2nd Lieut Arthur Wilfrid Booth (MID)

• Age: 29
• From: Wisbech, Cambs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 22nd March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

Arthur Wilfrid Booth was born in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire in the December quarter of 1888 the son of William Henry Booth and his wife Sarah Ann (nee Diggle) who married in Wisbech in the June quarter of 1888.

The 1891 Census finds the family living at 57 Albert Street, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

Arthur's father, William H. is a 24 year old grocer's manager, born in Wisbech, whilst his mother, Sarah A. Is 22 years of age and was born in Norfolk. They have two children both born in Wisbech; Arthur W. aged 2 and Edith L. aged 10 months.

At the time of the 1901 Census the family have moved and are living at 100 Sopwell Lane, St Albans, Herts.

His father is now shown as being 36 years of age and a grocer shopkeeper. His mother is shown to be 34 years old and was born in Walsoken, Norfolk. They now have three children in the household; Arthur W. aged 12,  Edith L. aged 10 and William F. aged 2 who was born in Gaywood, Norfolk. Sarah's brother Charles E. Diggle aged 21 is living in the household.

The 1911 Census shows that the family have moved to 85 Acton Lane, Harlesden, London.

His father is now shown to be a 47 year old manager in a grocer's and off license. His mother is 44 years old. They advise that they have been married for 23 years and have had four children. Those listed in the property are; Arthur Wilfred a 22 year old railway company clerk, Edith Lilian is a 20 year old dressmaker, William Frederick is 12 years old, and Edward Leonard is aged 4 and was born in Poplar, London. 

Arthur was employed by North Western Railways and  entered their service in 1903. He was employed for some years in the Goods Trains Department of the Superintendent of the Line's Office at Euston, being transferred to the Central Control Office at Crewe on its inception in 1914.

He enlisted on 20th September 1914, as Private 21449 joining the 19th Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment.

Formed on 07^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.

He married Jane Tolman Clark at all Souls Church, Harlesden on 01st September 1917. His marriage certificate shows he was 28 years old and his occupation as 2nd Lieutenant in the King's Liverpool Regiment, living at 40 Casseldon Road, Harlesden. Jane was 27 years old and her address was given as 35  Harley Road, Harlesden. 

The Battalion War Diary, does not record his arrival, and he is only mentioned twice before his death in action.

On 23rd November 1917, whilst the Battalion was in the Ypres Salient in Belgium, he was sent together with two other officers to the Headquarters of the 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment then stationed at Steenvoorde to sit on a Military Court Martial. He was also granted leave to the UK on 16th January 1918 and presumably continued to serve with the Battalion upon his return until his death.

He was killed in action on 22nd March 1918, aged 29, in the defensive fighting at St Quentin.

On 21st March, the 19th Battalion was stationed behind the defensive Battle Zone near Germaine. At 04.30am the German attack began with a rapid bombardment and at 05.00am, the order ‘Man the Battle Stations ‘ was given. The Battalion marched to Germaine and was then ordered to re establish the position in the front line of the Battle Zone itself by counter attacking the Germans there.

By 06.30am on 22nd March the Battalion was in position outside the walled graveyard of the village of Roupy. Here, having occupied defensive trenches, the Battalion was ordered to die or be captured as there was to be no retreat. By that time it was obvious that the Germans occupied the approaches to the village and that a counter attack would not be possible, only a defence. Once it was light the Germans commenced their assault and they then carried on attacking relentlessly throughout the day. At about 16.30pm they finally broke through and killed or captured all the defenders. The remainder of the 19th Battalion was forced to retire south to Fluquires, but in all eleven officers and over two hundred men were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Second Lieutenant Booth was amongst those killed. He was aged thirty.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing of the Fifth Army of 1918, at Pozieres, Somme, France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930. 

We are grateful to the National Railway Museum for permission to use the photograph of Arthur Wilfred Booth.

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