Pte 22547 Harold Swift

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Harold Hume Swift was born in Liverpool on 13^th December 1894, the youngest child of Robert Adams Swift and his wife Florence Matilda (nee Hume) who married in St. Luke’s Church, Liverpool on the 30th April 1882. Robert was a mariner of 191 Breck Rd, Everton, whilst Florence was of 108 Whitechapel. His father was born in Essex, his mother in Liverpool. Harold was baptised in St. Peter’s Church, Liverpool on 04^th March 1895. His parents were then living in Clarendon Road; his father 's occupation is recorded as a mariner (ship steward) born in Essex, his mother was born in Liverpool.

Robert and Florence had twins Robert and Henry (Henry died in infancy), Albert, Mabel, and Harold, then another set of twins, Richard and Florence, who both died in infancy.

In 1898 his mother Florence died, likely from complications in childbirth, as this was also the same time as the birth and deaths of the youngest twins. She was 39, and the family was living at 7 Cupid Street.  As the father was away at sea, the children went to live with relatives. In 1901 Albert, Mabel, and Harold are living with their cousin, Adelaide Seaton, 34, at 19 Compton Street, Liverpool. Harold is 6.  

In 1911 father Robert and sister Mabel are living with Marie, brother Robert’s wife, and child at 201 Lisburn Lane. His father is a mariner, and sister Mabel, 18, is a milliner. Cousin Adelaide is now married but Harold and brother Albert do not appear on the census.  Harold could have been in the merchant marine, although he is not definitively found on crew lists. By 1915 brother Robert and his wife and child have emigrated to the U.S. and are living at 42^nd Street West (NY State census). Robert's occupation is shown as a waiter. 

Harold enlisted in Liverpool on 09^th November 1914 as Private No 22547 joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, giving his age as 19 years and 10 days and his occupation as steward. He was described as being 5’6” tall, weighing 140lbs, with a 37” chest, a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as C. of E. He gave his next of kin as father Robert Adams Swift, later crossed out to brother, address unknown.  

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. 

While in training at Grantham, Lincolnshire, Harold was C.B. on several occasions. 

His father died, aged 66, in August 1916 when Harold’s battalion was seeing action during the Battle of the Somme. He was buried in Anfield Cemetery on the 17th August. 

According to the 20^th Bn War Diary, on 10th October 1916 the battalion marched from Dernancourt via Mametz to Bazentin Le Grand where it bivouacked for the night. The next day the battalion moved up to site for assembly trenches, arriving about 11 p.m., where it dug in two good trenches, Nos.1 and 2 Coys front and Nos.3 and 4 Coys in rear.

From the War Diary:

Near Eaucourt L’Abbaye.  12/10/1916. The 4^th British and 6^th French armies continued the attack. Zero 2.5 p.m.  The whole XVth Corps attacked […]  The attack of 89^th Inf Bde was carried out with 2^nd Bn Bedf Regt on right, 17^th Bn KLR on left, 20^th Bn KLR in support, 19^th Bn KLR in reserve.  Battalions attacked in four waves. On the departure of the attacking battalions Nos. 1 and 2 companies advanced, each in two waves, to garrison the front line trench vacated by 2^nd Bn Bedf Regt on right and 17^th KLR on left. On Nos 1 and 2 Coys vacating front assembly trench, it was occupied by two platoons of Nos. 3 and 4 Coys respectively, from rear assembly trench. As the assaulting waves left their trenches they were met by intense machine gun fire, especially on our left. The enemy also opened heavy barrages on our front support and assembly trenches. […] Capt. H. Beckett, commanding No.1 company, reached the front line with few casualties, but Lieut R.D. Paterson leading No.2 company was killed. His company also had few casualties. The assaulting battalions were held up by very heavy machine gun fire, and made little progress.  […] At 4.20 p.m. two platoons, No.4 Coy, under Cpl Brighouse, were sent up to reinforce the left, and No.3 Coy under Cpl Sutton followed at 4.45 p.m.  Battalion HQ moved up to front line at 4.55 and remaining two platoons of No.4 Coy moved up to join Cpl Brighouse. 

Casualties during action: 

Officers – Killed Lieut. R.D. Paterson, 2^nd Lieut G.L. Grennan, Wounded – 2^nd Lieuts A.E. Griffin, L.E. Mclean Hayes, C. Buttemer, Wounded Cpl g. Brighouse.

Other Ranks killed – 20. 

It had rained incessantly at the beginning of October 1916 and the ground was full of mud. In his book ‘The Liverpool Pals’ Graham Maddocks describes the day Herbert was killed.

It was obvious that the Germans knew an attack was coming and from which direction it would be mounted. On the evening of the 11th the 20th Battalion moved up the line and dug two deep assembly trenches behind the 17th Battalion’s position for the attack the next day. The 19th Battalion also moved into its reserve positions known as Flers Trench. Although the rain has stopped, the ground was like a morass, with all the natural vegetation destroyed, it was difficult to tell exactly where the objectives lay. On the afternoon of the 12th at exactly 2.05pm, the attack began along the whole Corps line, covered by the local batteries of the Royal Field Artillery which still had line of sight. As the whistles blew, the 17th Battalion left its trenches to move forwards, at the same time No.1 and 2 Companies of the 20th Battalion moved forward and occupied the trenches vacated by the 17th. As they too went over the top, No.3 and 4 Companies took their place and waited in their turn to follow. No.2 and 3 Companies of the 19th Battalion moved up to occupy the assembly trenches dug the previous night by the 20th.

As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them and at the same time the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire. Those German regiments were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire. As such it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.

Brigadier-General F.C.Stanley wrote that the Battalions were also suffering casualties due to the short shooting of the British heavy artillery fire. “I know from practical experience that they were our own guns which were shooting, and which were causing us quite a considerable number of casualties. The fault lay at that time from the fact that the heavy gunners would not send their FOO’s (Forward Observation Officers) far enough forward, but were content to observe us from right back”

Some ground was gained that day, about 150 yards, the 20th Battalion were not relieved until 24 hours later causing the men to endure another day and night in the front line trench.

Harold was listed as Missing on 12^th October 1916 and shortly afterwards his death was presumed to have occurred on that date. He was 21 years of age.

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.

hTe 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.”

Infantry Records were informed that Harold’s effects, medals, etc. should be dispatched to Albert Swift, O/C 2/West Lancs 326 Field Ambulance, Roughton, Norwich. Albert Swift had attested on 17^th March 1915, as Pte 1957 2/1^st West Lancs Field Amb., giving his next of kin as his father Robert Adam Swift, c/o Miss Jones, 25 Priory Road, Anfield (address later crossed out, replaced by 16 Harvey Street, Edge Hill, Liverpool.) On 27/11/1917 Albert signed for his identity disc. Infantry Records in Preston were informed on 3/12/1917 that Harold’s medals should be dispatched to Mr. R. A. Swift (brother Robert), Forest Park Golf Club, Brooklyn, Long Island, NY. On 9^th September 1918, Albert Swift, at 74 idston Road, Liverpool,  received his personal effects: [largely illegible] … photo…. watch (broken)…purse.

On 23^rd June 1919 and 10^th January 1922 brother Robert signed for his medals.

Brother Robert had to register for the US WW1 draft in 1917 and also for WW2 in 1942. He was still employed as a ship steward. Robert returned to Liverpool in 1960 and visited his brother Albert in Ivydale Road, Liverpool. Albert died five years later. Robert died in Florida in 1969. It is not known what became of his sister Mabel.

Harold is commemorated on Green Lane Council School, Tuebrook.

We currently have no further information on Harold Swift, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.