L/Cpl 17034 John Stephen Williams

• Age: 25
• From: Everton, Liverpool
• 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.

John Stephen Williams was born on 26th December 1890 in Everton, Liverpool, and was baptised in St Francis Xavier's Roman Catholic Church, Liverpool on the 04th January 1891. John was the fifth child of John Williams, a weighing machine setter, and his wife Bridget (nee Hession) who were married on the 03^rd June 1876 at St Anthony’s Church, Scotland Road. John was of 57 Newsham Street, Everton, father Robert, whilst Bridget was of 20 Court, 3 House, Adlington St, father Edward. 

In 1891 the family lived at 41 Radcliffe Street, Everton. John senior was 35 and his wife Bridget was 37. John Stephens was 3 months old and had four siblings – Matthias aged 11, Edward 7, Isabella 6 and 2 year old Eliza. The couple had another child, Catherine who was born in 1881 and died aged 2 in 1893.

By the time of the 1901 Census the family lived at 72 Westbourne Street. His father, John, is aged 46, and a weighing machine fitter, mother Bridget is aged 47, John junior is aged 10, and his sister Eliza is aged 12, they were both at school, his brother Edward aged 17 was an apprentice steamship engineer and Isabella aged 15 was an apprentice bookbinder. 

His mother Bridget  died, aged 49, on the 05^th November 1903 and his sister, Isabella, died, aged 17, on the 18^th May 1903, and were buried that same year in Yew Tree Cemetery.

John senior, remarried to Elizabeth Watkin, on the 12^th August 1905 at St Swithin's Church, Croxteth. Elizabeth was the daughter of James Watkin of Lower House Lane, Croxteth, and the marriage was witnessed by Emily Watkin who was staying with them on 1921 Census. 

John junior enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17034. He gave his age as 23 years 250 days, his birthplace as Everton, his occupation as clerk and his next of kin as his father of 72 Westbourne Street. He was described as being 6 foot tall, weight 157lbs, 37” chest, with a fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His religion was stated as Roman Catholic. 

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 crossed to France with his Battalion on the 7th November 1915 earning all three medals and on 02nd March 1916 was attached to 30th Division Grenade School until 5th March.

On 12th May 1916 he was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal and on that same date was granted leave in the UK between 03rd and 22nd June 1916, eight days of this leave was spent in a segregation camp at Southampton as he had contracted a contagious disease.

He returned to his Battalion and was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01st July 1916.

The events of the 1st July 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.

John'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.”

His loved ones placed notices in the Liverpool Daily Post on 18th July 1916:

From his father:

“June 29, killed in action, aged 25 years, Lance Corporal John S. Williams, (“Pals”), the dearly loved youngest son of John Williams, 72 Westbourne Street, Everton. R.I.P. Requiem Mass at St. Francis Xavier’s Church, on Friday next, at 10 a.m.”

John was engaged to be married when he was killed; his fiancée wrote:

“June 29, killed in action, Lance Corporal John S. Williams (“Wimps”) (“Pals”). R.I.P. Deeply mourned by his sorrowing Fiancée, Florence Gibson; also by Mr. & Mrs. and Mabel Gibson.”

From his sister Eliza:

“June 29, killed in action, Lance Corporal John S. Williams (our John) (“Pals”). The beloved brother of Eliza and Private Geo. Flint, 2,8th K.L.R. R.I.P. (He was loved by all who knew him) – Li.”

From his brother:

“To the beloved memory of Lance Corporal John Stephen Williams (“Wimps”) (“Pals”), killed in action June 29. R.I.P. He was a good lad. Well done, “Wimps”) – From his Brother, Engineer Lieut.-Commander F. Williams, R.N.R. and May Williams, 25 Lucan Road, Aigburth.”

He is also remembered on the war memorial in St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, Salisbury Street, Liverpool.

His name is also on the gravestone of his mother, Bridget and sister, Isabella in Yew Tree Cemetery and reads:

“also John Stephen, Lance Corporal, youngest son of John, killed in action in France July 1st 1916 aged 23 years.”

After his death his effects were returned to his father. They were 1 disc, 2 photos, 1 crucifix and 1 RC medallion.

His sister Eliza married George Edward Flint on the 10th June 1916 just a few weeks before her brothers death (possibly the reason for John's leave at home in early June 1916). Her marriage was sadly to be short lived as her husband George died of his wounds on June 11th 1917,  when he served in the 2nd/8th Battalion K.L.R.

John’s brothers Matthias and Edward both died in 1920 and their father died in 1928.

His father died, aged 73, in the June quarter of 1928:

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