L/Cpl 15746 Claude William Tomkinson

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 30 Knowsley Road, Cressington Park, Liverpool. His father, James, is aged 35, born in Liverpool in 1866, his occupation is stated as a building contractor, whilst his mother, Mary, is aged 34, born in Manchester in 1867 has no occupation listed. They have two children both born in Liverpool, James W.H aged 11, born 1890 and Claude William aged 9, born 1892. They also have two servants living at the property Louisa Sheals aged 23, born 1878 a domestic cook who was born in Liverpool and Emily Davies a domestic housemaid aged 19, born 1882 in Birkenhead. 

Claude was educated at Liverpool College. 

By 1911 the family have moved to Wales, and are living in a nine-room Victorian house, Bryn Clwyd, in Llandyrnog, four miles from Denbigh.  His father is a building contractor/employer, and both sons, James, 21, and Claude, 19, work in the office. His mother is 47.  They have three domestic servants: a cook, a waitress, and a housemaid.

Sadly, his only brother James died shortly after the census, in June 1911, at the age of 22. 

Claude was living in Liverpool, at 28 Bentley Road, Princes Park, when war broke out.

He enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on the 03rd September 1914, joining the 17^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 15746. He gave his age as 22 years and 150 days and his occupation as a builder. He was described as being five feet seven and half inches tall, weighed 130lbs, with a 35" chest, a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his father as his next of kin at 28 Bentley Road.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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. 

His service record shows:

30.7.15: Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal, whilst at Belton Park

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.   

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 24, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th 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 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th 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.      

Claude's death was reported in the Liverpool newspapers as well as in the Denbighshire Free Press on 12th August 1916:

“It is with sincere regret that we record the death of Lance-Corporal Claude William Tomkinson, who was killed in action on the 30th July.  Deceased, who was only 24 years of age, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Tomkinson, of Plas Ffordd Ddwr, Llandyrnog, and Prince’s Park, Liverpool.  He was educated at the Liverpool College and was an enthusiastic member of the Officers Training Corps.  Joining the Army Service Corps at Barrow the first week of the war, he eventually transferred to the “Pals” 17th L.R. when first inaugurated in order to be with his college friends. The deceased was a most promising young architect and a keen sportsman, being a follower of the Flint and Denbigh Hounds.  Much sympathy is felt with Mr. and Mrs. Tomkinson in their bereavement.”

(No records have been found to verify his enlistment in the A.S.C.)

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he 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.”

Claude earned his three medals.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his father.  No pension card has been found, as he had been living independently.  It is also probable that his parents did not apply for a pension.

Probate was granted to his father:

Tomkinson Claude William of 28 Bentley Road, Liverpool, Lance-Corporal 17th King's Liverpool Regiment died 30 July 1916 in France. Administration Liverpool 9 October to James Tomkinson builder and contractor. Effects £1034 17s, 7d.

Claude is remembered on the following Memorials:

St Anne’s Church, Aigburth, Liverpool

Liverpool College WW1 Panel Sefton Park

Llandyrnog Memorial

His father died in 1921 at the age of 60.

In 1939 his mother is still living at Plas Ffordd Ddwr, in Llandyrnog. She is living on private means and has a cook/housekeeper and a parlour maid.  She died in 1947, at the age of 84.