A/Cpl 22860 Henry Thompson

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: X.F.2

Henry Thompson was born on the 23rd January 1893 in Liverpool, the son of John Thompson and his wife Elizabeth (née Pearson) who were married on the 29th July 1882 at St Mary's Church, Beswick, Manchester. John was a woodcarver of 28 Hutlow Street, father Thomas a blacksmith, whilst Elizabeth of same address, father William deceased. They had 13 children, six of whom died before their first birthday (Martha, Joseph, Thomas, Florence, Alfred, and Rose). Henry had older siblings John William, born in Prestwich, James, and Mary Elizabeth, both born in Chorlton, Manchester, and by 1889 his parents had moved to Liverpool, where Henry and younger siblings Arthur, May, and Frank were born. 

By the 1891 Census the family have moved to 5 Helena Street, Walton. His father, 32, born in Manchester, is a woodcarver, mother is aged 33, born Wigton, Cumberland, children born Manchester are John W. 7 at school, James 6 at school, and Mary E. 4. Also present is Elizabeth’s mother, Elizabeth Dickman aged 62. 

Henry was baptised in St. Peter’s Church, Liverpool, on 06th February 1893, his parents’ residence given as Macaulay Street and his father’s occupation as wood carver.

At the time of the 1901 Census, the family is living at 90 Cecil Street, Wavertree, with seven children. His father, 44, born in Manchester, is a wood and stone carver, mother Elizabeth is 44, John W. 18, a stone mason, James 17, a wood carver, Mary E. 15, Henry, listed as Harry, is 9 years old, Arthur 6, May 2, and Frank 6mths are born Liverpool. 

His father died in the Royal Infirmary in January 1903 aged 45, and the family suffered further loss when his younger sister May died in 1908 at the age of 8.  At that time they were living at 8 Chichester Street, Wavertree.  The family moved around and are found at various addresses in addition to census locations, including Binns Road and Cranborne Road, both in Wavertree. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 110 Stevenson St, Wavertree, Liverpool. His mother, Elizabeth, is shown as a widow aged 52, born in Wigton, Cumbria in 1859 she has no occupation listed. She had been married for nineteen years and had thirteen children of which seven died. James aged 26, born 1885 occupation mixer in a biscuit works, Mary Elizabeth aged 24, born 1887 also works in a biscuit factory as a packer and both were born in Manchester, Henry aged 18, born 1893 is a clerk for a cotton merchant, Arthur aged 15, born 1896, and Frank aged 10, born 1901 are still at school, were born in Liverpool. Elizabeth’s mother, Elizabeth Dickman and a widow aged 81, born 1830 in Wigton is also living at the address.   

Henry enlisted on the 14th November 1914 in Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 22860. He gave his age as 21 years and ten months and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five eight and half inches tall, weighed 130lbs, 36” chest with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and as next of kin his mother Elizabeth, of 15 Fairbank St, Wavertree. 

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. 

Henry's service records show:

20.10.15: Appointed paid Lance Corporal.

28.6.16: Appointed acting Corporal.

14.11.14- 06.11.15: UK.

07.11.15: Embarked for France 

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916 at the village of Guillemont, France, aged 23, 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.

Henry was buried close to where he fell and after the war, when graves were concentrated, his body was removed and reinterred at Guillemont Road Cemetery where he now rests.

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries. 

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

The CWGC Graves Registration form records him initially as Pte. 1221, later amended to 2286, and finally identified as Pte. 22860. 

He earned his three medals.

His Army pay of £3 18s 9d and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his mother in 1919, and a share to sister-in-law Sarah Agnes (wife of James) in 1920.  His mother was awarded a pension of 8/6d a week from May 1917.

Henry's death was not the only loss his family had to contend with as his brother James joined the K.L.R., but served overseas with the 11th Border Regiment (Lonsdale Battalion) as Private 33332, he was killed in action on 10th February 1917. James was 32, married with a daughter, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme.

His mother died in 1931 aged 74, still living in Fairbank Street.

Henry is commemorated on the Liverpool Hall of Remembrance at Panel 36.

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