Pte 202908 Thomas Henry Allister

• Age: 19
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Thomas Henry Allister was born in Liverpool at 1 Moville Street in the December quarter of 1897, the son of David Allister and his wife Edith Mary (nee Basion) who were married in 1896 at St Michael, Toxteth. Thomas was the second child of eight born to the couple. His younger sister Edith Doris was born in 1899 but sadly died in 1900. 

The Census of 1901 finds the family living at 1 Moville Street. His father, David, is aged 29, a hairdresser born in Liverpool, his mother Edith M. is aged 24 born in Canterbury, Kent. There are three children in the household, all born in Liverpool; Thomas is 3 years of age, elder brother David who is 4 and new born sister Florence.

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved to 10 Briarwood Road, Aigburth. His father, David is aged 39, a hairdresser, his mother Edith Mary is 34. They advised that they had been married for 16 years and have had 8 children 7 of whom have survived. There are seven children in the household; David 14 at school, Thomas Henry 12 at school, Florence Ethel 10 at school, Maud Evelyn 8 at school, Charles Wardle 7 at school, Hester May 5, and Amelia 7 months.

One more brother George was born in 1914.

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 202908.

He was killed in action on the 31st July 1917, aged 19, during the Third Battle of Ypres, more commonly known as Passchendaele. 

18^th Battalion Diary

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

Thomas' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

He was listed as Wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post on 13th September 1917;

WOUNDED.

King's (Liverpool Regiment) - Allister, 22908, T.H. ' 

He was reported as Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on 05th October 1917;

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED WOUNDED, NOW

REPORTED MISSING.

Liverpool R. - Alister(sic), 22908, T.H. ' 

Just seven weeks later his older brother David Allister (MM) formerly Private 22910 of the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment was killed in action on 22/9/17 whilst serving in 8th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment. He is named on Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. David was an original Pal joining the 17th Bn. 

His Mother Edith Mary Allister of 28 Belper Street, Liverpool received his Pay of £2:1s:5d on 05/12/1918 and a War Gratuity of £3 on 18/09/1919

Thomas is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance in Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 16 Left

St Anne's Church, Aigburth.

His father David, died aged 54, in 1924 and his mother Edith, dob 28th June 1876, appears with son George on the 1939 register at 28 Belper Street, Garston and she died aged 87 in 1964.

Grateful thanks are extended to Dick Daglish (RIP) for the details contained in the biography.

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