Pte 15277 John Henry Wealthy

• Age: 24
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

John Henry Wealthy was born in January 1892 at Liverpool, and was the son of John Henry Wealthy and his wife Amelia (nee Rigby). His parents married in 1888; two daughters died in infancy. His father was born in Hoxton, London and his mother in Liverpool. The National School Admission Registers & Log-Books 1870-1914 show his date of birth as 27th December 1891 when he attended Granby Street Council School in 1896. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 147, Northbrook Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. His father, John Henry, is aged 37 and is a ship brokers clerk, whilst his mother Amelia is aged 35 with no occupation listed. At the time of the Census they have four children, John Henry (junior) aged 9,  Charles Garburt aged 7, Minnie aged 6 and Elizabeth Ellen aged 4.

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 42 Sandhurst Street, Liverpool. His father John Henry is aged 47, born 1864 occupation general merchant book-keeper, his mother, Amelia is aged 45, born 1866 no occupation shown. They have been married for twenty two years and have had six children of which two had died.  All of their children were born in Liverpool; John Henry (junior) aged 19, born 1892 is a general merchant’s clerk and student, Charles Garburt aged 17, born 1895 is an apprentice joiner and student, Minnie aged 16, born 1895 has no occupation and Elizabeth Ellen aged 14, born 1897 is at school.

He enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 31st August 1914 joining the 17^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15277.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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 7th November 1915.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916 aged 24 at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th 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 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th 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 declared Missing.  

His parents appealed for information on Private Henry Wealthy in the local paper on 28th August 1916.  

He was listed as missing in the local press 14th September 1916.

It wasn't until 02nd May 1917 that he was reported killed:

WEALTHY - July 30 1916, previously reported missing, now officially reported killed, age 24 years, Private J. Henry Wealthy, K.L.R., eldest son of Mr and Mrs J.H Wealthy 42 Sandhurst Street.

His father contacted the International Red Cross in hopes that his son had been taken prisoner, but received a reply dated 19th September 1916 that they held no information on Henry.

Henry's body was not recovered 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 is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Michael in the Hamlet with St Andrews Church, Liverpool

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 32 Left

He is also remembered on the family headstone in Toxteth Cemetery with the inscription:

PTE. J. HENRY WEALTHY (PALS) AGED 24 YEARS. MISSING AT GUILLEMONT 30TH JULY 1916 SINCE PRESUMED KILLED ON THAT DATE

He earned his three medals.

Soldiers Effects to his father John Henry and a War Gratuity of £8-10s.

His family placed a notice in the local press on the first anniversary of his death on 30th July 1917:

WEALTHY - In loving memory of Private J. Henry Wealthy, PALS, reported missing July 30 1916, later reported killed - Mr and Mrs Wealthy and family, 42 Sandhurst Street.

His brother Charles enlisted on 07th September 1914 in the Royal Army Medical Corps  and arrived in France on 20th January 1915.  He suffered gunshot wounds and shell shock, and was discharged on 10th January 1917 with a partial disability pension and a Silver War Badge.

His father died, aged 61 on the 01st April 1925, and was buried on the 04th April at Toxteth Cemetery. 

Probate:- 

WEALTHY John Henry of 42 Sandhurst Street Liverpool died 1 April 1925 Probate Liverpool 14 May to Amelia Wealthy widow. Effects £339 16s 9d. 

In 1939 his mother Amelia, 74, was living in Lismore Road with daughter Elizabeth, 43, a nurse and midwife.  His mother lived through the Second World War and died in 1946 at the age of 81 and was buried on the 17th December at Toxteth Park Cemetery. 

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