Pte 300558 William Thomson

• Age: 26
• From: Birkenhead, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

William Thomson was born was born in 1892 in Birkenhead. He was the son of Son of John Thomson and his wife Jane (nee Traill) who married in Birkenhead in 1884.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 76 Elmswood Road, Birkenhead. William is recorded as being 9 years of age. His father John is shown as a Marine Engineer born in Scotland in 1857, whilst his mother was also born in Scotland in 1856. William has two brothers; Alexander Traill born in Birkenhead in 1888 and John James born in Seacombe in 1898. Also present is a niece Alice Dick born in Birkenhead in 1890.

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved to 5 Carrington St, Birkenhead. William is now 19 and recorded as a Clerk in a rope and canvas works. His father is shown as having been born in Glasgow and his mother born in Coatbridge. They have been married for 26 years and have had 4 children one of whom has sadly died. William's two brothers are Alexander now 23 and a Clerk in a shipping company, whilst John is 13 and still at school. 

According to the Birkenhead News on 26th July 1916 at a Coroners Inquest into the death of an employee at Ocean Steamship Co. Ltd, his father John Thomson gave evidence in his position of being the engineer in charge of the fitters. 

William enlisted in Knowsley and originally served as Private 1350/250510 in the Lancs.Hussars Yeomanry. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for 43 months, enlisting at the start of the war. Following a transfer in September 1917 he was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No.300558 aged 26 when he was killed in action on the 28^th March, 1918 during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion Diary gives an insight into the chaotic events of the day

28^th March

At about 6am the enemy commenced to shell heavily the whole of the forward line and brought Trench Mortars and MACHINE Guns into action.

FOLIES was shelled and the area in the rear of the village as far back as LE QUESNEL.

Rations were received at dawn and parties were organised to carry them to the Companies on the right. Owing to the heavy fire, however, it was not possible to get them up.

Heavy fighting was in progress on the right from soon after dawn and at 8am the enemy was reported to be in possession of BOUCHOIR and progressing towards the BEETROOT FACTORY. About 10am  the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.

At noon the enemy was bombarding the village and vicinity heavily and reports were received that he was in occupation of WARVILLERS on the left and ARVILLERS on the right.

The front line East of FOLIES continued to resist until about 2pm when the order was received from the 89^th Infy Brigade to the effect that the Battalions were relieved by the French and would withdraw at once to MEZIERES, where the men would be fed. Companies withdrew under some shelling and very heavy M.G. and rifle fire from the left , through K10 -K3 – North side LE QUESNEL to the main ROYE road and reorganised about D.29 c. The march from this point was conducted in good order despite the congested roads.

At MEZIERES it was decided to continue a rearward movement and the march was resumed via VILLERS-MOREUIL – MORISEL – ROUVREL, which village was reached about 7pm and the Battalion billeted. The men had marched 13 miles from the left position in good order and with practically no straggling. They were exhausted on arrival at ROUVREL, but in good heart.

Echelon ‘A’ of the Transport joined the Battalion at this village and the men were fed immediately on arrival. The night passed without incident.

His family again placed a notice in the local press:

THOMSON - Reported missing March 22, Private Wm. Thomson, 300558, 18th King's Liverpool Regiment (Lancashire Hussars). Any information will be thankfully received by his parents at 5 Carrington Street, Birkenhead. 

His father also contacted the International Red Cross concerning Pte. William Thomson, 3rd Company, 10th Platoon, missing since 22nd March 1918, but was notified on 6th August 1918 that they held no information on William.

They appealed again for information in the local newspaper on 11th September 1918.

William’s documents were sent from the paymaster to the pension office on 30th October 1918. Perhaps this gives an idea of when he was finally declared killed in action however, one year after his death his increasingly anxious family are still searching for him, as evidenced in the Birkenhead News 01st March 1919:

William's body was either not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the Missing of the Somme fighting of 1918.

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.

His father received William’s Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £20-10s, Pension to mother Jane.

His father died in  the December quarter of 1921, aged 64. His mother died in the March quarter of 1935, aged 81.

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