Serjeant Harry Philip Winterbottom

• Age: 40
• From: Walton, Liverpool
• Regiment: 13th Kings
• Died on Thursday 3rd May 1917
• Commemorated at: Arras Memorial
  Panel Ref: Bay 3

Harry Philip was born on 29th April 1877, the son of Abel Higginbottom Winterbottom, from Stalybridge/Dukinfield, Cheshire, and his wife Elizabeth (née Walker) from Liverpool.  They married in 1872 and had ten children. Harry had older siblings John Herbert born in 1873 and Margaret Agnes Eleanor 1875, and younger siblings Samuel Basil 1879, William Walker 1881, Alice Mary 1883, Charles Percy 1886, Abel Reginald 1888, Emily Elizabeth 1889, and Agnes 1893.

Harry was baptised in St. Saviour's Church, Everton, on 29th July 1877, his parents then living at 12 Creswick Street, and his father’s occupation clerk. 

In 1881 they are found at 47 Rossett Street, Walton with four children. His father is a telegraph clerk, civil service, Harry is 3. 

At the time of the 1891 census they are living at 6 September Road and have nine children. His father is now a post office clerk, John, 17, is a telegraph clerk, Harry is 13, and at school. 

The 1901 census finds his parents at 12 Breck Road, Anfield with Samuel, Alice, Charles, Abel, Emily, and Agnes. 

Harry has not been found on the 1901 census, but on 13th April 1903 he married Emily Jane Clark in West Felton, Shropshire, near Oswestry.  Emily was born in West Felton in 1876. they had a son John Philip born on 18th February 1904, and baptised in St. Margaret’s, Anfield, on 27th March, his parents’ residence 93 July Road, Anfield, and Harry’s occupation tram conductor.  

Harry's father died in 1906, aged 57.

At the time of the 1911 CensusHarry and Emily, both 33, are at 70 Luxmore Road, Walton.  Harry is a car driver for Liverpool Corporation, son John is 7.

His mother, 60, is living at 11 Osbourne Road, Tuebrook, with Charles 25, a commercial traveller, Reginald, 23, a sugar invoice clerk,  Emily, 21, a governess, and Agnes 18, a musical professional (singer).  Also in the household is widow Annie Corneille, 49, and seafaring son Harry, 27, who Emily marries in 1913. 

Harry is found on the electoral rolls for 1907-1913 in Luxmore Road, 1913-14 at 27 Dunbar Street, and 1914-15 at 49 Ireton Street. 

Before enlisting Harry worked for Liverpool Tramways. 

He enlisted in Liverpool on 09th November 1914, as Private 22887, joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. He gave his age as 33 years and his occupation as clerk. He  was described as having a fresh complexion, with brown hair and eyes. He gives as next of kin his wife Emily at 49 Ireton Street, Walton. 

He advanced rapidly through the ranks:  appointed paid Lance Corporal on 25th May 1915, promoted to Corporal 08th July 1915, paid Lance Sergeant 29th September 1915 (Acting and confirmed Pioneer Sergeant), and promoted to Sergeant 03rd November 1915. 

Although a pioneer sergeant holds the rank of sergeant in the army, the pioneer sergeant title itself is a regimental appointment rather than an official military rank. They are normally responsible for carpentry, joinery, and related work. In the modern era, the pioneer sergeant carries an axe on parade instead of a rifle and is the only soldier in the army who is allowed to wear a full beard, in deference to the ancient tradition of the pioneer sergeant’s skills as a smith. A pioneer sergeant is identified by an embroidered badge of two crossed axes sewn above the sergeant's rank chevrons on his sleeve. 

Whilst at Formby near Liverpool, on 27th June 1916, Harry was severely reprimanded for irregular conduct as Pioneer Sergeant, and telling a falsehood to an officer. 

He returned to duty with the 22nd Battalion from Pioneer Sergeant on 12th July 1916, and was posted to 3rd (Garrison) Battalion on 29th August 1916. 

He arrived in France on 14th November 1916, posted to 24th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, and was subsequently posted to 13th Battalion K.L.R. in the field on 25th November 1916, and served in D Company. The battalion was then at Courcelle, part of the 9th Brigade. 

Harry paid £1 for losing boots on 06th January 1917.

He was killed in action on 03rd May 1917, aged 40.

