Pte 32664 Walter Whitby

• Age: 26
• From: Birkenhead, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: IV.F.10

Walter Whitby was born in 1889 at Birkenhead and was baptised  on the 25th August 1889 at St Mary's Church, Birkenhead. He was the son of William Henry and his wife Emma (née Oake).

His parents married in Liverpool on the 25th February 1874 at St Nicholas' Church, Liverpool.

Walter was the ninth of twelve children; his siblings were William Randle, Frederick Stanley, George Godwin, Ada, Frank, Arthur (who died at age 9), Harold, Miriam, Ethel, Alfred (died age 1), and Evelyn.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 45 Grange Mount Birkenhead, Birkenhead, Cheshire. His father William Henry is aged 62, born 1849 in Fairfield, Lancashire his occupation is listed as an assistant wharfinger, whilst his mother Emma is aged 57, born 1854 in New Ferry, Cheshire. They have been married for thirty seven years and have had twelve children of which two had sadly died. Those listed at home are shown as; Harold aged 26, born 1885 is a shipping clerk, Miriam aged 24, born 1887 is a dressmaker, Walter aged 21, born 1890 is a shipping clerk, Ethel aged 20, born 1891 is a dressmaker, Evelyn aged 16, born 1895 is a milliners apprentice. These children were all born in Birkenhead. Their married daughter Ada aged 33, born 1878 is living at the address with her husband Alfred also aged 33, born 1878 and an engine fitter with Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, they have a daughter Doris aged 3, born 1908 and a son Arthur born 1901. They also have a visitor Noel Ray aged 18, born 1893 who is at school and was born in Birkenhead.

Prior to the outbreak of the war Walter had been employed for 12 years as a clerk with the Clan Line. He was a keen sportsman who played cricket for St Matthew’s and football for St Mark’s.   

Walter enlisted in Liverpool on 09th November 1914 joining the 19^th Battalion ("B" Company), of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 32664.

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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 arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 26, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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.     

Walter was buried close to where he fell and his grave marked with a cross (CWGC graves registration form 12664 Ketby).  After the war when graves were concentrated his body was correctly identified and reinterred in Guillemont Road Cemetery, France, where his headstone bears the epitaph:  

"HE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH".

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries.

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

The Liverpool Echo reported on 15th August 1916:

“Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Whitby 45, Grange Mount, Birkenhead, [have] received unofficial news that their youngest son Private Walter Whitby of the “Pals” has been killed.  He went to France ten weeks ago.”

The Birkenhead News dated 16th August 1916 had the following report:

Well Known Clan Line Employee believed to be killed 

According to unofficial information that has been received by friends in Birkenhead Pte. Walter Whitby of the 19th Battalion K.L.R. (Pals) has been killed in action, No official intimation has yet been received. Pte. Whitby was an employee of the Clan Line for twelve years being on the office staff, and resided with his parents at 45 Grange Mount. Pte. Whitby was a good sportsman playing for St Matthew’s Cricket Club and for St Mark's Football Club. He was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. H Whitby and he had two other brothers.

As no word has been received from him for 10 weeks great anxiety has been felt for his safety, Mr. and Mrs. Whitby would be obliged if any information regarding their son would be communicated to them.  

The same newspaper reported on the 26th:

“In our issue of August 16th we stated that Pte. Walter Whitby of the King’s Liverpool Regt., was unofficially reported killed.  His parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Whitby, 45, Grange Mount, have now received news from the War Office that he was killed on July 30th.  He was educated at St. John’s school and played in the cricket team the year that school won the schools shield. He also played for St. Matthew’s Cricket Club, for St. Mark’s F.C. and the Y.M.C.A. F.C.  He was the youngest of six sons, two others of whom are now serving with the colours."

His Army pay of £2 17s 4d and a War Gratuity of £3 went to his mother Emma.

From the pension card in the name of his mother it is not clear whether she received a pension.

Notices appeared in the Liverpool Echo on the first anniversary of his death:

“In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Walter Whitby, K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action on the Somme, July 30, 1916. - Father, Mother, Brothers and Sisters.”

Walter was engaged to be married; his fiancée also posted an in Memoriam notice:

“In proud and ever-present memory of Walter, King’s (Liverpool Regiment), who fell in action July 30, 1916. (Out of the stress of doing into the peace of the done.) - His Fiancée, Victoria McCready.”  

Victoria and his family posted further notices in 1918 on the second anniversary of his death:

Walter is also commemorated on the Birkenhead War Memorial, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead. 

His brother George served in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and survived the war.

His brother Harold attested in November 1915, was mobilised in June 1916 and served with the Cheshire Regiment in France from December 1916. He was found guilty at a Field General Court Martial in February 1917 of neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline (accidental discharge of bullet wounding a fellow soldier) and was awarded 42 days field punishment no.1. A few months later he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. He suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder on 23/03/1918 and was wounded again in August 1918 with shell wounds to the arm and back. He returned from France in January 1919.

Walter’s father died in 1923/4 aged 75 and his mother in 1934 at the age of 80.

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