L/Cpl 16558 Stanley Woolmer

• Age: 27
• From: Bolton, Lancs
• 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.

16588 Lance Corporal Stanley WOOLMER, 18^th Battalion KLR.  

Stanley was born on the 18th November 1888, at Albert Villas, Great Lever, Bolton, Stanley was the second child and second son of three children born to James Newman Woolmer, and his wife Margaret Anne (nee Dickinson) of Horwich, who married in 1886 at St Michael, Great Lever. He was baptised also in the church of St Michael, Great Lever on 06th January 1889. 

In 1901 the family lived at 703 Manchester Road, Bolton.

Stanley is now 12 years of age and lives with his parents and two siblings. His father is shown as a 44 year old traveller (chemicals) who was born in Exeter and his mother Margaret A. is now 40 years of age. His siblings are Charles H. aged 14 and Margaret aged 8. There is also a servant present in the household. 

His mother died aged 41 in 1901 and his father, James, married for a second time in 1904 to Maggie Cryer.  

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 333 Green Lane, Great Lever, Bolton.

Stanley is 22 and an export shipping clerk. His father James is aged 54, step mother Maggie is aged 39, born in Salford, two siblings and two half siblings who are named as;  Charles Herbert a 24 year old bank clerk, Margaret aged 18, Kate Brutton aged 5 and Robert Newman aged 1. Again there is a servant registered in the household. 

His father died in September 1914, when probate in respect of his estate of £2,408.00 was granted to his widow and Edward Charles Woolmer, bank manager.

Farnworth Chronicle - Saturday 25th July 1914 

DEATH OF MR. J. N. WOOLMER  

WELL-KNOWN GREAT LEVER RESIDENT.  

A well-known Great Lever resident passed away on Tuesday, in his 58th year, in the person of Mr. James Newman Woolmer, death following a lengthy and patiently borne illness. The departed gentleman, who was prominent ‘in commercial circles, resided at Meadow Bank, Green Lane. He was known in all parts of the county as representative of Messrs. E. P. Potter and Co., Ltd., chemical manufacturers, Little Lever, a position he has occupied for the past 34 years. Mr. Woolmer was a Freemason connected with the Earl of Ellesmere Lodge, Farnworth, No. 678, being a Past Master and a Past Provincial Assistant Director of Ceremonies. In the last few years he has not been very prominent, but formerly he took an active part in Masonry. He displayed a considerable amount of interest in the Boy Scout movement, being Scout Master of the 1st Moses Gate Troop until quite recently. He was a staunch Conservative and Churchman, and worshipped at St. Michael’s, Great Lever. He was twice married, and leaves a widow, three sons, and three daughters to mourn their loss.  

IMPRESSIVE SCENES AT GREAT LEVER.  

The funeral took place at St. Michael’s Church, Great Lever, at noon yesterday of the late Mr. James Newman Woolmer (57), of Meadow Bank, Green Lane. Deceased had for 4 years been an official for Messrs. E. P. Potter and Co., Ltd., chemical manufacturers, Little Lever, and as such he was well-known in commercial circles. He was a staunch Conservative, a Freemason, and closely connected with the Scout movement. There were many indications of deep regret at the funeral, and flags flew half-mast at the Great Lever, Moses Gate, and Farnworth Conservative Clubs. The coffin was of solid oak, mounted with brass handles, and on the breast plate was engraved: “James Newman Woolmer. Died, July 21st, 1914, in his 58th year.” The service was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. M. Patterson, M.A. The mourners were as follows:— Messrs. C. H. and Stanley Woolmer (sons), E. C. Woolmer (brother), Edward Woolmer (nephew), W. B. Hamilton (brother-in-law), P. Cryer (brother-in-law), E. P. Potter, J.P., C.K. Potter, F. R. Reynolds, and Dr. Ramsey. 

His step mother Maggie died aged 43 on 24th April 1916. 

Stanley was educated the Municipal Secondary school associated with St Michael's Church. He was a member of the Great Lever Conservative Club, and a keen sportsman playing rugby with Kersal, Manchester and cricket with the Bolton XI. In addition he was a member of Bolton Swimming Club and First Scoutmaster of St Michael's Scout Troop. At the time of his enlistment he was working as a clerk in the code room of Messrs Beith, Stevenson and Co. of 14 Bridge Street, Salford.

