L/Cpl 22545 John James Sullivan

• Age: 34
• From: Cork, Ireland
• 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.

John James Sullivan was born in Cork, Ireland on the 23rd April 1882, the son of Daniel Sullivan and his wife, Honorah (née Foley), known as Norah. His father was born in 1832 and his mother in 1853 (years approximate). They married in 1871 in Coolclough, Barony of Duhallow, County Cork.  The marriage record shows his father’s occupation as Serjeant.  A Sjt. Daniel Sullivan of the 103rd Regiment of Foot was discharged in August 1871.  Another record exists of a man of the right name and age who served in the Crimea with the 9th Regiment of Foot and was severely wounded in the leg “whilst in the trenches before Sevastopol”, but no evidence has been found to confirm that either of these men was his father.  

They had at least six children. Shortly after the marriage the couple moved to England and lived in Hertford, Hertfordshire, for a number of years, where Elizabeth Norah, Mary Kate, and Daniel were born.  (Two other children appear not to have survived:  Mary Ann Catherine born in 1872 and Hannah, 1876.)

The 1881 census finds his parents in Hertford, running a pub/lodging house called the Highland Chief in Honey Lane.  His father is 48, the publican, his mother is 30.  They have a general servant and nine lodgers.  Their children are Lizzie, 6, Mary C., 2, and Daniel 6 months old.  Son Daniel died shortly afterwards.

After the census his parents spent some time in Ireland, where John James was born in 1882, but by 1884 they have returned to England and settled in Liverpool, where Margaret Ann and Agnes Ellen were born.

His father die,d aged 56, in 1888, when John James was six years old. He was buried on the 09th August 1888 at Ford Cemetery. Probate, describing him as a beerhouse keeper of Ainsworth Street, was granted to his widow in the amount of £112-6s-9d.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 19 Ainsworth Street, Liverpool. His mother, Norah, is aged 48, born 1853 occupation publican. She lived with three of her children; John James is aged 18, and is a tailor, Margaret Ann aged 16, born 1885 a vest maker and Agnes aged 13, born 1888. 

Not long after the census John James left home to go to sea, initially with the Cunard Line.  He is found on crew lists as a waiter on the Ivernia in 1902 aged 20, on the Saxonia in 1903 aged 21, both on the Liverpool to Boston run, and in 1904 aged 22 on the Cedric (White Star Line) to New York. On some lists he has signed his name John and on others as James, but all show the address 17 Ainsworth Street.  

After many years at sea James decided to base himself in America an became a naturalised subject on the 02nd May 1907 in Boston, Massachusetts. He stated he arrived aboard the RMS “Cymric” from Queenstown on the 25th April 1905. At the time of being naturalised he was aged 25, a baggage man, address was 40 Glenwood Rd, Somerville. His particulars were white colour, light complexion, 5’ 9” tall, weighed 185 lbs, with brown hair and blues eyes. 

The 1911 Census finds his mother and two sisters living at 21 Beacon Street, Liverpool. Widowed Norah is aged 37, a publican, and declared 2 of her 4 children had died, Margaret is 26 and Agnes 23. John James is now settled in America.

He returned to England and enlisted in Liverpool in November 1914 joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 22545.

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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

He was serving as Lance Corporal when he was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 34, 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.

John James' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he 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.”

Following him initially being reported as Missing the Liverpool Evening Express confirmed his death and featured the following:

"Lance Corporal J.Sullivan, of the Pals killed, he was the only son of Mrs.Norah Sullivan of 140 Myrtle street, Liverpool. He was a Second Steward in the service of the Elder-Dempster Line"

His Army pay of £4 3s 10d and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to his mother Norah, who was awarded a pension of 10/- a week from March 1917.  At that time she was living at 140 Myrtle Street, and later moved to 23 Bishop Road, Anfield, with her married daughter Agnes Wilson and family.

In the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading ‘Lost At The Battle of Guillemont’ his family paid tribute to John James:

“In loving memory of Lance-corporal J. J. Sullivan (Pals), the beloved and only son of Mrs. Norah Sullivan, of 140, Myrtle Street, killed in action July 30, 1916. R.I.P. – Sadly missed by his sorrowing Mother and Sisters.” 

He was remembered on the second anniversary of his death in 1918:

"In loving memory of Lance-Corporal J. Sullivan, 20th K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916, only beloved son of Mrs. N. Sullivan, late of 140, Myrtle Street.  (Sadly missed by his sorrowing Mother and Sisters.)  R.I.P. "

His mother died, aged 69, in Walton Hospital in 1922, and was buried on the 14th March 1922 at Ford Cemetery. 

John James is commemorated on Ireland’s National Roll of Honour. 

Sadly, he is not commemorated on the Elder and Dempster Memorial

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