1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 31665 Richard Goth
- Age: 22
- From: Liverpool
- Regiment: 12 KLR
- Died on Friday 30th November 1917
- Commemorated at: Cambrai Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 4
Richard Goth was born in Liverpool in 1895 the son of Richard Goth and his wife Ann (nee Haygarth) who were married in 1883 in Sedbergh, West Riding.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 17 Eyes Street, Everton.
His mother, Ann, is aged 29, a cowkeeper, born in Dent, Yorkshire, with children Elizabeth 10 a scholar born Dent, and John 5 a scholar born Liverpool. Also present helping in the milk business are widow Fanny Helsby 56, son John 20, and John Rose 32. His father, Richard, aged 35 and a cowkeeper born in Dent, Yorkshire is visiting his parents at 81 Millbeck, Dent.
His father died, aged 44, on the 09th January 1901.
His death was featured in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on 12th January 1901:
GOTH – Jan. 9 at 17 Eyes Street, Everton, aged 44 years, Richard, beloved husband of Anne Goth. Interment at Kirkdale Cemetery, Longmoor Lane, this day (Saturday) at 1 o'clock. (Friends kindly accept this intimation.)
Probate:-
GOTH Richard of 17 Eyes Street Liverpool cowkeeper died 9 January 1901 Administration Liverpool 24 December to Anne Goth widow. Effects £475.
On the 1901 Census the family are still living at 17 Eyes Street, Everton.
His mother, Ann, is widowed, aged 39, a cowkeeper, children Elizabeth aged 20 born Howgill, Yorkshire, born Liverpool are John 15, Ellen 10, James 8 and Richard 5. Also present helping in the milk business is William Jackson aged 21.
On the 1911 Census they are still at 17 Eyes Street, Everton.
Richard's mother, Ann, is widowed, aged 49, and a cowkeeper. She has four children in the household; Lizzie, aged 30, is a dairy worker, Nellie 20 is also a dairy worker, James 18 is an apprentice to a ships carpenter, Richard is aged 15 and an apprentice in upholstery. Also present helping in the milk business is John James aged 23.
The service record of Pte 31661 Thomas Spragg exists, and based on this, Richard enlisted with 22nd Reserve Battalion around the 06th October 1915 at Knowsley Park. After training Pte Spragg was posted to the 19th KLR and went to France on the 27th April 1917. Richard was eventually transferred out to the 12th Battalion K.L.R.
Richard’s death was presumed on the 30th November 1917 at Cambrai whilst serving with B Coy, 12th KLR.
The 12th Battalion War Diary:
ST WAAST(about 30 miles NE of Cambrai)
30/11/17 - 2/12/17
About 7:30 a.m. the enemy attacked in masses under cover of a heavy artillery barrage and heavy machine gunfire from a large number of low flying aeroplanes. These aeroplanes also dropped a number of H. E. and smoke bombs. The enemy was seen to have penetrated the line on our RIGHT so that it became necessary for the Battalion to retire in order to avoid being cut off. Owing to the heavy M.G. fire from hostile planes on the battery positions the “S.O.S.” signal was not responded to. A considerable amount of confusion was inevitable. Parties were organised from time to time to defend positions but they were continually outflanked. The remnants of the Batn were attached to other units of the 61st Bde as nearly all of the officers had become casualties. The Bde still held LA VACQUERIE which was handed over on relief. All details at NURLU were sent to dig a defensive line east of HEUDICOURT. The Divn was relieved by 61st Divn on night 2/3 December. The remnants of the Batn were collected at Transport Lines. Our casualties were:- 9 officers missing, 2 officers wounded. 229 O.R. missing, 55 O.R. Wounded.
Richard was reported as Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on 12th January 1918
Missing.
King’s (Liverpool Regiment)
Goth, 31655, R. ;
By the end of 1918 his whereabouts were still unknown by his family.
As evidenced by a request in the Liverpool Daily Post on 02nd December 1918, nearly a month after the war had ended:
MISSING - INFORMATION WANTED.
GOTH - Missing November 30, 1917, Private R. GOTH, B Co. 12th King’s Liverpool. - Any information gratefully received by his mother, 17 Eyes Street.
The family finally received information from the authorities as the Liverpool Daily Post reported on 12th December 1918:
KILLED IN ACTION.
GOTH - November 30, 1917, killed in action, aged 22 years, Private RICHARD GOTH, Machine Gun section, 12th K.L.R. (late Pals), the youngest and dearly-loved son of Mrs Goth and the late Richard Goth, 17 Eyes Street, Everton, Liverpool.
Richard's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial at Panel 4.
The CAMBRAI MEMORIAL commemorates more than 7,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South Africa who died in the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917 and whose graves are not known.
Sir Douglas Haig described the object of the Cambrai operations as the gaining of a 'local success by a sudden attack at a point where the enemy did not expect it' and to some extent they succeeded. The proposed method of assault was new, with no preliminary artillery bombardment. Instead, tanks would be used to break through the German wire, with the infantry following under the cover of smoke barrages.
The attack began early in the morning of 20 November 1917 and initial advances were remarkable. However, by 22 November, a halt was called for rest and reorganisation, allowing the Germans to reinforce. From 23 to 28 November, the fighting was concentrated almost entirely around Bourlon Wood and by 29 November, it was clear that the Germans were ready for a major counter attack. During the fierce fighting of the next five days, much of the ground gained in the initial days of the attack was lost.
For the Allies, the results of the battle were ultimately disappointing but valuable lessons were learnt about new strategies and tactical approaches to fighting. The Germans had also discovered that their fixed lines of defence, no matter how well prepared, were vulnerable.
The Cambrai Memorial was designed by Harold Chalton Bradshaw with sculpture by Charles S. Jagger. It was unveiled by Lieut-General Sir Louis Vaughan on 4 August 1930.
The memorial stands on a terrace at one end of LOUVERVAL MILITARY CEMETERY. The chateau at Louverval, was taken by the 56th Australian Infantry Battalion at dawn on 2 April 1917. The hamlet stayed in Allied hands until the 51st (Highland) Division was driven from it on 21 March 1918 during the great German advance, and it was retaken in the following September.
Parts of Rows B and C of the cemetery were made between April and December 1917 and in 1927, graves were brought in from Louverval Chateau Cemetery, which had been begun by German troops in March 1918 and used by Commonwealth forces in September and October 1918.
The cemetery now contains 124 First World War burials.
Richard was remembered by his family in the Liverpool Evening Express on 02nd December 1919:
GOTH - In loving memory of my dear son, Private RICHARD GOTH, 12th K.L.R., killed in action at Cambria, November 30, 1917. (Fondly remembered by mother, sisters, and brothers, 17 Eyes Street, Everton.)
Richard earned his B & V medals.
Soldiers Effects and Pension went to mother Ann, at 17 Eyes Street, Everton.
On the 1921 Census, his mother Ann is not living with daughter Elizabeth, and her married son John, wife Mabel and their son William Richard. She died aged 67 in 1929, in Kendal.
We currently have no further information on Richard Goth, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(107 Years this day)Sunday 2nd December 1917.
Lance Serjeant 33344 George Frederick Delahoy
24 years old
(107 Years this day)
Sunday 2nd December 1917.
Pte 51930 Albert Parker
25 years old
(107 Years this day)
Sunday 2nd December 1917.
Pte 48450 Albert Charles Kirk
32 years old
(106 Years this day)
Monday 2nd December 1918.
Lieut Sidney Alfred Maddick
37 years old
(106 Years this day)
Monday 2nd December 1918.
Pte 25235 Hubert Wood
24 years old