Pte 36428 John Wolfenden

The Scotland census of 1891, before John’s birth, shows his parents John and Mary Ann transcribed as Wolfenton, living in Wallace Street, Dumbarton, Lanarkshire, with three children.  John is 54, a shipyard watchman, Mary Ann is 45, daughters Mary, 22, and Maggie, 19, are dressmakers, and son Henry, 13, is at school.  All family members are born in Ireland. 

 

Shipbuilding had been important in the economy of Dumbarton since the early 1800s. The clipper Cutty Sark was built at Dumbarton in 1869. 

 

Soon after John's birth the family moved to Liverpool where his sister Mary married Joseph Little in 1893.

 

His mother Mary Ann appears to have died in 1899 aged 53, and was buried in West Derby Cemetery, the newspaper notice stating, “beloved wife of John”, living in Bourne Street.

The 1901 Census shows John living at 36 Queens Road, Everton, Liverpool with his sister and brother in law. The head of the household is Joseph Little aged 36, born 1865 occupation fruit merchant labourer who was born in Ireland. His wife Mary aged 28, born 1873 no occupation who was also born in Ireland. They have three children all born in Liverpool. Edward aged 6, born 1895. Margaret aged 3, born 1898 and Sarah aged 1 born 1900. Also living at the address are John Wolfenden father in law, a widower aged 70, born 1831 in Ireland and is a retired general labourer.  Edward Wolfenden brother in law also a widower aged 40, born 1861 in Ireland and is a dock labourer, Margaret sister in law aged 24, born 1877 in Ireland and occupation laundress, Henry C aged 22, born 1879 a copper and tin smith born in Ireland and John, brother in law aged 9, born 1892 in Scotland. There is also a visitor named Sarah McNeill aged 26, born 1875 in Ireland and she is a silk weaver.    

In 1911 John, 18, is still living with married sister Mary and her husband, now with six children, at 62 Woodville Terrace, Everton, and is employed as a stationery porter.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36428 when 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.       

John has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. 

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.”

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 01^st 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 Army effects and a War Gratuity of £3 were shared between his brother Edward and sisters Mary Little and Margaret Budd.

 

His documents were not received in the pension office from the Paymaster until May 1917.

 

In July 1917 his sister Mary Little, living at 7 Whitefield Terrace, Whitefield Road, Liverpool, was awarded a pension ("in loco parentis") of 8/- a week backdated to April 1917.

 

John is commemorated on Scotland's National War Memorial and in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 32 Right.