Lance Corporal 15599 Herbert Cunningham Wands

• Age: 29
• From: Egremont, Cheshire
• Regiment: 13th Kings
• Died on Wednesday 21st August 1918
• Commemorated at: Vis En Artois Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 3 & 4

Herbert Cunningham Wands was the son of Alexander and Annie C Wands, he was born in the first quarter of 1889 at Egremont.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Wood Lane, Belgrave Street, Birkenhead. His father, Alexander is shown as a book dealer born in Linacre, Lancashire in 1858, whilst his mother was born in Dundee in 1857. Herbert is 2 years of age and has an elder brother shown as Aleve b. 1887 which is probably Alexander and Robert b. 1891. Also present is Helen Ballentine the sister of Annie and a servant.    

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 51 Hartington Road, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. His father, Alexander is shown as a Book Keeper's clerk born in Liverpool in 1852 which is at odds with the earlier census details, whilst his mother was born in Scotland in 1857. Herbert is 12 years of age and has two brothers; Alexander C. born 1887 and Robert D born 1891. All three children were born at Egremont, Cheshire. Also present in the household is a Servant.   

Herbert was educated at Liverpool Institute from 1899. 

By 1911 the family resided at 32 Sydenham Avenue in Liverpool with both parents present alongside Herbert by now 22 years of age and employed as a Clerk in the Corn Trade in Liverpool. His younger brother Robert is also at home. 

Herbert enlisted at St George's Hall, Liverpool on 31st August 1914 and joined the 17th (Pals) Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15599.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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.

He was badly wounded during the murderous fighting at Trones Wood when he suffered a gunshot wound to the right side of his face. Upon his return to duty he was transferred on 09th May 1917 to the 13th Bn of the King's Liverpool Regiment. He was killed on action on 21/08/1918 aged 29 and is commemorated on the Vis en Artois memorial.

The Vis en Artois Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.

The memorial was designed by J.R. Truelove, with sculpture by Ernest Gillick. It was unveiled by the Rt. Hon. Thomas Shaw on 4 August 1930.

The Bn War Diary for August 1918 records -

Part of the 9th Brigade 3rd Army advance on Bapaume August 21st – 24th

20th August – Bivouacked at Hannescamp. At 11 p.m. the battalion moved to assembly positions. Intermittent shelling of assembly area.

21st August – At Zero Hour 4:55 a.m. the battalion moved forward in a thick mist exacerbated by smoke cloud to cover tanks. Direction was extremely difficult. The troops never hesitated even though nothing could be seen of their objective or of the troops on their flanks. Several strong points were encountered, but were outflanked with Lewis Gun and rifle fire. ‘C’ Company on the right had no tank assisting but advanced in short rushes on the machine guns. Enemy heavy artillery was active throughout the day. The men suffered heavy casualties from exposure of the right flank.

Total casualties during the operation – 3 Officers Killed, including 2nd Lt. J.B. Friend, 263 Other Ranks. Of those other ranks were  Arthur Cottrell, Charles Napier Mitchell, Henry Pemberton, Andrew Pinder, Herbert Cunningham Wands, William Watson and Robert Tudwal Williams who were all former Liverpool Pals. 

Probate was granted on 06th May 1919 to Florence Gertrude Irene Armistead a spinster in the sum of £217 4 shillings and 1d.  

Herbert is commemorated  on the following Memorials:

Toxteth and Sefton Park United Reform Church in Ullet Road

Liverpool Institute, Mount Street, Liverpool now LIPA.

Corn Trade Association, St Nicholas Church, Liverpool.

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