Pte 51773 Thomas Chamberlain

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Thomas Chamberlain was born in Liverpool in the September quarter of 1896, the son of William Chamberlain and his wife Catherine (nee Carter) who were married in 1892 at St Mary’s Church, Kirkdale. He was baptised on the 23rd July 1896 also at St Mary’s..

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 154, Rice Lane, Liverpool. His father, William, is aged 28, born 1873 in Liverpool and is a general labourer, whilst his mother, Catherine, is aged 29, born 1872. They live with their two children, Katherine aged 6, born 1895 and Thomas aged 4, born 1897. 

His mother, Catherine, died in March 1902, aged 30, and his father William remarried Annie Lake in June 1908 at St. Athanasius' Church, Kirkdale.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 41 Maria Road, Liverpool. His father, William is aged 37 and employed as a brick setter labourer. He has remarried and his wife Annie is aged 37. They have been married for three years and have three children. Those listed on the Census are;  Thomas aged 14 who is employed as a Carter’s boy, Lillian aged 2, born 1909 and William born in 1911 and he is aged 4 months. They also have three step children, Alice Lake aged 14, born 1897 employed as a servant girl, Annie aged 12, born 1899 and David Lake aged 10, born 1901 are both at school.

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool initially joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. After a transfer he was was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 51773 when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916, aged 20, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

It had rained incessantly at the beginning of October 1916 and the ground was full of mud. In his book ‘The Liverpool Pals’ Graham Maddocks describes the day of the 12th of October 1916.

It was obvious that the Germans knew an attack was coming and from which direction it would be mounted. On the evening of the 11th the 20th Battalion moved up the line and dug two deep assembly trenches behind the 17th Battalion’s position for the attack the next day. The 19th Battalion also moved into its reserve positions known as Flers Trench. Although the rain has stopped, the ground was like a morass, with all the natural vegetation destroyed, it was difficult to tell exactly where the objectives lay. On the afternoon of the 12th at exactly 2.05pm, the attack began along the whole Corps line, covered by the local batteries of the Royal Field Artillery which still had line of sight. As the whistles blew, the 17th Battalion left its trenches to move forwards, at the same time No.1 and 2 Companies of the 20th Battalion moved forward and occupied the trenches vacated by the 17th. As they too went over the top, No.3 and 4 Companies took their place and waited in their turn to follow. No.2 and 3 Companies of the 19th Battalion moved up to occupy the assembly trenches dug the previous night by the 20th.

As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them and at the same time the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire. Those German regiments were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire. As such it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.

Brigadier-General F.C.Stanley wrote that the Battalions were also suffering casualties due to the short shooting of the British heavy artillery fire. “I know from practical experience that they were our own guns which were shooting, and which were causing us quite a considerable number of casualties. The fault lay at that time from the fact that the heavy gunners would not send their FOO’s (Forward Observation Officers) far enough forward, but were content to observe us from right back”

Some ground was gained that day, about 150 yards, the 20th Battalion were not relieved until 24 hours later causing the men to endure another day and night in the front line trench.

Thomas' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in 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 and Pension to his father William, 56 Maria Road, Walton. 

Thomas is also commemorated on the following War Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 9 Right. 

Northcote Road Council School, Walton.

Parents are found on the 1939 register at 45 Buchanan Road, Walton, William is a retired labourer, dob 01st June 1872, Annie dob 29th May 1872. 

His step-mother died, aged 68, in the December quarter of 1941.

His father died, aged 70, in the March quarter of 1943.  

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