Pte 22566 Henry Warburton

• Age: 25
• From: Liverpool
• 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 1911 Census shows the family living at 40 St Andrew Road, Anfield Liverpool. His father, William, is aged 49, born in Manchester in 1862, his occupation recorded as a shipping clerk, whilst his mother Eliza is aged 47, was born in 1864 in Maidstone Kent. They have been married for 27 years and have had thirteen children of which six had died. Those children recorded at home are; Ada aged 24, born 1887 is a packer for the Co-Operative, Alice aged 21, born 1890 is a cigarette maker, Henry aged 19, born 1892 is a clerk for freight forwarding agents, Frank aged 17, born 1894 is a watchmakers assistant, Florence aged 15, born 1896 no occupation, Annie aged 13, born 1898 is at school and Emily aged 7, born 1904.  

He enlisted on the 06th November 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 20^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 22566. He gave his age as 23 years and 96 days, and he gave his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet nine inches tall and weighed 126lbs, 36” chest, was of sallow complexion, had blue eyes and sandy coloured hair. He stated his religion as Church of England.

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.

Henry arrived in France with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 07th November 1915.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 25, 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.

He was initially reported as Wounded in Action, and in September 1916 listed as Wounded and Missing.

His family placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 25th September 1916 under the heading,

“‘George Formby’ Missing”

“Private H. Warburton K.L.R. known as George Formby, has been missing since July.  Any news would be gladly received by his mother at 40 St. Andrew’s Road, Anfield, Liverpool.”

(At the time, George Formby was already a most popular music hall comedian, perhaps Henry liked doing impressions of him)

His father wrote to enquire about his son on the 16th September 1916::

Dear Sir

I would pleased if you could give me some information please about my son Private H Warburton No. 22566 20th service Battalion 8th Platoon 2nd Coy Kings Liverpool Regiment. I was notified by Infantry record office Preston on 18/08/16 that he was missing on 30th July place not stated. Now can you tell me if he is in hospital in France or been sent to England can you give the name of the hospital? and date he was sent, a reply as soon as possible will greatly oblige.

Yours Respectfully
Mr Warburton.

Hoping that her son had been taken prisoner, his mother contacted the International Red Cross, but received a reply dated 11th December 1916 that they held no information on Henry.

After a year of agonising uncertainty for his family, his death was officially accepted one year later, in July 1917, as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

Henry's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on 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.” 

Henry earned his three medals.  His 1914-15 Star was issued under the correct name but the medal roll shows his British War Medal and Victory Medal were issued to Warberton. 

His Army pay  of £7 15s 1d and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to his father.  His parents were awarded a pension, but the pension card, giving their address as 40 St. Andrew’s Road, and later at 6 Goodacre Road, Aintree, does not show the amount.

His brother Frank attested on 01st December 1915 at Seaforth and was placed on the Reserve.  He was mobilised and appointed to the K.L.R. on 20th June 1916.  He was subjected to a number of transfers, including to the 2nd Garrison Bn Manchester Regiment, 1st Garrison Bn Cameron Highlanders, 3rd Bn K.L.R., and finally to the Cheshire Regiment.  He arrived in France on 19th May 1917 as a Corporal with the 23rd Bn. He survived the fighting but in February 1919 was admitted to the 51st General Hospital in Etaples (reason not recorded, but quite possibly due to influenza) and discharged in April. His employer, George Eccles & Son, Clock and Watchmakers, of Ranelagh Street, Liverpool, had appealed for his release a number of times since the end of the war, as he was “urgently wanted”.  Frank was eventually demobbed in August 1919.

His mother died in 1933 aged 69 and his father in 1935 aged 75.

Henry is remembered on the following Memorials:

Holy Trinity Church, Anfield, Liverpool.

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 33 Left 

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