Pte 24646 Thomas Bulfield

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 18th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Thomas Bulfield was born on the 30th May 1894 in Liverpool and was baptised on the 05th August 1894 at St Stephen the Martyr's Church, Liverpool. He was the son of Thomas Bulfield and his wife May Eliza (nee Sherlock) who were married on the 10th February 1890 at St John's Church, Liverpool. Thomas was a 20 year old public house manager, father Thomas, whilst May was aged 18, father James, both of 24 Wakefield Street. 

Thomas was educated at St Paul’s School, Seacombe and was employed by Messrs: Bibby & Sons as a Steward aboard the S.S. Warwickshire. He attended St John’s Church in Egremont.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 2, Ruth Street, Everton, Liverpool. His father, Thomas, is aged 31, was born in Liverpool in 1870 and is a fruit porter in a warehouse, his mother May Eliza is aged 29, born 1872 in Birkenhead and has no occupation listed. They have two children at the time of the Census, Thomas aged 6, and Ethel aged 1, born 1900.   

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 207 Wheatland Lane Seacombe Wallasey, Poulton cum Seacombe, Cheshire. His father, Thomas, is aged 41, his occupation is listed as a warehouse porter.  His mother ,May, is not present, she is a patient in Victoria Central Hospital, Liscard. They advised that they had been married for 21 years, and had 9 children, 4 of whom have survived. His father, is living with his surviving children; Eliza aged 20, born 1891 and occupation domestic nurse, Thomas William who is a grocer’s assistant, Ethel Mary aged 11 , born 1900 and Amy Francis aged 8, born 1903 and both at school. The three daughters were all born in Birkenhead.

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 24646 when he was killed in action on the 18th October 1916 aged 22 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

18^th Battalion Diary

18^th October 1916

Attacked German trenches commencing 3.40 am. Relieved by 19^th Manchester Regt. Took up position in support Bn trenches W. of Goose Alley.

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals gives an overview of the events of the day:

“At 3.40 am the whistles blew, and the Battalion left its assembly trenches, in three waves, approximately fifty yards apart, and began to cross No Man’s Land. Almost immediately, the German Barrage fell on the first wave and halted its advance, so that the second wave soon caught up with it. This was not a great problem at first, and the two combined waves were able to advance together for about 300 yards, whereupon they encountered the German Grid Trench system. On the right of the advance, it was found that the wire was largely intact, apart from a few gaps, and the Germans bombed and machine gunned these gaps, which prevented any further progress. Elsewhere along the trench, however, the wire was cut and there did not seem to be any serious opposition. Nevertheless, the men hesitated to jump down into the German trenches, and instead, began to filter back across to the safety of their own lines.

By this time the third wave had caught up, as had a fourth wave, which had been detailed to mop up any opposition once the trenches had fallen, and all four waves became intermingled which added to the confusion. No less than three attempts were made to try to get the men to go forward again, but each attempt became markedly less successful than its predecessor, and eventually the attack came to a standstill. Although the British assembly trenches had received the attention of the German guns, the attackers in No Mans Land had not come under any great intensity of fire up until this point.

However, once it became obvious to the Germans that the attack was disorganised and faltering, they began to fire into the massed men from the flanks. It was probably this that finally settled the issue and convinced the Pals that they could no longer gain the enemy trenches, and all four waves, now merged into one, began to retreat to their own lines. The whole attack had been an abysmal failure, and no ground had been gained at all”.   

His was reported as Missing and as such his Missing status was reported in the Wallasey News on 02nd December 1916:

Pte.Thomas Bulfield (No.24646), of the K.L.R., has been reported wounded on October 18th, but no further news is to hand. He is 22 years of age, and the only son of Mrs.M.E.Bulfield,28, Wright-street,Egremont, who will be very grateful for any information concerning him.He joined the army two years ago,and has been in France 12 months. His father, Gunner Thomas Bulfield, is with the R.G.A., at Canterbury. 

Confirmation of his death was confirmed in the Birkenhead News on 30th December 1916 under the header:

Killed While Carrying The Wounded

Private Thomas Bulfield, of the King’s Liverpool Regiment., who was previously reported in the “News” as wounded, is now officially as killed in action, on October 18th. He was 22 years of age, and had been in France twelve months. The brave soldier was educated at St. Paul’s School, Seacombe, and was employed by Messrs. Bibby and Sons as steward on the S.S. Warwickshire. He attended St. John’s Church, Egremont, and was a faithful member of the Sunday School. He was the only son of Gunner Bulfield, R.G.A., and of Mrs M.E. Bulfield, 28, Wright Street, Egremont.        

Captain E. M. Builage wrote:

“I am more sorry than I can say about this your boy, who was such a comfort to me. He was truly wonderful, and never hesitated to face danger when it was necessary. With the deepest sympathy”.

Private John Quinn a comrade wrote:

“Dear Mrs Bulfield – I am writing you concerning Tom’s death. It happened I was about five yards from Tom, while he was doing splendid work for his comrades, by voluntarily carrying in the wounded from “No Man’s Land,” while doing this he was instantly killed by a German sniper, consequently suffering no pain. I cannot vouch as to how he was buried, but I presume when things had got a little quiet, he would be buried near where he was killed in the best possible way under the circumstances. I trust you will understand, Mrs Bulfield, the difficulty of carrying away casualties on a battlefield therefore, making it impossible to erect a cemetery for our brave comrades who are killed in action. Tom was liked by all those that knew him, and being an officer’s servant myself along with Tom we were naturally in each other company all the time. I can fully understand your feelings for your only son and you have my deepest sympathy.”   

Further confirmation was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 30th December 1916: :

WALLASEY CASUALTIES

KILLED IN ACTION

Private Thomas Bulfield (22), King's Liverpool Regiment, previously reported wounded. He was the only son of Gunner Bulfield R.G.A. and Mrs Bulfield of 28 Wright Street, Egremont, and was prior to the war employed as a steward on the Bibby Line steamer Warwickshire. 

ROLL OF HONOUR

BULFIELD - In loving but sad birthday remembrance of Private Tom Bulfield who fell in action October 18, 1916 in his 23rd year, only son of Gunner and Mrs Bulfield, 28 Wright Street, Egremont.

In the bloom of life death claims him,

In the pride of his manhood days;

None knew him but to love him,

None mentioned his name but with praise.

- Mother, Father and Sisters.

Thomas' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, 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.”

Soldiers Effects to his mother May Eliza (at the request of the father) and pension to his mother.

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Wallasey Civic Memorial

Roll of Honour, St John’s C. of E. Church, Egremont

St John’s C. of E. Church Young Men’s Club, Egremont. 

His father also served with the R.G.A. based at Canterbury.

Father died in 1928, aged 58,  and his mother died in 1948, aged 76. 

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