Serjeant 21705 Thomas Philp Massey

• Age: 25
• From: Washwood Heath, Warwickshire
• Regiment: 13th KLR
• Died on Saturday 31st August 1918
• Commemorated at: Ecoust-st. Mein British Cemetery
  Panel Ref: D.53

Thomas PHILP Massey was born on 13th February 1893 (His middle name is a maternal family name and seen as Philip on many records.) He was the youngest son of Thomas Massey and his wife Annie (née Burnett) both born Staffordshire,  and were married on 21st May 1885. Phil had older siblings John Worsley, Elizabeth (Bessie), and Edwin George (known as George), all born in Warwickshire, as well as two younger sisters Harriet and Ellen Brownn (known as Nell) both born in Cheshire.  

Phil was baptised in St. Saviour, Saltley, Warwickshire, on 02nd April 1893, his parents’ residence given as Heath House, Nashwood Heath, near Birmingham.

Soon after Phil’s birth, the family moved north to the Wirral, living at 5 Marine Park, West Kirby. 

The 1901 Census finds the family at 5 Marine Park, Hoylake, with six children and a general servant.  His father, 44, is a blacking/ink manufacturer, and his mother is 34. George is 9, and Phil (listed as Frank), 8.  Living with them are his widowed grandmother Sarah Massey, 76, aunt Mary Massey, 36.  

Their mother, Ann, died of typhoid on 19th September 1903, aged 37, when George was 12 and Phil 10. 

Both Phil and George attended Calday Grange Grammar School in West Kirby. 

They are still at Marine Park in 1911, with five children at home and a domestic servant. His father, 54, is listed as a blacking maker.  Eldest brother John is 23, a commercial traveller (coffee), George, 19, is a lithographer. Harriet is 16, no occupation listed, and Helen is 13, at school. Their grandmother Sarah Massey, is 86. 

Phil, 18 (his birthplace given as West Kirby, Cheshire) is living with his uncles John and George Burnett, farmers, in a 12-room farmhouse at Home Farm, in Little Aston, Sutton Coldfield.  Also in the household are his uncle William and aunt Agnes, a visitor, a boarder, three servants and another farming student.  

At some point after 1911 the family moved to Ormskirk, where they lived at Linden House, St. Helens Road and were involved in the local Wesleyan church.

Before he enlisted Phil was working on a farm in Ash Parva, Shropshire called "The Twemlows". 

Letter of 7th September 1914: 

"My dear father, 

I hope to be home on Friday to enlist along with George. I feel thoroughly ashamed of stopping here whilst the Germans are thrashing our chaps. I have written to Mr. Nunnerley and told him what I intend doing.   

I shall be sorry to leave my job, it has been very useful & instructive to me, the guv'nor and I get on A.1. 

We have finished harvest and are in a pretty good form, grand crops, oats, barley, mangolds, and turnips of the best.   

I will drop Bessie a P.C. and let her know when to expect me.  It may be Saturday before I'm able to come. 

Mr. Nunnerley has been away for quite 2 months on the sick list, I've had the entire management of this place during that time, it's been a grand experience for me. 

Kind regards to all at home

Your loving son,

Phil Massey"

It is not known why he delayed after sending the letter but he did enlist in Liverpool on 14th November 1914 joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 21705. He was described as being 21 years and 300 days old, was 5' 11" tall, weighed 181lbs and had a fresh complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. His religion was stated as Wesleyan.

He was billeted in 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. Whilst at Belton Park he was promoted on 05th June 1915 to Lance Corporal (unpaid). Further promotion followed on 27th July 1915 when he was promoted to Corporal.  He remained at Belton Park until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. They remianed here until November 1915 

Phil wrote to his father when travelling to embark for France:

Written Saturday morning on the way to France 

Dear Father, 

I am writing this card in the train just on our way to Southampton, when you receive this card we'll most probably be in France.  You will be glad to hear that we are very fit and in excellent spirits and are looking forward to doing our bit.  We are wonderfully well equipped, everything new and of the best in every detail.  I heard the Brigadier telling our Major that we should cross over tonight if everything was clear. 

Please tell Jack that I've written to Ryd(...?)  twice about the b(..?) but have rec'd no reply yet.  The train rocks terribly, can't write much.  The Batt are coming over tomorrow Sunday and we will join them in about a week's time, they sail from Folkestone.  George joins me in best love to you all, we sincerely hope to see you all again soon but am afraid it won't be at the Christmas dinner this time.  12 months today we went to Knowsley, what changes.  Give my love to (uncle?...?).  Will write you every possible opportunity.

Phil Massey.

If you are sending anything please send tobacco. 

(Jack = brother John) 

Phil arrived in France on 07^th November 1915.

In 1916 Thomas Massey, sold the business he shared with his brother J.W. Massey, and he moved to Linden House, St Helen’s Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire

Phil was granted leave back to the UK from 01st June - 13th June 1916. He returned to France in time to play his part in the capture of Montauban on 01st July 1916. He was also involved in the heavy fighting to clear Trones Wood. Following this action he was further promoted to Lance Serjeant on 13th July 1916. He was promoted again on 03rd April 1917 this time to the rank of Sergeant. 

