Pte 17217 John Turner

• Age: 26
• From: Walton, Liverpool
• Regiment: 13th Kings
• Died on Friday 13th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Arras Memorial
  Panel Ref: Bay 3

John (known as Jack) was born in Liverpool on 1st October 1890 and baptised on 19th October in St. Francis de Sales Church, Liverpool. He was the third of nine children born to Henry Thomas Turner and his wife Sarah (nee Greenan), who were married in 1887 in West Derby Register Office. His older siblings were Henry and Mary, and younger siblings Gertrude, Arthur, Frances, and Clement. Two other siblings, Sarah and Richard, died in infancy. 

The 1891 Census shows the family are living at 108 Delamore Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. His father, Henry is the head of the household and is a 27 year old, born in Liverpool with no occupation listed, his mother, Sarah, is 25 years old. John is a new born and has two siblings in the household; Henry J. aged 2, and Mary aged 1. Also listed in the houehold are Sarah's parents both born in Ireland; John Greenan a 47 year old clerk at the docks and his wife Mary A. aged 49.  

By the time of the 1901 Census the family have moved and are living at 95 Hale Road, Walton. His father is a 37 year old canvasser for a storage warehouse, his mother is 35 years of age. John is 10 years of age and has five siblings in the household; Henry aged 12, Mary 11, Gertrude 8, Arthur 6 and Sarah aged 4. His grandparents John and Mary are both still in the household.

The 1911 Census finds the family have moved across the Mersey and is living at 27 Rice Hey Road, Egremont, in Cheshire. His father, now aged 47 is still a canvasser, his mother is 45 years of age. They advise that they have been married for 23 years and have had nine children, seven of whom have survived. Six of their children are still in the household; Jack is 20 years old, single, and working as a clerk in a cotton broker’s office. His sister Mary is 21 years of age and an elementary school teacher, Gertrude is 18 and is a typist in a canned goods office, Arthur aged 16 is also a clerk in a cotton merchant’s office, Frances is 8 and Clement is 6, both are still at school. Also in the household is their grandmother Mary Greenan a 73 year old married woman.

Before enlisting, Jack was a clerk for the cotton merchant Muir, Duckworth, & Co. 

He enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 01st September 1914 as Private 17217 joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, giving his age as 23 years and 335 days, and his occupation as clerk. He was described as being 5’ 5 and a half inches tall, and weighing 130 lbs, with grey eyes and brown hair.

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. 

Jack went to France with his battalion on 07th November 1915. 

He was attached to the 30^th Divisional Grenade School from 22nd February 1916 until 05th March 1916, when he returned to his battalion. 

He was wounded during the attack at Montauban on 01st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, was admitted to hospital in Rouen and returned to the U.K. on the Hospital Ship ‘Asturias’ on 07th July 1916. He was admitted to the 2^nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, on 08th July  with shrapnel wounds to buttocks and left thigh. He spent 90 days in hospital and was discharged on 04th October 1916.

He was posted to the 24^th Bn from Infantry Base Depot on 14th November and sailed again for France on 15th November 1916. 

Jack was serving with the 13^th Bn when he was initially reported as wounded in action on 13/4/1917. 

His father, desperate for news of his son, sent three telegrams, reply paid, to H.Q., K.L.R., Infantry Records, Fulwood Camp, Preston:

21^st April: “Have you word re Pte Turner 17217 missing wounded dead since April 9  13^th KLR”

27^th April: “Any news Turner 17217  13 Bn KLR

7^th May: “Any news Turner 17217  13 Bn KLR”

It was the middle of May before Jack’s family received official notification of his death on 13th April 1917, aged 26.

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Arras Memorial.  

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bretonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force on the 31 July 1932 (originally it had been scheduled for 15 May, but due to the sudden death of French President Doumer, as a mark of respect, the ceremony was postponed until July).

His parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 17^th May 1917:  

April 13, killed in action, Jack, the dearly-beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. H.T. Turner, Lisbon, Grosvenor Street, Liscard.  R.I.P.

 A notice appeared in the Liverpool Echo on 18^th May 1917:  

April 13, killed in action, aged 26 years, Jack, second son of Mr. and Mrs. H.T. Turner, Lisbon, Grosvenor Street, Liscard. – Deeply regretted by his sorrowing Daisy and all at 51 Somerville Road, Waterloo.  R.I.P.

On 19 May 1917 the Liverpool Post & Mercury reported:  

The flag of the Liverpool Cotton Association was at half-mast over the Cotton Exchange yesterday out of respect to the memory of Private John Turner, who is reported to have been killed in action on April13. Private Turner, who was in his twenty-seventh year, was a clerk in the employ of Messrs. Muir, Duckworth, and Co., cotton merchants, who had a high regard for him on account of his business capacity and personal character. He was anticipating proceeding to the States when war broke out, but immediately enlisted in the King’s (Liverpool Regiment).  Wounded in the great push of last July, he was enabled to come home for a short time, when he received a warm welcome from his colleagues and friends, for “Jack” was of a frank and hearty disposition, and a general favourite. The deepest sympathy is felt with his parents in their bereavement.

Jack’s father died in 1931, still living at 9 Grosvenor Street. 

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