Sgt 17746 Bentley Woolfenden

• Age: 24
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Delville Wood Cem, Longueval
  Panel Ref: XXXII.J.6

In 1901 his father is away at sea, and his mother, 35, is head of household at 29 Landsdowne Place, Everton. She has three children: Bentley 9, Evelyn 7, and Mabel 6.  Also in the household are nephew Joseph Woolfenden, 9, and niece Isabella Woolfenden, 7.

Ben and Joseph were “double first cousins”, i.e., their mothers were sisters and their fathers were brothers.  

Ben was educated at Arnot Street School, Walton.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 29 Highfield Road, Walton, Liverpool.  His father, also Bentley, is aged 46, born 1865 in Liverpool and whose occupation is listed as a master mariner, whilst his mother Amelia Ellen is aged 45, born 1866 in Liverpool. They have been married for twenty years and have had three children all born in Liverpool. Bentley (Jnr) aged 19, occupation apprentice pawnbroker, Evelyn aged 17, born 1894 no occupation, Mabel aged 16, born 1895 no occupation listed. Also declared is Edith aged 4, born 1907 who is their adopted daughter.

It is likely that Ben worked with his uncle, his father’s brother, who was a pawnbroker.

He enlisted on the 11th September 1914 at Liverpool giving his age as 22 years and 341 days and his occupation as a pawnbroker. He was described as being five feet nine and a quarter inches tall and weighed 174lbs, 39” chest, was of fresh complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. He gave, as next of kin, his father, at 46 Orrell Road, Aintree. 

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. 

Bentley's service papers have survived and show the following:

28.10.14: Appointed unpaid Lance-Corporal.

20.5.15: Appointed paid Lance-Corporal.

26.8.15: Promoted to Corporal.

15.10.15: Appointed paid Lance-Sergeant.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

16.3.16: Severely reprimanded for destroying his f/s cap. 

13.7.16: Promoted to Sergeant. 

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 24, 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.

Ben was initially posted as Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on Monday 18 September 1916: 

He was buried close to where he fell and his grave marked by a cross. After the war, when graves were concentrated, his body was exhumed and reinterred in Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, where he now rests, his headstone bears the epitaph:

THE ONLY SON OF THE LATE CAPT & MRS WOOLFENDEN

“IT IS WELL WITH THEM”.

Delville Wood was a tract of woodland, nearly 1 kilometre square, the western edge of which touched the village of Longueval in the Somme. On 14 July 1916 the greater part of Longueval village was taken by the 9th (Scottish) Division and on the 15th, the South African Brigade of that Division captured most of Delville Wood. The wood now formed a salient in the line, with Waterlot Farm and Mons Wood on the south flank still in German hands, and, owing to the height of the trees, no close artillery support was possible for defence.

The three South African battalions fought continuously for six days and suffered heavy casualties. On 18 July, they were forced back and on the evening of the 20th the survivors, a mere handful of men, were relieved. On 27 July, the 2nd Division retook the wood and held it until 4 August when the 17th Division took it over. On 18 and 25 August it was finally cleared of all German resistance by the 14th (Light) Division. The wood was then held until the end of April 1918 when it was lost during the German advance, but was retaken by the 38th (Welsh) Division on the following 28 August.

DELVILLE WOOD CEMETERY was made after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from a few small cemeteries and isolated sites, and from the battlefields. Almost all of the burials date from July, August and September 1916.

There are now 5,523 burials and commemorations of the First World War in this cemetery. 3,593 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 27 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three soldiers buried in Courcelette Communal Cemetery German Extension, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

Ben earned his three medals, which his mother signed for.

Amelia received his Army pay and a War Gratuity of £11-10s.  No pension card has been found.

Tributes were paid to Ben on the anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost At The Battle Of Guillemont”:

“Officially reported missing, but believed killed, July 30, 1916, Sergeant Bentley Woolfenden (3rd Pals), only and dearly-loved son of Captain and Mrs. Woolfenden, “Branksome”, Orrell Lane, Aintree.

If thou shouldst call me to resign

What most I prized, it ne’er was mine;

I only yield Thee what is Thine.

Thy will be done.”
 

“In affectionate remembrance of Sergeant Bentley (Ben) Woolfenden, 3rd Pals, dearly loved only brother of Evelyn (Eva) Cheetham, officially reported missing, but believed killed in action, July 30, 1916.

He did not wait to reason, when the war began,

But went and did his duty, like a soldier and a man;

But when the last reveille sounds, and when the battle’s won,

His Maker whom he’s gone to meet, will smile and say “Well done”.

- Ever fondly remembered by Eva and Saville, 70, Bank Street, Maidstone, Kent.” 

“In sad but loving memory of Sergeant Bentley Woolfenden (our Ben), 3rd Pals, only and dearly-loved brother of Mabel (May) Fabian, officially reported missing but believed killed in action July 30, 1916.

His lovely smile and kindly ways

Are pleasant to recall;

He always had a pleasant word,

And died beloved by all.

• Ever remembered by May and Willie, 202 Warbreck Moor, Aintree.”

On his birthday in 1917 his loved ones placed notices in the newspaper:

“October 27, In loving birthday remembrance of dear Ben, killed in action July 30, 1916. (Always remembered by Lucy.)”

“October 27, In loving birthday remembrance of our dear and only son, Sergeant Bentley Woolfenden, K.L.R., who fell in action July 30, 1916. (“It is well with him”). Branksome, 46 Orrell Lane, Aintree.”

“October 27, In loving and affectionate birthday remembrance of my dear and only brother, Sergeant Ben Woolfenden, K.L.R., who fell in action July 30, 1916.  (Ever fondly remembered by his Sister and Brother-in-law May and Willie Fabian.) - 202 Warbreck Moor, Aintree.”

“October 27, In loving birthday remembrance of my dear brother, Ben, sergeant, K.L.R., who fell in action July 30, 1916.  (Ever fondly remembered by his Sister and Brother-in-law Saville and Eva Cheetham, Maidstone, Kent.”

Ben was remembered on the second anniversary of his death in 1918:

His family also placed a birthday notice in the Liverpool Echo on Monday 28 October 1918: 

In 1918 his parents received his personal effects: 1 Identity disc.

His father served in the Merchant Navy during the war. He died on the 12th January 1919 aged 53, leaving £2,757-14s to his widow Amelia and Jeremiah Saville Cheetham chemist.  

His cousin L/Sgt. Joseph Brooks Woolfenden, 26, married with two children, was killed in action on 29th September 1918 serving with the East Yorkshire Regiment.  He now rests in Underhill Farm Cemetery south of Ypres.

Joseph’s youngest brother Norman William Woolfenden, 28, Second Officer on an unescorted merchant ship, was killed on 02nd December 1942 when the S.S. Solon was torpedoed off the coast of South America with the loss of 75 lives. 

Ben is commemorated on the family headstone in Anfield Cemetery, and on the following Memorials: 

St John the Evangelist Church, Walton

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance Panel 32 Left 

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