Pte 58564 Friend Walsworth

• Age: 29
• From: Gomersal, Yorks
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Friend Walsworth was born in 1888 in Gomersal, Yorks and was the son of James and Emma (nee Bentley) Walsworth who were married on the 27th Nov 1869 at St Peter, Birstall. James was a 21 year old miner, Emma was also 21, both of Hunsworth.

His mother Emma died aged 32 in 1888 and his father James remarried to widow Esther Briggs on the 20th July 1889 at St Peter, Birstall.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Bird Acre, Gomersal, Dewsbury, Yorkshire.

The father James aged 42, born 1849 occupation, coal miner who was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. His wife Esther is aged 44, born 1847 no occupation and was born in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire. They have three children, Alice aged 16, born 1875 employed as a worsted spinner, Randolph aged 6, born 1885 is at school and Friend is aged 3, born 1888.   

The 1901 Census shows the family living at Wellington Street, Birkenshaw, Dewsbury, Yorkshire.

The father James is now aged 52, born 1849 occupation, coal miner who was born in Yorkshire. His wife Esther is aged 54, and still has no occupation. They have three children living with them,  Willie Jackson aged 16, born 1885 employed as a coal miner, Randolph now aged 15 is employed an underground coal hurrier and Friend is aged 13, and employed as a bobbin setter in a worsted mill. Their children were all born in Gomersal, Yorkshire.  

Step-mother Esther died aged 65 in the Dewsbury Workhouse Infirmary in 1912. She was buried on the 18th June at St Peter, Cleckheaton.

He married Ethel Wilkinson on the 31st August 1912 at St Pauls, Birkenshaw, York. Friend was a 24 year old weighing man, Ethel was 21 of Drub Lane, Gomersal, father Thomas. They had twins James and Ellen Elizabeth on the 11th June 1913.

 
He enlisted in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire and was formerly 20445, Cheshire Regiment and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 58564 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 29 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

Whilst serving in the 74^th Reserve Training Battalion he appeared In the Police Gazette British Army, Deserters and Absentees dated 05/12/16 having deserted/absented himself. It shows his enlistment as 02/12/1914 and missing since the 23^rd November. It gives his height as 5 foot two inches and having a pale complexion. It lists his occupation as a wire labourer.

18^th Battalion

He was killed in action on 31st July 1917 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Reported missing in the Weekly Casualty List 18th September 1917

King's (Liverpool Regiment) - Walsworth 58560(sic) F. (Leeds);

His name is recorded on the Drub Memorial

In Remembrance Of

The Men From This Village

Who Gave Their Lives

1914-1918

FRIEND WALSWORTH

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Ethel and children James and Ellen Elizabeth.

The father James died aged 72 in 1920.

Probate 1921:-

WALSWORTH - James of Alancroft, Birkenshaw Yorkshire died 28 December 1920 Probate London 28 February to Randolph Walsworth blacksmith's striker and Amy Elizabeth Norman widow. Effects £1201 18s 5d.

Widow Ethel, dob 17th Sept 1890, is found on the 1939 Register at 108 Carlinghurst Lane, Batley with married son James and Agnes. She died aged 78 in Spen Valley in 1969.

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