Pte 17472 Joseph Henry Sullivan

He was baptised (as Joseph Henry Matthew) in St. Peter’s Liverpool, on 29th December 1884 when he was one year old, his parents’ residence listed as Kirkdale and his father’s occupation as mariner.  

 

The 1891 Census shows the family is living at 74 St. John’s Road, Kirkdale, with four children. His parents are both 42, his father is a barge/boatman, Isabell 12, Thomas 10, Joseph 7 are at school, Jessie is 1. 

 

His mother appears to have died in 1898 aged 49, and his father in 1899 aged 51, leaving three children under ten years old. His sister Jessie entered the Liverpool School for the Deaf.  

The 1901 Census shows Joseph Henry living at 74 St Johns Road, Liverpool. He is living with his sister Isobel aged 22, born 1879 occupation dry soap worker and his brother Thomas aged 20, born 1881 his occupation tin-smith’s labourer. Joseph is aged 17, born 1884 and is an apprentice grocer. The two youngest, William and John, cannot be found on the 1901 census, but by 1911 they are living with their siblings, as is Jessie.

 

The 1911 Census shows Joseph Henry living at 211 Litherland Road, Bootle, Liverpool with his sister Isobel and her husband John William Morris. Isobel is now aged 32, born 1879 no occupation, her husband John William aged 31, born in 1880 in Everton is a pawnbrokers assistant. Also recorded is their young daughter Isabel Freda aged 1  born in 1910 in Bootle. Joseph Henry is now aged 27 and is a time-keeper in a match making factory.  Also present are his two brothers William Henry aged 19, born 1892 a photographer and John Henry aged 14, born 1897 is a messenger for L & NW Railways.

 

 

 

His service records show that he was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on the 14th September 1915  but on the 19th February 1916 he was deprived of Lance stripe for neglect of duty. 

 

His Casualty Form shows:

..15 - Sick, sent to hospital (date missing). 

30th July 1916 wounded, to Field Ambulance on 05th August 1916
 

06th September 1916 now reported wounded and missing on 30th July

He was eventually declared as killed in action on the 30^th July 1916 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.

Joe’s name appeared in the list of K.L.R. ‘Previously reported Wounded, now reported Wounded and Missing’ published in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on 30th September 1916.  

His 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.”

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

“Reported wounded and missing July 30, 1916, our much-regarded brother, J. H. Sullivan (Sully), machine gunner, 19th K.L.R. - Remembered with esteem and affection by his Brothers (Willie, R.F.A., B.E.F., and Johnnie (R.N.D., M.E.F.) and Jack Morris (R.F.C.).” 

“Seen wounded and left on the battlefield July 30, 1916, afterwards reported missing, Lance-corporal J. H. Sullivan (19th K.L.R.), the dearly-loved brother of Isabel Morris, 211 Litherland Road, Bootle. (In unextinguishable sorrow.)” 

“Reported wounded and missing July 30, 1916, my dear Uncle Joe. - Dearly loved and remembered by Freda.” 

“Reported wounded and missing, July 30, 1916, Lance corporal Joseph H. Sullivan (Joe), 19th K.L.R. (Pals). - Lovingly remembered by his Fiancée, Madge.” 

“Wounded and missing since July 30, 1916, Lance-corporal J. H. Sullivan, 19th K.L.R. (Pals). - Always remembered by Tom, Annie, Jessie, Tommie, and Sidney, 63, Dryden Street, Bootle.”

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

In loving memory of our dear Pal (Joe), J. H. Sullivan, King's Liverpool Regiment (Sans Changer), killed in action at Guillemont, July 30, 1916.  Ever remembered by all at 147, St. John's Road, Bootle. - Tom and Ewen.

A pension of 3/6d a week for one year was awarded to his sister Jessie Adelaide, 63 Dryden Street, Bootle.  His Army effects of £3-1s-3d were shared between his siblings Isabel, Jessie, Thomas, John, and William, and the War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his eldest brother Thomas.

 

He earned his three medals, which his brother Thomas, at 63 Dryden Road, signed for.

On the second anniversary of his death in 1918, his loved ones posted notices in the Missing - Information Wanted column of the local newspaper: Joe is remembered on the war memorial at Bryant and May Diamond Match Works, Liverpool. 

 

Willie served in the R.F.A and remained in Liverpool after the war.

Johnnie served in the Royal Naval Division and after the war emigrated, settling in Vancouver.

His brother in law Jack Morris (husband of Isabel) served in the R.F.C./R.A.F.

His sister Isabel died in 1925, age 46.