Stanley enlisted in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion as Private 16558. He is described as being 5' 8" tall, weight 158lbs, 40” chest, and is of sallow complexion with hazel eyes and black hair. His religion is stated as Church of England. NOK was brother Charles Herbert, Meadow Bank, Bolton. 

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 arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

On 19^th February 1915 he was appointed paid Lance Corporal but reverted to the ranks at his own request on 28^th June that year. He crossed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on the 7^th November 1915.

On 30^th January 1916 he was again appointed paid Lance Corporal. He returned to the UK on 12th May 1916 for a period of leave but was detained at a segregation camp in Southampton from 20th May - 06th June. 

Stanley was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916.

18^th Battalion Diary

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 18^th 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. 

Stanley has no known grave 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.”

Farnworth Chronicle - Friday 14th July 1916 

GREAT LEVER SOLDIER KILLED.  

News has been received at his home, Meadow Bank, Green Lane, that Lance-Corporal Stanley Woolmer (Mick), who was serving with the 18th King's (Liverpool) Regt., has been killed in France, at the age of 27. Lance-Corporal Woolmer was very well known in Great Lever and Moses Gate district. He succeeded his deceased father as salesman for E. P. Potter and Co., Ltd., chemical manufacturers, Little Lever, and was engaged in that capacity prior to enlistment. He was associated with Moses Gate and Great Lever (Lever Hall) Conservative Club, and an enthusiastic member of the Bolton Cricket Club. His death will be lamented by a large number of friends. 

His death was reported in the Bolton Journal of 21st July 1916:

News has been received in a letter from a comrade of the death in action on July 1st of Lance-Corpl. Stanley Woolmer, second son of the late Mr. James Newman Woolmer, of Meadow Bank, Green-lane, Great Lever. Lance-Corpl. Woolmer who is 27 years of age, enlisted in the King's (Liverpool) Regiment at the outbreak of the war, and was sent to France in October last year, receiving his promotion while in the trenches. Prior to enlisting he worked in the code room of Messrs. Beith, Stevenson and Co. shippers, Bridge-st., Salford, on whose Roll of Honour, and also those of the Municipal Secondary School, St. Michael's Church, and the Great Lever Conservative Club, his name appears. He was an all-round sportsman, playing Rugby football with Kersal, Manchester, and cricket with the Bolton eleven. He was formerly a member of the Farnworth Swimming Club, and inaugurated the troop of Scouts at St. Michaels being the first scoutmaster.  

Farnworth Chronicle - Friday 11th August July 1916 

OFFICIAL WAR CASUALTIES. 

King’s Liverpool Regiment – L-Corpl. S. Woolmer (16558), Bolton.  

Farnworth Chronicle - Friday 22nd December 1916 

DURATION OF SCHOOL LIFE.  

A Commitee of the Lancashire County Council Education Authority visited the school on May 20th, and discussed with the Governors present the usual questions of duration of school life, entrance age, and leaving age. The Committee could see no direction in which the expenditure could be reduced, and the customary grant was recommended. Over 70 old boys have joined various branches of H.M. Forces. A heavy proportion of those serving have given their lives for their King and country. With very great regret we have to record the loss of Lieutenants C. P. Monks, C. Dutton, and J. Booth, J. Oakes, W. Martin, S. Woolmer,.... 

He left an estate valued at £625 which based on average earnings was worth around £61,000.00 in 2016. 

£625 in 1916 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £68,131.55 today in 2024. 

His medals and identity disc were to be sent to his brother, Charles Herbert, at Meadowbank, Green Lane, Bolton. 

A sworn declaration by Charles Herbert and dated 22^nd May 1919, stated that their parents were deceased and Stanley was survived by Charles Herbert, 32 years; a half-brother, Robert Newman Woolmer, aged 9 years; a sister, Margaret, 26 years; and two half-sisters Kate Brutton Woolmer, 13 years, and Margery, 6 years.  

Stanley is remembered at Farnworth Grammar School. The 26 Old Boys lost in the War have a Memorial Window, Roll of Honour, a carved oak Lectern and a Turret Clock. 

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