Pte 38132 John Charnock

• Age: 21
• From: Preston, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

John Charnock was born on the 17^th Deember 1894 in Preston and was the son of Thomas Charnock and his wife Elizabeth/Betsy (nee Woodruff) who were married in 1875.  

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 4 Harrington St, Preston. His father Thomas is aged 45, and is a Bricklayer. His wife Betsy is aged 46, and they have five children, Maggie 22 a cotton weaver, Thomas 19 a cotton mill labourer, Ellen 12, John 7 and Alice 2(everybody born Preston). 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 23 Mill Hill, Preston. His father Thomas is aged 55, born 1856 and is a Bricklayer. His wife Betsy is aged 55(married 36 years 9 children 6 still alive), born 1856 and they have one child, John who is aged 17, born 1894 occupation Cotton Weaver. They have a nephew also called John aged 14, born 1897 and he is also a Cotton Weaver and a niece called Alice aged 12, born 1899 still at school living with them at the address.

John married Lilian Hignett in 1916 at Holy Trinity, Preston. She was born in 1892 in Widnes and at the time of the 1911 Census was living with her family at 5 Lowthian Street, Preston and her occupation was a Doffer in a Cotton Mill. They had a daughter Lilian in the Sept quarter 1916. 

He enlisted in April, 1915 in Preston and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 38132 when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 aged 21 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  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.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they 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.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

John's 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.”

An appeal for information was placed in the Preston Herald on 18th November 1916  

INFORMATION WANTED; His parents, who reside 23, Mill-hill, Preston, would be glad of any information concerning Pte, John Charnock, King’s Liverpool Regiment, who was reported missing on October 12th. He was a weaver by trade, but had been working on ammunitions some time before he enlisted. 

His death was reported in the Preston Herald on 30 June 1917: 

PRESTONIAN KILLED.—Official intimation has been received at his home, 23, Mill-hill, Preston, that Pte. John Charnock, L.N.L. Regt., was killed in action on June 7th. He enlisted about twelve months ago, and had been in France ten months. He was a single man, 20 years of age, and was formerly employed Messrs. Dick, Kerr and Co.’s works. His uncle, Pte. John Charnock, King’s (Liverpool) Regt., has been missing nine months. 

It was also reported in the Lancashire Evening Post on 11^th July 1917 :

MISSING SOLDIER NOW REPORTED KILLED  

Pte. John Charnock (24), King's Liverpool Regt., who was previously reported as missing since October 12th, 1916, has now been officially reported killed in action on that date. Prior to joining up two years ago he was employed by Messrs. Dick. Kerr, and Co., and resided at 23, Mill Hill, Preston. He had been in France three months when he was first reported missing. He leaves a widow and one child. His nephew, Pte, John Charnock, L.N.L. Regt., who lived at the same address, was killed in action on June 7th, 1916. 

His family paid tribute to John in the Lancashire Evening Post on 12^th October 1918, the second anniversary of his death: 

CHARNOCK - In loving memory of my dear husband Pte. JOHN CHARNOCK, 17th King’s Liverpool Regt., missing but reported killed on October 12th 1916. 

Some may think that I forget you  

When at times they see me smile; 

But they little know the sorrow  

That the smile hides all the while. 

- From his sorrowing wife and child, 25 lady Street. 

CHARNOCK - In treasured remembrance of Pte. JOHN CHARNOCK , King’s Liverpool, presumed killed October 12th 1916.  

Some may think that we forget him  

If at times they see us smile;  

But they little know the sorrow  

That's behind it all the while. 

- Still mourned by his sorrowing Father, Brother Tom, and Sisters Lizzie, Nellie, and Alice, 23, Mill Hill, Preston. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Lilian, and child Lilian. 

John is commemorated on the Preston Roll of Honour.

His father died, aged 60, in 1920 

Lilian remarried in 1923 to Robert Parker at All Saints, Preston. 

They appear on the 1939 register living at 31 Mona Street, Preston.  Lilian, dob 10^th April 1892, is a cotton weaver. 

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