Whilst home on leave in September 1917 Phil acted as groomsman at the wedding of his eldest sister Bessie (Elizabeth Ann), at Emmanuel Church, Ormskirk. It is believed that whilst home on leave that he became engaged to Frances Kendall. 

He was posted to the 13th Battalion K.L.R. on 24th August 1918 and was killed in action, just a week later, on 31st August 1918. He was 25 years of age.

The Battalion War Diary records: 

August 30 – At night time the battalion moved up in preparation for an attack on Ecoust.

August 31 – the Battalion attacked and were successful in obtaining their objective as also did the 1^st Gordon Highlanders on their Left.  The Battalion on the Right flank, however, did not get their objective and this necessitated a withdrawal temporarily and subsequently the Battalion re-took the objective though suffering heavy casualties. 

Estimated Casualties:  9 Officers, 200 Other Ranks.  

Serjeant 21705 Thomas Philp Massey was one of those killed in action that day. His brother Edwin George also fell on the same day. 

Phil now rests at Ecoust - St. Mein Cemetery in France. This grave is shared with Private 31618 W. Dodd.

Ecoust-St. Mein was captured by the 8th and 9th Devons in a blizzard on 2 April 1917, lost on 21 March 1918, and retaken at the end of the following August by the 3rd Division. The British Cemetery was then made, in continuation of a German Extension (now removed) of the communal cemetery. The cemetery contains 151 burials of the First World War, eight of which are unidentified. The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.

Edwin George now rests at Queant Road British Cemetery in Buissy, France in plot 4, row H, Grave 1. 

Buissy was reached by the Third Army on 2 September 1918, after the storming of the Drocourt-Queant line, and it was evacuated by the Germans on the following day. Queant Cemetery was made by the 2nd and 57th Casualty Clearing Stations in October and November 1918. It then consisted of 71 graves (now Plot I, Rows A and B), but was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when 2200 graves were brought in from the battlefields of 1917-1918 between Arras and Bapaume.

There are now 2,377 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 1,441 of the burials are unidentified, but there are special memorials to 56 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 26 casualties buried in German cemeteries in the neighbourhood, whose graves could not be found on concentration. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His father announced Phil’s death in the Ormskirk Advertiser and the Liverpool Echo on 19th September 1918:

 “August 31st, killed in action, Sergt. Thomas Philip (sic) Massey, third son of Thomas Massey, Linden House, Ormskirk. - Deeply mourned.” 

His father advertised in the Liverpool Echo newspaper asking whether anyone knew what happened on the day that both of his sons were killed. He recieved a letter from Pte. C.E Foster of 3, Ridley Grove, West Kirby in response to his advert in the Liverpool Echo:

"Dear Sir,

Just a line regarding your advert in the 'missing and information wanted list' that I saw in the Lpool Echo last night.  I may be able to give you some news that may lead you to hearing something from one who was with your boys on or about the date you mention.

It is a very roundabout way to get this news but any way is better than none in these cases.

I have had 3 years service myself in the M.G.C. and out of that I have had 2 years in France so I quite know your feelings about those whom you enquire about, and I feel it my duty to try and help you as long as it is in my power to do so.  I came home on my second leave from France in Nov last year, and while home I got the Flu, and was sent to a Hospital at Wallasey, Cheshire, and it was there I heard about those you enquire about.  We was sitting in our ward one evening just before Christmas when a man came in with a big book to make enquiries about missing soldiers.  I was able to give information about 2 in my own company who had been killed.  He got down the list to the K.L.R. and read out these names, and a chap named Woods who was in my ward said he knew these names, in fact one was a chum of his.  He knew that Sgt. Massey was killed, and at the time Woods was in the company with the other one, and he left Woods saying that "he didn't care what happened to him now, he was going to try and find his brother".  It was after a raid on the German lines, or after they had "gone over the top" that this happened.  Woods asked this man for their home address but he said he was sorry he was not able to give it him.  He was quite anxious to write to you then, but not being able to get the address it was impossible to do so.  I am sorry I cannot give you this Woods' address but I know he lives in Liverpool, but I will tell you how to get it.  Send a stamped addressed envelope to The Wardmaster (Sgt.), Town Hall Military Hospital, Wallasey, Cheshire, and ask him if he can let you have Woods' home address as he only left there I believe about the last week in January this year.  So I think you will get it alright.  Of course Woods may see your advert himself but I doubt it as he was an express reader.  I must not forget to say that you must ask for Private Woods K.L.R. who used to be in A.B.5 when you ask for his address as there was another Woods in the hospital but he was in the R.E.'s.  I will close now.

Wishing you every success in your enquiries, and I am only too pleased to be able to do something towards it.  I am demobilized 2 weeks ago and I am glad to be able to get back to my wife and family safe again.  I shall be glad to hear if you get any information, and that you get in touch with Woods alright.

