Pte 23853 Robert Wagstaff

• Age: 29
• From: Hyde, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

The 1901 Census shows the family still living at 4 John Shepley Street, Hyde. His father, Joseph aged 42, was born in Broadbottom, Cheshire in 1859, his occupation is shown as an iron planer, whilst his mother Maria is aged 39, born 1862 in Newton, Cheshire. Robert aged 14, is a cotton doffer. His siblings are listed as;  Ann aged 20. born 1881 is a cotton weaver, Harry aged 18, born 1883 occupation iron turner, Alice aged 16, born 1885 is a cotton card room hand and the three of them were born in Newton.  Sarah aged 11, born 1900 and John aged 7, born 1904 were, like Robert, born in Hyde. 

By the time of the 1911 Census at the same address, Robert is 24, single and is employed as a Hatters Laourer in a felt hat works. He lives with his mother, aged 49(married 32 years, 6 children), and younger siblings Sarah, 21, an envelope packer, and John, 17, a hat finisher. Father Joseph is not present, there is also a lodger in the household. The family name is recorded as Wagstaffe.  

His father, 53, and brother Harry, 28, are found boarding in Liverpool, at 30 Brainard Street.  Both are employed in an iron foundry, his father as a machine hand and Harry as a turner.

Robert enlisted in Liverpool in November 1914 joining the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 23853.

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. He arrived in France on 07^th November 1915.

His mother died in the June quarter of 1916, at the age of 54, whilst Robert was in France.

Robert was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 29, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

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.

Robert's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated as Wagstaff R. on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.

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.”

His Soldiers effects, Army pay  of £12 5s 10d and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to his father Joseph.  The pension ledger does not show the amount awarded.

In 1939 his father, now 80, is still at 4 Shepley Street, with married daughter Alice and her husband.  

His father died in 1941 aged 82.

For reasons unknown, Robert’s name does not appear among the 707 fallen commemorated on the Memorial Plaques in the Hyde Town Hall.

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