Pte 24670 Ernest Fairhurst Waring

• Age: 21
• From: Runcorn, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Ernest "Ernie " Fairhurst Waring was born in Runcorn in 1894, the son of Captain James Henry Fairhurst Waring and his wife Sarah Ann (nee Bushell) who were married in 1886, registered in Prescot. He was baptised on the 29^th October 1894 at Camden Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Runcorn.  

The family were well known amongst the people who worked on the local rivers and canals as James worked as surveyor and then marine inspector for the Upper Mersey Navigation Commissioners and earlier he was a master of lightships in the Mersey.

Sadly, James and Sarah had 3 babies that did not survive infancy, Percy, James and Pollie, and young Nellie who died when she was 8 years old in 1900. Ernie was therefore the only son of the family amongst four sisters – older sister Ethel b.1889, and younger sisters Dorothy b. 1897, Mabel b.1899 and Mary b.1903.

At the time of the 1901 census the family lived at 11 Thomas Street, Runcorn which is within sight of the River Mersey and the Bridgewater Canal. Ernie is 6 years of age and lives with his parents and four siblings. His father is recorded as being 36 years old and had been born in St Helens, his mother was 37 and had been born in Liverpool. All their children were born in Runcorn and his siblings are shown as; Ethel aged 12, Dorothy aged 4, Mabel aged 2 and Pollie aged three weeks.

The 1911 census records the 16 year old Ernie was working as the ‘boy’ in a crew of six aboard the steam tug St Winifred which was docked in Morpeth Dock, Birkenhead on the night of the census. The rest of his family were living at 7 Mill Street in Runcorn, a street that no longer exists but which was near All Saints Church.  Both parents are present and advised that they had been married for 24 years and had nine children of whom five have survived.  Ernie’s sister Dorothy, aged 14, is a student of music while Mabel 12 and Mary 7 are at school. Ethel, aged 22 and the oldest sister is at home with her mother.

The local newspaper gave some details of Ernie’s life before he enlisted. He was the captain of the tug Cormorant, belonging to Messrs. Abel and Sons. He commenced employment as a light-ship boy, and then went on to the river steamers, where he was employed successively on the St Winifred, the Bridgewater and the Dagmar. He later served on the Cormorant as mate, and at the early age of 20 he was given the captainship of the vessel. He had also been temporary captain of the J. M. Stubbs.

Ernie enlisted in Liverpool on the January 09th 1915, joining the 18th Battalion as Private 24670.

He was billeted in the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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 crossed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on November 07th 1915.

He was killed in action on the 01st July 1916 by a shell which also wounded his best friend Private 17253 David Williams who subsequently died on the 8th July, and killed another Pal Private 24589 Thomas Arthur Marsh.

The events of July 01st 1916 for the 18th Battalion:

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt

Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

His death was reported in the Runcorn Guardian on 14th July 1916

TWO REPORTED KILLED

In a letter to his mother Private Lloyd, of Albert Terrace, informs her that his two best chums have been killed in the recent fighting. This being the first intimation that the parents of the two chums have received. He writes:- "I suppose you have seen by the papers about the fighting out here, and it is with the greatest regret that I have to say that Tom and Ernest have been killed. I suppose you know Captain Limb of the canal, his son Alfred has also been killed. I have been given some photographs that were taken of Ernest and I think I will send them to his parents, as his platoon sergeant asked me to send them on to them." Ernest is Private Ernest Waring, son of Captain Waring of Mill Street, Runcorn, and Tom is Private Tom Marsh, grandson of Mr Marsh, the caretaker of the Brunner Guildhall.

The Runcorn Weekly News of the 28th July 1916 reported Ernest's death in more detail under the headline:

Another “Pal” Falls:

"Captain J.H.F. and Mrs Waring of Mill Street, Runcorn, have now received the official notification of the death in action of their son Private Ernest Fairhurst Waring of the 18th King’s (Liverpool) Regiment (“Pals”). The official notice stated that he was killed in action on July 1st. In a letter to the parents from a chum, Corpl. Woodward, the writer says: “I feel I must, on behalf of the boys remaining in Ernie’s Platoon, send you a few lines expressing our deepest sorrow at your sad bereavement, and to tell you that we pals of his keenly feel the loss of so good a soldier and a man. Words of ours are surely but little sympathy to you in your great loss, but it may be a little comforting to you to know how highly we thought of Ernie during our 14 months soldiering together, and that he fell fighting for his country in the opening day of the great battle on July 1st 1916. He was in my section, and I can say he was killed instantaneously by a shell along with two other pals of his; one (David Williams) was Ernie’s special chum, being always together both during the winter in the trenches and in the little pleasures away from it. It was a coincidence that both should fall together. Please accept these few words of condolence from pals who do miss him so much. Private Waring was the only son of Captain and Mrs Waring, enlisted in the "Pals" in January 1915 and went out with the Regiment in October last. Before enlisting he was the Captain of the tug Cormorant belonging to Messrs R. Abel and Sons. He commenced his employment as a lightship boy and then went in the river steamers, being successfully employed on the Winifred, the Bridgewater and Dagmar. Later he went to the Cormorant as mate, and at the early age of 20 he was given the captainship. He had also been temporary Captain or J.M Stubbs. Both he and his family were very well known in the town and among the watermen and tugmen on the river and canals. He has a brother-in-law and two cousins serving with the forces."

Ernie's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

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.”

Soldiers Effects to father James H.F., Pension to mother Sarah Ann. 

His family paid tribute to Ernie in the Runcorn Weekly News on 29^th June 1917 :

He is also commemorated on the Runcorn War Memorial which is located at the junction of Moughland Lane and Greenway Road, Runcorn.

Ernie’s mother, Sarah Ann, died aged 68, in 1932, and his father, James, died in 1938, aged 74.

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