Pte 27502 Albert Rothwell Woods

• Age: 18
• From: Litherland, 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.

Albert Rothwell Woods was born on 18th October 1897 at 7 Hapsford Street, Litherland, and baptised on 19th December 1897 at St Matthews Church, Bootle. His parents were Joseph Harold Woods and his wife Margaret Esther (nee Jones) who married on 03rd March 1893 at St Matthew, Bootle. Joseph was a 27 year old clerk of 58 Litherland Park, father William, whilst Margaret was aged 25 of 15 Hornby Rd, father John.  

The 1901 census records the family living at 14 Moss View, Moor Street, Ormskirk.

His father Joseph was 34 years old and born in Knotty Ash and working as a general merchant’s book keeper, his mother Margaret was 34, born in Irby, Cheshire. Albert was 3 and had an older brother, William Francis, who was 5 years old and had been born in Bootle.

The 1911 census shows the family now living at The Croft, Ruff Lane, Ormskirk.

The father Joseph is now aged 44, a commercial clerk for an Indian merchant, mother Margaret is also aged 44. Albert is now aged 13 and he and his brother William Francis aged 15 are at school. Harold Joseph is two years of age.  In his youth Albert was prominently associated with Ormskirk Boy scouts and also a member of Aughton Hockey Club. The census shows that Margaret had borne four children, one of which had sadly died. Also living in the house is a 26 year old domestic servant, Phoebe Anderton, and visitors RQMS Francis John Bourne, London Yeomanry and wife.   

When Albert enlisted in Liverpool on or about the 01st May 1915, joining the 18th Battalion as Private 27502, he had been employed as a clerk in the Cotton Exchange in Liverpool. 

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 sailed to France with the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 27502 on the 7th November, 1915.

Albert was killed in action on the 1st July 1916.

The 18th Battalion diary for that day records:

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.

Albert 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.”

Albert's death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 14th July and 18th July 1916 under the header: 

ROLL OF HONOUR

Private Albert Rothwell Woods age 18 of The Croft, Warren Drive, New Brighton was killed on July 1st. His brother Private W. F. Woods being wounded.

Liverpool Daily Post 7th Aug 1916 

Killed. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Woods, 25702, A. R. (New Brighton); 

His brother William Francis Woods served as No 17016 in the 18th Battalion King's (Liverpool) Regiment and was reportedly wounded in July 1916. He was commissioned in 1917 into the Royal Flying Corps and survived the war.

Albert is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance in Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 34

Liverpool Cotton Association Ltd, Walker House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool.

Soldiers Effects to father Joseph H., no Pension record found. 

On the 1939 Register the family are found at the Pool House, Tarvin Rd, Tarvin. Father Joseph, dob 17th April 1866, mother Margaret, dob 5th Sept 1866, and Harold Francis. 

Father died aged 85 on the 10th Dec 1951. 

Probate 1952:- 

WOODS Joseph Harold of Rosemary Lane, Freshford Somersetshire died 10 December 1951 Administration Liverpool 10 April to Harold Joseph Woods architect and William Francis Woods salesman. Effect £1360 1s 1d. 

Mother died aged 85 in 1952 in Taunton.  

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