Pte 17750 Thomas Wadman

• Age: 18
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 2nd August 1916
• Commemorated at: Corbie Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: II.A.18

Thomas was born on the 30th April 1898 in Liverpool the son of Maria Charlotte Wadman. He had one brother, Sidney and two sisters Louisa and Alice.

His mother married Thomas Aslett Clark in the third quarter of 1898. 

The 1901 Census finds Thomas aged 2 and shown as step son living at 5 Normanby Street, Toxteth Park, the home of his mother Maria, now Clark and his step father Thomas A. Clark. His step father is a 59 year old retired brush maker from Surrey, whilst his mother is 31 years of age and was born in Birmingham. He has three siblings and one step sibling, they are listed as; Sidney C. aged 11 born in New Brighton, Louisa M. aged 9 and also born in New Brighton, Alice aged 7 was born in Liverpool, and Rosalind A. Clark born in early 1901.

By 1911 the family have moved to 2 Bessbrook Road, Aigburth, Liverpool. Thomas is a 12 year old scholar living with his mother and step father, three siblings and four step siblings. His step father, Thomas Aslett Clark is now 69 years old, his mother is 41. His siblings are;  Thomas Charles aged 21 invalided from the navy, Louisa Maria aged 19 and Alice aged 17. His step siblings are; Rosalind Aslett aged 11, Albert Edward Aslett aged 7, Emily Aslett aged 6 and George Henry Aslett aged 3.    

Thomas was educated at Sefton Park County Primary School.

He was employed at the Tramways Department of Liverpool Corporation prior to enlisting.

He enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 04th September 1914 when he joined the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17750. He gave his age as 19 years and 20 days, which we will discover was a lie told by Thomas in order to attest. He is described as a Clerk being 5'4 and a half inches tall and weighing 119lbs  He is described as being of fresh complexion with blue eyes and fair hair. He gave his religion as Church of England.

His service record shows that he went to France on 16th December 1915. He was wounded on 30th July 1916 during the dreadful events that unfolded in the attack on Guillemont. He died of wounds on 02nd August 1916 aged 18. The wounds are described as Gun Shot Wounds to his knees.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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.

Thomas' death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on the 11th August 1916:

Mrs.Wadman, of 2, Bessbrook-road, Aigburth, Liverpool,has received news of the death of her son. Private Wadman attempted to join the Pals on several occasions but was refused owing to the fact that he was only sixteen years of age. He was however, finally accepted on "readjusting" his age to meet military requirements. He went to Flanders with the first contingent of the Pals, and was a great favourite with both officers and men. He attended Aigburth Vale school and after leaving joined the staff of Lpool Corporation Tramways Dept.

Also in the Liverpool Courier on the same date:

Private Thomas Wadmen,of the Pals, who has died from wounds, resided at 2,Bessbrook-road, Aigburth. He was on the Liverpool tranways staff.

The Daily Post report clearly states that Thomas had attempted to join the Pals on several occasions but was refused owing to the fact that he was just 16 years old. It further advised that he was finally accepted upon readjusting his age to meet Military requirements. This accounts for his incorrect age of 19years and 20 days being offered to the Recruiting Sergeant on 04th September 1914. A further example of the desire of young boys wishing to enlist and to not miss out on the big adventure that "would be over by Christmas".

Thomas now rests at Corbie CC Extension and his headstone bears the inscription:

"IN MEMORY. DIED OF WOUNDS"

Corbie was about 20 kilometres behind the front when Commonwealth forces took over the line from Berles-au-Bois southward to the Somme in July 1915. The town immediately became a medical centre, with Nos 5 and 21 Casualty Clearing Stations based at La Neuville (the suburb across the Ancre) until October 1916 and April 1917 respectively. In November 1916 the front moved east, but the German advance in the Spring of 1918 came within 10 kilometres of the town and brought with it field ambulances of the 47th Division and the 12th Australian Field Ambulance. The communal cemetery was used for burials until May 1916, when the plot set aside was filled and the extension opened. The majority of the graves in the extension are of officers and men who died of wounds in the 1916 Battle of the Somme. The remainder relate to the fighting of 1918. The communal cemetery contains 249 First World War burials, the extension 918. The extension was designed by Charles Holden.

He is also remembered on the  following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 32 Left

Garston Roll of Honour

St Anne's C. of E. Church, Aigburth.

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