Pte 15314 Lawrence Waddington

• Age: 21
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: V.A.37

Lawrence Waddington was born was born at Ashton-upon-Mersey, Cheshire, in the December quarter of 1894, the only child of William Henry Waddington and his wife Florence Isabel (nee Farmer). His parents were married at St. John's C.of E. Church, Broughton, in 1890. Both of his parents were born in Manchester. William was employed as an Insurance Clerk.

In 1891 the family were living at Rivers Hill, Ashton-on-Mersey, his father is employed as a fire insurance clerk.

He enlisted on or about the 31st August 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion (“B” Company), The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15314 when he was 19 years old.

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. 

He arrived in France on 7th November 1915, disembarking at Boulogne.

He served in ‘B’ Company, Lewis Gun Section.

Lawrence was initially declared Wounded and Missing on 12th October 1916.  His parents made enquiries with the International Red Cross in Geneva but received a response in December 1916 that they held no information on Lawrence. Another enquiry through the Danish Red Cross in Copenhagen received the same response in March 1917. It was over seven months until he was officially declared killed in action, on 12th October 1916, aged 21, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

His death was first reported in the Liverpool Echo on 12th May 1917: 

It was also reported a week later in the Catholic News on 19th May 1917:

“Private Lawrence Waddington of the King’s (Liverpools), who was previously reported wounded and missing, is now officially reported killed in action.  He was 21 years of age and the only son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Waddington, of 54 Hartington Road, Liverpool.”

Lawrence had been buried close to where he fell, with an Unknown British Soldier. After the Armistice, when graves were concentrated, his body was identified and reinterred in 1920 in Warlencourt British Cemetery, France, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“REQUIESCAT IN PACE”

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified. 

Tribute was paid to Lawrence in a passage from the Holt School Magazine

In Memoriam

Lawrence Waddington, who was officially reported killed on 12 October, 1916, entered the school in 1907, and left to enter the service of the Dock Board in 1911. Those who were his contemporaries in the school, both fellow-pupils and members of the staff, will be deeply grieved to hear of the loss of one who was universally esteemed. Waddington was always distinguished by his unfailing courtesy and unselfishness. Absolutely trustworthy in every respect, he was devoted to his work in school and out of school. He was more especially interested in the study of science, and had much out-of-the-way knowledge in that subject. His willingness to put himself to inconvenience in order to help others was characteristic, and was but one of the many evidences of a truly religious nature. He joined the Pals and went out to France, like so many Old Holts, full of enthusiasm born of a belief in the sacred character of the fight against evil. His letters were full of a characteristic spirit of cheerfulness and hope, and his many friends and admirers will sorely miss him. 

On the first anniversary of his death his parents paid tribute in the Liverpool Daily Post:

“In loving memory of Lawrence Waddington (K.L.R.), aged 22 (sic) years, who fell in action while nobly serving his King and country in the conflict for righteousness and peace, October 12, 1916. - 54 Hartington Road, Liverpool.”

Lawrence earned his three medals.  

His parents received his Army pay and a War Gratuity of £9.  His documents were not received in the Pension Office from the paymaster until December 1917.  His mother was awarded a pension in February 1918 of 5/- a week to take effect from November 1918.

His mother died in 1937 aged 73, and his father five months later, aged 79, living in Oakdale Road, Waterloo. Their estate of over £4,500 was left to James Thorougood Peet, a solicitor and William Henry Chester, an insurance official.

Lawrence is also commemorated on the following War Memorials:

St Agnes and St Pancras’ C. of E. Church, Toxteth,

St. Agnes and St. Pancras Bible Class Tablet

Holt High School, Childwall 

Mersey Docks and Harbour Board.

St. Agnes and St. Pancras Bible Class Tablet

Liverpool Hall of Remembrance Panel 33 Right

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