The battalion diary gives details of the action in which Harry was killed.

"Throughout the night of 1st /2nd May the Bosche had placed a heavy gas shell, shrapnel and high explosive barrage,on the whole area West of Monchy and the ground South of it. The Barrage threw the back area into confusion.

At 3.45 a.m. on 3 May 1917 commenced The Third Battle of The Scarpe our 3rd Barrage in spite of the Gas and lachrymatory fumes which hung about our batteries near Monachy, opened up punctually, it was followed almost immediately by the Enemy's barrage. Two Companies of the 13th moved out of the front trench. Strong Lewis Gun Fire was maintained on the Enemy's front line to prevent his escaping the barrage by leaving his trenches.

A hostile counter attack was launched at the leading Companies from the North and North  East.
It was beaten back..........A second and strong hostile Counter attack which was delivered from the Northern flank, was met very gallantly, but the line was by this time so thin, no support having come up, that a withdrawal was necessary to prevent the troops being cut off."

The Kingsmen consolidated their position, though constantly under heavy fire.

The Battalion lost 10 Officers in that attack but the Battalion Diary does not give other Ranks Casualties. However, the Brigade HQ Diary for May 1917 records total losses of the 13th King's from 2nd to 12th May 1917 as 12 Officers and 46 Other Ranks Killed in Action with 32 Missing  and 139 Wounded.

He was declared Missing on 03rd May 1917.

In July 1917 Emily wrote to the Army, “Up to the time my husband was reported missing his employers, the Lpool Tramways, made up his wages.  I find it very hard to pay for furniture which my husband got on the hire system as I now only get the Army pay. […]. My boy 13 was learning music, that also has had to be given up. Would be obliged if I could be […]. Thanking you for a reply, yours truly,” 

A notation in his service record dated 22nd October 1917 states that his death was officially accepted as having occurred on 3rd May 1917, evidence for this conclusion included statements from two comrades, 28977 Pte. Frederick Switzer (survived the war) and 14592 Sgt. William Holburt (discharged in September 1918 with a Silver War Badge). 

Emily contacted the British Red Cross in August 1917, and over a year after Harry was declared Missing, and his death officially accepted, wrote to the International Red Cross hoping that Harry had been taken prisoner.  She was sent a reply on 25th June 1918 that they held no information.

Harry's body was either not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Arras Memorial in France.

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 widow received Harry’s Army effects and a War Gratuity of £14, and was awarded a pension of £1-1s-3d for herself and child from December 1917, her address shown as 53 Stanley Road, Bootle. 

His brother Charles, was Commissioned in the S. Lancs Regiment in October 1915, married, and went to France on 06th October 1916, achieved the rank of Captain, and died of wounds at Passchendaele on 02nd August 1917, aged 31. 

Charles now rests in Hooge Crater Cemetery, Flanders, where his epitaph reads;

“TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LOVE IS NOT TO DIE” 

In 1919 Emily provided information on living relatives:  She was living at 53 Stanley Road, Bootle; his mother, sister Emily, and Reginald were at 15 Malpas Road, Wallasey; Samuel was in Hale, Liverpool;  John, Margaret, William, Alice, and Agnes were living in London. (His sisters all married. Alice had married Rudolph Reichenheim, British-born,with a German father, in 1907. They changed their surname to Reynolds.) 

His mother died in 1920, aged 70. 

Emily remarried at age 44 on 27th December 1921 in St. Mary’s Church, Kirkdale to William Mina Woods (born in Liverpool in 1876, a widower with two children).  William had served as a Sergeant in the 4th  Battalion K.L.R.  They lived in Great Mersey Street, and later at 17 Cowley Road, Walton with son John P. Winterbottom. 

Emily died in July 1930, aged 53.  His son John died in Norfolk in 1983. 

Charles (but not Harry) is commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 34 

Both sons are commemorated on their parents’ gravestone in Anfield Cemetery: 

ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF

HARRY PHILIP [SRGT. K.L.R.]

SECOND SON OF THE ABOVE

KILLED AT ARRAS, MAY 1917

AGED 40 YEARS

AND OF CHARLES PERCY

[CAPTAIN, SOUTH LANCS REGT]

FIFTH SON OF THE ABOVE

KILLED AT YPRES, AUGUST 1917

AGED 31 YEARS

“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS”

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