notice on 21st August 1916 in the Liverpool Echo:

"July 30, killed in action, aged 22 years, J.A. (Jim) Sowerby (Pals), the beloved son of John and Eleanor Sowerby, 35, Alderson Road, Wavertree. (He gave his life for home and country.)”

Arthur's 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.”

He was remembered on the first anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost At The Battle Of Guillemont”:

“In affectionate remembrance of J. A. (Jim) Sowerby, K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916. - Sadly missed by Liz and all at 78 Uxbridge Street.”

He earned his three medals.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his father. His mother, by then living in Alderson Road, Wavertree, was awarded a gratuity in lieu of a pension.

His elder brother John served in the 5th K.L.R. Territorials before the war, and enlisted in London on 20/11/1914 in the Royal Engineers, Postal Section.  He arrived in France on 01/12/1914, but returned to the U.K. a month later.  On 19/04/1915 he joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (Gallipoli), and in November 1916 was transferred to the Balkan theatre (Salonika).  In April 1918 he was posted to the South Wales Borderers, returned home in March 1919, and was discharged in April 1919.

His father John died in 1924 aged 69.

In 1939 his mother, 79, is living at 96 Alderson Road with married son John, 47, who is retired due to ill health.

During the Second World War his mother moved to Maghull, where she died in 1958 at the age of 97.

Jim is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 40

Liverpool Parcels Post Office, Huyton, Merseyside

GPO and PPO WW1 Roll Of Honour, Orrell, Merseyside

He is also remembered on the family headstone in Kirkdale Cemetery, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool.

                ALSO JAMES ARTHUR (JIM)

                      THEIR SECOND SON

  WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE

         JULY 30TH 1916, AGED 22 YEARS

GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS

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