Pte 17097 George West

• Age: 21
• From: Mold
• 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.

William Louis St George West was born in Mold, Flintshire on October 05th 1894, the son of William Charles D’Evereux West, a drapers assistant, and his wife Annie Maria (nee Hunter) who were married on the 31st July 1892 at St Paul’s Church, Withington, Manchester. William was a 29 year old drapers assistant of Great Bowden, Market Harborough, father William Henry, whilst Annie was aged 28, also a drapers assistant of 5 Victoria Rd, Withington, father John.

His father William is found on the 1891 Census boarding with the Monk family at Nelson Street, Great Bowden, Leicestershire. He is a 26 year old drapers assistant, born in Thorncliffe, Kent, a military camp near Elham.  

The 1901 Census lists his mother living at 18 Davenport Street, Withington. She is recorded as being aged 37 born in Manchester, married, and as being wife of the head of the household, but her husband is not recorded. Her children are shown as William L.St. G. West (George’s formal name) born in Mold, and Helena F.M. West born in Rochdale. 

The 1911 census shows the 16 year old George, and a railway clerk is living with his mother and sister at 65 Ackroyd Street, Higher Openshaw, Manchester the address of the landlord, Edmund Ekins, a fruiterer. George’s mother helped out in her landlord’s business. She is listed as having been married for 18 years and had two children both of whom had survived, although again her husband is not present. Her daughter is this time recorded correctly as Eleanor, aged 15 and was born in Rochdale. 

When George enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17097 on 31st August 1914, he was employed as a clerk in the marine department of the Elder Dempster line. According to his enlistment papers he was aged 19 years and 330 days, with his occupation listed as a clerk. He was described as being 5’ 10” tall, weighed 119 lbs, 34” chest, and had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. His religion was stated as Roman Catholic and his next of kin was his mother Annie M., of 65 Ackroyd Street.  

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into 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 specialised as a machine gunner and sailed to France with the 18th Battalion on board the SS Invicta on November 07th 1915.

He was granted leave to the UK between 13th and 21st June 1916. 

George was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on the 01st July 1916.

The events of 1st July 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.

• 65 Ackroyd St, Hr. Openshaw, Manchester. 

George and his Uncle Percy are commemorated on the Mold Cenotaph, Denbigh Road. 

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