Pte 23856 Samuel John Webber

• Age: 23
• From: Bootle, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 20th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Samuel John Webber was born at 44 Gray Street, Bootle on the 29th June 1891 and was baptised at St Leonard’s C. of E. Church, Bootle on the 12^th August 1891. He was the son of Samuel Webber and his wife Elizabeth (nee Melhuish). His parents married on 02nd April 1864 at St Thomas' Church, Exeter. 

On the 1891 census the family are living at 44 Gray St, Bootle. Father Samuel is aged 50 and a baker born in Exeter, Devon, mother Elizabeth is aged 46 born in Broadclyst, Devon, children all born in Liverpool, Margaret 20 milliner, William 13 and James 7. Also Elizabeth's widowed mother Sarah Melhuish 76 b.Broadclyst, Devon, and a servant Mary Carroll 15 b.Ireland.

His father died in 1892 in Wisconsin, USA. A report of deceased Liverpool seamen in the Liverpool Journal of Commerce 29th September 1892 lists Samuel Webber.  

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 124 Rimrose Road, Bootle. His mother Elizabeth is a widow aged 56, and is a chandler shopkeeper. She has two sons living with her Frederick aged 17, born 1884 is a tobacco clerk born in Liverpool and Samuel aged 9, born 1892 in Bootle.

Around 1910, Crew records exist for Samuel J. Webber aboard the Cunarder SS Ivernia on the Boston/NY trips.

On the 1911 census his mother is living at 182 Peel Road, Bootle. She has had seven children, of whom five have survived. Only William 33, a ships steward is left at home. Samuel J. must be away at sea.

His mother died in the June quarter of 1915 aged 70.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 23856 when he was killed in action on the 20th October 1916 aged 23 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

The 18th Battalion Diary describes preparations on the 17th Oct 1916 for the operation to take Gird Trench in which Capt. Ravenscroft was killed putting tape out for the start line. On the 21st Oct the O.C. submitted his report for the "non-success" of the mission, citing heavy enemy barrages on their trenches, the cold and wet men, and mud on their equipment. 

His body was not recovered or was subsequnently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme in 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.”

Soldier Effects to sister Margaret Pickup., no Pension record found.

His family placed a Memorial notice to Samuel in the Liverpool Daily Post on 21st October 1918

WEBBER - To the memory of Private SAMUEL JOHN WEBBER (18th pals) K.L.R., killed October 19(sic), 1916. - The Family.

Samuel is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Leonard’s C. of E. Church, Bootle

Bootle Civic Memorial.

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