Pte 17801 John Douglas Cartmell

• Age: 19
• From: Colwyn Bay, N.Wales
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

John Douglas (known as Jack) Cartmell was born in August 1896, (his birth was registered in the December quarter) in Colwyn Bay, the only child of James Douglas Cartmell and his wife Emily (nee Hall) who married in 1893.

In the 1901 Census John was living with his parents at the Moons Hotel at 5 Station Road, Colwyn Bay where his father James is described as a Hotel pub keeper. James had been born in Fleetwood in 1870, the son of a timber merchant. Emily was born in Manchester also in 1870.

By 1911 they’re at the same address but the hotel appears to have a lot more guests staying so the Cartmells have a thriving business in the best street in the popular shopping centre of Colwyn Bay. Jame is aged 41, a member of the Colwyn Bay branch of the Freemasons, Emily is also 41, married 17 years. John was 14 at the time and at school. 

A few years later having left school, the 16 year old John signed up as an apprentice dentist with H.W.Sheldon Dentist of Colwyn Bay. John had passed two exams in April 1914 and July 1914 and was registered on the Medical and Dental Student Register on the 17th August 1914.

On 4th September 1914 only a few weeks later John travels to Liverpool to enlist. He joined the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 17801 after adding a year onto his real age, which was only 18. He declared himself to be 19 years and 33 days old. He was described as a fair haired, blue eyed lad of 5ft 8”, 135bs and 36” chest. He states his apprenticeship is for 3 years, expiring in July 1915. He stated his religion as Congregationalist and as next of kin his father at "Cheriton", Francis Avenue, Colwyn Bay.  

Formed on 7^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

Whilst at Belton Park on 01st May 1915 John was hospitalised with German measles and was discharged on the 10th.  On 16th August 1915 he was admonished for overnight absence.

North Wales Weekly News - Thursday 08 July 1915 

PRIVATE JACK CARTMELL, son of Mr. J. D. Cartmell, of Francis Avenue, Rhos-on-Sea, and of the Savoy Restaurant, Colwyn Bay. Private Cartmell joined a "Pals" Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment, at the beginning of September, and he is now at Grantham. 

John's Army records show that he embarked for France on the 07th November 1915.

He reported sick to 98th Field Ambulance on 01st February 1916 and rejoined his unit on the 05th.

Jack was declared missing on 30th July 1916 on the bloodiest day of the war for the Liverpool Pals.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 other ranks" 

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone. 

North Wales Weekly News - Thursday 29 June 1916 

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' ROLL OF HONOUR.— In a window of Cartmell’s Hotel and Restaurant, Station-road, Colwyn Bay, there is now exhibited a handsomely framed and illuminated roll of honour of members of the North Wales Branch of the United Kingdom Commercial Travellers' Association. " who have gone forth at the call of duty to fight for King and country in the great European War." The roll, which is as follows, includes some well-known local names :—Private J. D. Cartmell, King's Liverpool Regt. 

John was initially declared Missing, his name appearing in the list of K.L.R. casualties published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 18th September 1916.

His father made enquiries regarding his son (giving his age as 20) with the International Red Cross in Geneva but was notified in a reply sent on 22nd September 1916 that they held no information on John.

An entry on his Casualty Form dated 08th August 1917, over a year after he was declared missing, records his death as presumed by the Army Council for official purposes as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

North Wales Weekly News - Thursday 08 February 1917 

Local Heroes.  

COLWYN BAY ROLLS OF HONOUR.  

Well-known Names.  

We are able this week to give further lists of rolls of honour in local churches, including those of some of the Colwyn Bay Welsh denominations. 

LLANDRILLO-YN-RHOS C.E. 

J. D. Cartmell; 

The North Wales Weekly News reported on 23rd August 1917:

"Official notification has been received that Private Jack Cartmell, King's Liverpool Regiment, and son of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Cartmell, Francis Avenue, Colwyn Bay, is to be presumed as being killed.  He was reported missing about twelve months ago, and has not since been heard of."

Jack's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

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.”

His effects were sent to his father James who by then lived with his wife at “Cheriton” Francis Avenue Colwyn Bay.

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his father.  No pension card has been found, suggesting that his parents made no application.

Jack is commemorated also on the following Memorials:

Colwyn Bay

Saint Trillo Church, Rhos on Sea. 

In 1919 his parents still lived at Cheriton.

They later moved to the Prestatyn/Rhyl area, where his mother died in 1933 aged 62 and his father died in 1937, aged 65.

Jack is also featured on the Clwyd Family History Society Colwyn Bay War Memorial details  

https://www.clwydfhs.org.uk/en/war-memorials/colwyn-bay-2022-08-17 

Footage of 1919 commemorative march to honour war dead in Colwyn Bay https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nostalgia/rare-footage-colwyn-bay-remembering-11501050

We currently have no further information on John Douglas Cartmell, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.