Pte 52019 Joseph Bernard Broughton

• Age: 20
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Joseph Bernard Broughton was born in 1895 in Chorlton, Manchester and was the son of John Arthur and Rose (nee Brady) Broughton who were married on the 16^th May 1887 at St Saviours, Chorlton. John was a 21 year old waiter of 104 Shakespeare St, father John, whilst Rose was from 1a Jeneth? St, father James(deceased). 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 14 Milbourne Street, Blackpool.

His father, John Arthur, is aged 35, born  in Sale, Lancashire and is a waiter in a hotel, whilst his mother Rose is aged 39, born Ireland and is a Company House keeper. They have six children, John James aged 12, Arthur aged 8, twins Joseph Bernard and May Lillian aged 5, Rose Dorothy aged 3, and Florence aged 1. They have a boarder Wm John Philips 29, also a hotel waiter. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 29 Charles Street, Blackpool.

His father, John Arthur, is aged 46, born  in Eccles, Lancashire in 1865 and is a waiter in a hotel, whilst his mother Rose is aged 49, born 1862 in Dublin and is a Boarding House keeper, they have been married for 24 years and have had 7 children of which one died. John who is aged 23, born 1888 occupation waiter as is Arthur aged  18, born 1893, Joseph Bernard aged 15, born 1896 is a page in a private hotel, and his twin May Lillian is an assistant at home, the four eldest children were all born in Manchester. Rose Dorothy aged 13, born 1898, born Bradford and Florence aged 11, born 1900 and Gertrude Annie aged 8, born 1903 are at school and born in Blackpool.

Joseph enlisted in Blackpool was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 52019 when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 aged 20 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

Joseph Bernard has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

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 01^st 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.”

Blackpool Gazette 7^th Nov 1916 

DIED IN FRANCE.  

BLACKPOOL FAMILY'S BEREAVEMENT.  

Official intimation was received on Saturday, of the death, in France, of Private Bernard Broughton, a well known local young man. The deceased whose home was at 15 Charles street, Blackpool, joined the 5th King's Liverpool Regiment, at the outbreak of war, but was later transferred to the King's (Liverpool Scottish). His parents last heard from him at the beginning of October. The non-receipt of any further letters caused them to make inquiries at the Record Office at Preston, and on Saturday his mother received a message "Regret the death of your son” but when or how he lost his life is not stated. He was 21 years of age, and an "old boy" of Talbot-road, School. Before enlisting he was second waiter at the Lytham and St. Anne, Golf Club. 

He is also commemorated on the Blackpool War Memorial.

Soldiers Effects( named as James B.) to father Arthur, Pension to mother Rose. 

Father died aged 69 in Conway in 1934 and the mother Rose, dob 23^rd April 1862, appears on the 1939 register living at 4 Larbreck Ave, Blackpool with her married daughter May L. Ellershaw. She died aged 85 in 1945.  

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