Pte 21450 Stanley Booth

• Age: 19
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

21450 Private Stanley BOOTH, 19^th Battalion KLR.  

Stanley was born in Salford in the fourth quarter of 1896, the son of Frederick Booth and his wife Mary (nee Jones) who were married on the 22nd June 1893 at St Matthew, Stretford. Frederick was a 32 year old insurance agent, father Charles, whilst Mary was a widow aged 35, father William Jones. She originally married Joseph Harrop on the 24th March 1886 at St Matthew but he died just a few weeks later. Stanley was baptised at St. Luke's Church, Weaste on 04th October 1896.  

The 1901 Census finds Stanley aged 4 living with his parents and sister Doris at 2 Milford Street, Pendleton, Manchester.

His father, Frederick is a 39 year old industrial assurance collector who was born in Manchester, whilst his mother, Mary is 42 years of age and was also born in Manchester as was his sister Doris is 6 years of age.

By 1911 the family have moved to Egremont, living at 22 Glenalmond Road.

Stanley is now 14 and a school boy living with his parents and 16 year old sister Doris. Father Frederick was aged 49, an insurance superintendent, mother Mary was aged 53 and they had been married for 17 years with two children. 

Stanley enlisted at Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914, stating that he was born in Salford, was aged 19 years 4 months and a timber clerk by occupation. He was 5’ 10”, weighed 132lbs, 34” chest, with fresh complexion, brown eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England. He named his father of 22 Glenalmond Road as his next of kin and was initially posted to the 22^nd Reserve Battalion as Private 18051 and on 23^rd August 1915 at Knowsley Park was given 3 days CB for ‘being absent from tattoo’ on that date.

On 19^th October 1915 he was posted to the 19^th Battalion and served in France as Private 21450 from 07^th November that year.

He was killed in action on 1^st July 1916 during the attack at Montauban, aged 19.

19^th Battalion Diary

Zero Hour 7.30am First day of the attack. The Battalion used up entirely in “carrying parties” for the Brigade. Battalion H.Q. in the “Chateau”, Maricourt. Total casualties 01 -04/07/1916: 1 officer wounded, 12 other ranks killed, 53 wounded and 3 missing.

Stanley was one of those casualties referred to and is another whose name appears on the Thiepval Memorial in France.

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 01^st 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.”.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo dated 11th July 1916 -

KILLED IN ACTION

BOOTH-- July 1, killed in action, aged 19, Stanley (Stan) (Liverpool "Pals" ) the dearly-beloved and only son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Booth, 22 Glenalmond road, Egremont.

Manchester Evening News 12th July 1916 

Private Stanley Booth, one of the Liverpool City Battalions, 22, Glenalmond Road, Egremont, and formerly of Seedley, Manchester, killed on July 1. 

His death featured in a report in the Wallasey News of 15^th July 1916:

Died Nobly And Fearlessly

Mr and Mrs F. Booth, of 22, Glenalmond Road, Egremont, have received the sad news that their son, Private Stanley Booth, aged 19, of the Liverpool Pals, was killed in action on July 1st. Lieutenant W. Ashcroft, in a letter to the parents, says :- “The advance had just been made successfully, and the German trenches had become ours. Beyond the trenches we had taken was a German strong point. This, too, was captured by our 20th Battalion. To hold it parties were required to carry up tools and wire and stakes, all for strengthening the position to be prepared against counter-attacks. Stan was one of these parties, their work was very important. Although the enemy had been pushed back and many prisoners were being taken, their artillery from further behind was very busy the whole time, making our men’s work dangerous and difficult. It was done, and done well. One of their shells hit your boy. It could not have caused him pain; it was all over in a flash. He was found by another of my boys, Harold Deane, one of your boy’s chief friends in the platoon. I am sorry to say that Deane also was killed very shortly afterwards. Stan, was liked by all of us in the platoon and the double loss of him and Deane has been terribly felt. It is all terribly sad, but you in Liverpool will shortly hear how splendidly the Brigade of Pals have done, and I can’t help hoping that there may then be added to your sorrow of feeling of pride that you have given one who has given all and died nobly and fearlessly. “

Liverpool Echo 2nd August 1916 

BOOTH—In loving remembrance of Stanley, K L.R. (Pals), beloved son Mr. and Mrs. Booth, 22 Glenalmond-road, Egremont, killed France, July 1, 1916. 

Soldiers Effects to father Frederick, Pension to mother Mary who later moved to 22 Hodge Rd, Walkden, Lancs. 

Interestingly, Stanley’s older sister, Doris, was born in 1894 and records suggest that Stanley was actually born in 1896, which would have made him only 18 when he enlisted. 

He is also commemorated on the Wallasey War Memorial which is located in the hospital on Mill Lane, Wallasey.

Father Frederick, dob 17th June 1861, appears on the 1939 Register at 50 Gayton Rd, Harrow. He is widowed, retired and living with his married daughter Doris Powell and family. He died aged 82 on the 15th May 1943. 

Probate 1943:- 

BOOTH Frederick of 48 Gayton Road, Harrow, Middlesex died 19 May 1943 Administration Llandudno 9 July to Doris Powell (wife of Ernest Samuel Powell). Effects £1483 16s. 

Mother Mary still alive on 19th April 1919 on Relative Statement.

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