Pte 32745 Joseph Thomas Roberts

Based on Joseph’s stated age at death (from CWGC), this soldier was the son of Thomas John Roberts and his wife Mary (née Thomas), born in Liverpool in the spring of 1896.  He was baptised in St. Philip’s Church on 05th April 1896, his parents, Thomas John and Mary, living at 77 Berwick Street, and his father’s occupation listed as warehouseman.

 

A civil record exists for his parents’ marriage in 1895.  However, on subsequent censuses, his mother is shown as Georgina, and his younger siblings’ births also give the mother’s maiden name as Thomas.  It is possible that Joseph’s mother Mary died soon after his birth and his father took another wife (although no marriage record has been found); Georgina was possibly related to Joseph’s mother Mary.

 

A daughter, Emily Jane, was born in the summer of 1897, mother Georgina née Thomas, her parents living at  120 Priory Grove, father’s occupation fitter;  Emily died at age 2 in 1900.  Other siblings with mother Georgina, and found on censuses, were William, born 1900, Florence Mary 1901, Eva Jane 1902, David 1905, and Minnie 1909. 

 

In 1901 the family is living at 4 Venmore Street, Everton.  His father, 34, is a warehouseman, Georgina is 27, Joseph is 5, William 1, and Florence two months old.  Florence appears to have died before the next census.

 

By 1911 they have moved to 8 Calmet Street, Everton, where his father, 44, is a warehouse porter for a general merchant, Georgina is 36.  They state they have been married for 16 years, and three of their eight children have died.  Joseph is 15, employed as a library assistant for Liverpool Corporation, William is 11,  Eva 8, David 6, and Minnie 2.  

 

Joseph enlisted in Liverpool as Private 32745, joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment.

 

At some point he was transferred to the 1st Battalion K.L.R.

 

Joseph was killed in action on 23rd April 1917, just after his 21st birthday.  

 

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing.

 

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).

 

Joseph not having a known burial place, his family made enquiries with the British Red Cross on 20th July 1917.

 

Georgina, living at 11 Leadenhall Street, Everton, Liverpool, received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £6. The pension card does not show whether a pension was awarded.

 

Joseph is commemorated on Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 44 Left.