I remain,

Yours faithfully,

Pte. C.E. Foster

Subsequently a letter was sent dated Feb 28th 1919 to Nell Brown Massey from A. Woods of 69 Aubrey Street, Liverpool:

Dear N.B.,

Sorry to keep you so long without a reply to your letter of the 25th, this being my first opportunity.  Well I am only too pleased to give you what information I can concerning your two brothers, known to me as Phil and George, who I am pleased to say were great chums of mine.

I suppose you know, only too well, the circumstances which led to us being transferred  from the old 19th K.L.R. to the 13th.  Well I don't want to bore you by a lot of unnecessary writing, still at the same time I don't want you to think I am putting you off at all.  Our first "over the top" came only too soon, hardly had we reached our new Batt. er'r the news reached us that we were for it: we had to take the village of "Ecoust", our objective being about a hundred yards in front of same.  Taking the village itself was what one may term a "walk over", but on going further we walked into a nest of machine guns, Phil on this occasion being our Platoon-Sergeant.  In this stunt we had quite a number of lads, who hadn't seen service before, and who were a draft from England, and I can honestly say it was, while doing his utmost for these, Phil lost his life.  We jumped into shell holes for cover, but these young lads turned round to run away.  I marvelled at Phil, bravest of the brave, standing on top ordering them here and there, to get cover for them, until he fell with a bullet through his back.  I was pretty close at the time, and as far as I could see he was killed instantly.  I will leave it to you to imagine the confusion which followed, the Boche followed us up, and we had to run for it.  What few of us got back to our starting place, were ordered to go over again as half the Batt. who went round the left of the village had gained their objective.  George must have beared to his left going over, because when we reached the rest of the Batt. he was amongst them.  His first words to me were "Have you saw Phil?".  I did not tell him because I thought he was suffering quite enough to have this on his mind.  He seemed to be worrying very much, I think he could read something from my face.  The following day George came to me and asked me to tell him what had happened.  I told him Phil had been hit and would probably be in hospital by then.   He wanted to go out then and search the place for him, but I persuaded him not to.  I was so sorry for him, I couldn't tell him the truth.  I stayed with him all the time because I knew he would go out regardless of his own life if he got the chance.  He was alright that day, but at 6 p.m. we got orders to go over again.  We went over without much opposition, George and I were together and reached the objective just as darkness came upon us.  We were hardly there a few minutes when I missed him, wherever he went to I cannot say, and I am quite positive no one else can.  I can only surmise.  He paid dearly for the love of a good brother.  I can quite understand your feelings concerning this terrible affair, as the tears fill my eyes.  Nothing was ever too hard for them to do, and when the final sacrifice came, they took it without a flinch. 

If I can be of any further use to you, I am at your service, don't forget to drop us a line for the sake of the "pals" I loved.

Sincerely hoping I am causing you no pain by giving you these facts, which you can take as the honest truth, on my honour.

Yours very sincerely,

A. Woods

late officers groom 19th K.L.R

His father received Phil’s Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £21. 

No pension card has been found for either son, indicating that they had no dependents when enlisting or that a claim was not made. 

Probate, showing Phil’s address as Linden House, St. Helens Road, Ormskirk, was granted to his father in the amount of £41-10s. 

Their father died in August 1936. His death was reported in the local press on 12th August 1936 under the header:

DEATH OF MR THOMAS MASSEY

The death took place yesterday of Mr Thomas Massey of Linden House, Ormskirk in his 83rd year. Mr Massey, for many years, was well known in Liverpool commercial circles, being, along with his brother, Mr J W Massey, proprietors of Martindale's Limited and he was also a director of Liverpool Caterers Limited. 

Mr Massey was a keen Cricketer and for many years played with the Mosley Club, Birmingham. He was an old member of the Ormskirk Club. Two of his sons played for Ormskirk, one Mr E. G. Massey being a batsman and bowler of some promise. The latter and another brother, T. P. Massey were killed on the same day in the Great War, shortly before the Armistice.   

Mr Massey leaves a grown up family. The funeral will take place tomorrow at West Kirby Parish Church.         

George's sweetheart Frances never married and died in 1943, aged 52. 

George and Phil are commemorated on the following Memorials: 

Calday Grange Grammar School Memorial

Emmanuel Methodist Church, Ormskirk

and on the family headstone in St. Bridget Churchyard, West Kirby, Wirral 

ALSO THE DEARLY BELOVED SONS OF THE ABOVE

PRIVATE EDWIN GEORGE MASSEY

AGED 26 YEARS

AND SERGEANT THOMAS PHILP MASSEY

AGED 25 YEARS

BOTH OF THE 3RD BATTN LIVERPOOL PALS

KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE 31ST AUGUST 1918

Grateful thanks are extended to Rob Freeman and Allison Trimble for permission to use the information provided on their Ancestry Family Tree 

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