A/L/Sgt 23840 William Tait

• Age: 30
• From: Liverpool
• 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.

William Tait born in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the June quarter of 1887 the son of Robert Tait and his wife Sarah (née Jackson). His father, from Dumfries, Scotland, and his mother, born in Malpas, Cheshire, married on the 13th March 1884 at St Mary’s Church, West Derby. Robert was a cab-proprietor of West Derby, father James a cab-proprietor, whilst Sarah was also of West Derby, father Samuel a farmer. They had five sons, William had older brothers James Robert born in 1885, and Robert 1886 (who died in infancy), and younger brothers Walter 1889, and Ernest 1890. 

At the time of the 1891 census the family is found at 1 Derby Lane, Old Swan with three sons, William 3, Walter 2, and Ernest, 5 months old. His father is 28, a cab proprietor, and his mother is 27. His eldest brother James, 6, is with his grandparents James and Janet Tait in Prescot Road. 

His mother died, aged 27, not long after the census when William was 3 or 4 years old.

His father remarried to Teresa Fay Duckworth on the 25th April 1897 at St Saviour's Church, Everton. Widower Robert was a 32 year old carpet planner, of 61 Rydal Street, father James also a carpet planner, whilst Teresa was aged 22 od 63 Rydal Sreet, father Robert a mason. They had a daughter Maud Peake, born in 1895.  

A son Robert was born in 1897, followed by Jonathan Charles in 1899.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 64 Phythian Street, Liverpool. His father, Robert, is aged 38, born 1863 in Scotland, his occupation shown as a foreman - cab man, his mother, Theresa, is aged 26, born 1875 in Liverpool with no occupation listed. William aged 14, born 1887, Walter aged 12, born 1899, Robert and Charles born aged 3, and Jonathan aged 2, born 1899. His brothers James, 16, and Ernest, 10, are with their Tait grandparents in Molyneux Road, and Maud is with her Duckworth grandparents in Rydal Street.

Four more children were born after the census:  Amy in 1902, Florence May 1906, Harry 1908, and Ada Agnes in 1910.

By 1911 his family is living at 5 Breck Place off Breck Road, Anfield, with eight children at home.  His father, 46, is an oil warehouseman, his stepmother Teresa is 36. They advised that they had been married for 17 years, and have had 8 children. There are eight children declared in the household; Walter, 22, is a van porter in a biscuit factory, and Maud, 16, is a  biscuit packer.  Robert is 13 at school, Jonathan 11 at school, Amy 9 at school, Florence 5, Harry 3, and Ada 4 months old. 

William, listed as Taite, is boarding with the Graves family at 28 Kensington, Liverpool.  He is 25, a retail grocer (he worked for Irwin’s before enlisting).  Ernest, 20, a printer’s cutter, is boarding in Sutcliffe Street, and James, 27, who works for British American Tobacco, and his grandfather, 69, are boarding in Mansell Road.

He enlisted in Liverpool joining in the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 23840. His regimental number and the amount of the War Gratuity suggest that he enlisted in November 1914.

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. 

William arrived in France with his battalion on 07th November 1915, disembarking at Boulogne.

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

William was initially declared Wounded on the 12th September 1916, and subsequently Wounded and Missing, in a list published in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on 09th November 1916.  

King’s Liverpool Regiment – Tait, 23840, Lce.-Sergt. W.; 

His family were not officially informed of his fate until one year later. 

In the Liverpool Echo, 27th July 1917:

“Reported wounded and missing, now officially reported killed in action July 30, 1916, aged 30 years, Sergeant William Tait, K.L.R. (Pals), late manager for John Irwin and Sons, the beloved son of Robert Tait, 143 Salisbury Road, Anfield, and brother of the late Bombardier Walter Tait, killed in action August 17, 1916. (Deeply regretted by Father, Mother, Sisters, and his three Brothers, now serving with the colours.)” 

William 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.”

He earned his three medals.

His Army pay of £4 3s 10d and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his father Robert. No pension card has been found, as William lived independently and had no dependents. 

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

“In loving memory of Sergt. W. Tait, K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916, brother of Bombardier W. Tait, killed August 17, 1916. - Deeply regretted by Brother Jim, Bella, and Ernie (Egypt), 43, Grantham Street.” [Gnr. 36972 Walter Tait, R.F.A.]

The family had to endure the loss of Walter on 17th August 1916 whilst also waiting for information concerning William. Walter Tait now rests at I.B.63 Dartmoor Cemetery, Bercorder - Bercourt in France. 

The Liverpool Echo on 17th August 1917 carried the following tribute to Walter

"TAIT—In loving memory Bombardier Walter Tait, the beloved son of Robert Tait, 143, Salisbury-road. Anfield. who was killed in action August 17, 1916 Friends may think that we forget him When at times we apt to smile, Little knowing what grief is hidden Beneath the surface all the while. —Sadly missed by Father, Mother, Sisters, and Brothers". 

Walter was a married man.

William and Walter were remembered on the second anniversary of William's loss in 1918:

"In loving memory of Sergeant William Tait, K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action, July 30, 1916, brother of the late Bombardier W. Tait, killed in action, August 17, 1916, sons of Robert Tait, 143, Salisbury Road, Anfield. - Sadly missed by all at home, Jack and Bert (in France)."

Ernest served in Egypt, regiment unknown.

His half brothers of military age also enlisted.

Robert attested in the 10th Bn. K.L.R. in May 1916 and was mobilised in September. He served in France from January 1917, and after being gassed in July, was sent home in August, awarded a Silver War Badge and discharged in June 1919 aged 21 with a disability pension. 

Jonathan enlisted in March 1917 when he was not yet 18 years old. He was mobilised in May 1917 and served in France in 1918 with the Durham Light Infantry and was discharged to the Reserve in August 1919.

In 1939 his father, 77, a retired warehouseman, with wife Teresa, and daughter Ada, 29, is living at No.2 East Lancs Road.  He died in 1942 aged 79. Teresa lived until 1970.

Walter, but not William, is commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 38 Right.

Sadly, William had not been found on any local memorial.