Pte 15695 John Almond

• Age: 30
• From: St Helens, 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 was born on the 03rd May 1886 in St Helens and resided in Liverpool and was the son of John Almond and his wife Elizabeth (née Littler) of St Helens who had married on the 12th May 1875 at St Mary's (Lowe House) Roman Catholic Church. He was baptised on the 6th May also at St. Mary's, Lowe House Catholic Church, North Road, St Helens. 

The 1891 Census shows the family are living at the Windleshaw Abbey Inn, Hard Lane, St Helens. His father John is 47 years of age, a licensed victualler, whilst his mother Elizabeth, born in St Helens in 1852 is 39. John is 4 years of age and his siblings listed are; Catherine 15 a scholar, Thomas 12 a scholar, Matthias 11 a scholar, Joseph 9 a scholar, Mary 1 and Ann just 2 months old. 

By the time of the 1901 Census the family are at the Abbey Hotel on Hard Lane, St Helens. His father, John is aged 57, and is still a licensed victualler, his mother, Elizabeth, is aged 49, children Catherine aged 25, Thomas aged 23 is a joiner, Matthias aged 21 is a barman, Joseph aged 19 is employed as a clerk in a municipal office, Mary aged 11 and Annie aged 10 and Minnie who is 7 years of age.  

His father, John, died shortly after the census aged 57. 

His mother, Elizabeth, remarried to widower John Helsby in 1905, their marriage was registered in Prescot. John was born in 1851 in St Helens, his first wife, Isabella Burrows, died aged 41, in 1896. He died, aged 56, shortly afterwards in 1908.  

The 1911 census shows the family have moved from St Helens and are living at the Dog and Gun Inn, Carr Lane, West Derby, Liverpool. His widowed mother, Elizabeth Helsby, is aged 59 is the head of the household and her occupation is shown as Licensed Victualler. John is now  aged 24 and is a manufacturers clerk. Of his siblings;  Thomas is aged 32, born 1879 and is a Joiner, Matthias aged 31, born 1880 occupation Carman, Mary aged 21 born 1890 is a School teacher, Annie aged 20, born 1891 and Winifred aged 17, born 1894 have no occupation listed. 

John enlisted on the 02nd September, 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool, joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15695. He is shown as being aged 28 years and 122 days and gave his occupation as a Clerk. He was 5 foot eight inches tall, weighed 150lbs, with a 37" chest, a fresh complexion, blue eyes, brown hair. He stated his religion as Roman Catholic. His next of kin was his mother, Elizabeth, of 1 Carr Lane, West Derby. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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. He arrived in France on the 07^th November 1915.

His joining up was featured in the St. Helens Newspaper & Advertiser on Friday 18th February 1916;

Private JOHN ALMOND,

Liverpool Pals. 

He is the son of the late Mr John Almond of Denton's Green and Mrs Almond of West Derby. He joined the Liverpool Pals on the formation of the Pals’ battalions in Liverpool and was for some time billeted at the Old Watch Factory, Prescot. He went out to France in November last, and has on many occasions been in the trenches, and so far escaped injury. Before joining the forces he was employed by Messrs. Pilkington Bros. in their export department. 

His service record shows:

30.07.16:  Wounded to Field Ambulance. Contusion to head transferred to 5 C.C.S.

31.07.16: Moved to No.1 Convalescent Depot at Boulogne with shrapnel wound to left ear. 

02.08.16: Joined 24 Infantry Base Depot at Etaples. 

07.08.16: Rejoined unit.

02.09.16: Granted 1st Good Conduct Badge on completion of two years service.

John was killed in action on the 12th October 1916, aged 30, 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 has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, 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.”

John was reported wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post 11^th Sept 1916, and again on the 22^nd Nov 1916. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Almond, 15695, J. (Liverpool);

John is commemorated on the Pilkington’s War Memorial.

He was also reported Missing in the St. Helens Newspaper & Advertiser on Friday 15th December 1916;

PRIVATE J. ALMOND (Missing) 

News has been received that Private John Almond, of the Liverpool Pals, is missing. He is the son of the late Mr. John Almond of Dentons Green, and Mrs. Almond of West Derby. He joined the Liverpool Pals at the formation of the Pals Battalion in Liverpool, and was for some time billeted at the old watch factory, Prescot. He went out to France in November, 1915, took part in many engagements and was slightly wounded with shrapnel on 31st July last. He rejoined his regiment at the end of August. A notice from the Records Office, Preston, was received by his mother on the 31st October, stating that he was wounded in an engagement on the 6th October. On making inquiries as to the nature of his wounds and whereabouts, no further details could be obtained, but the following sad news has been received from the Army chaplain : — Dear Mrs. Helsby,—l'm afraid we can give you no good news about your son, Private J. Almond. He was wounded in the ear in an attack by us on the 12th. He was roughly bandaged by a comrade and was last seen making his way to a dressing station—that is the last that has been seen or heard by us about him. What we are afraid may have happened is that he was hit again and killed by bursting shells on his way back. In that case his body would have been found and buried by the regiment that comes up for that purpose, but we have absolutely no news at all. I am afraid this is a very sad letter for you, and can only say how deeply I can sympathise with you in your terrible anxiety. I hope you may have had other news by the time you get this from your boy himself. May God, who loves you and gave His only son to die for you, comfort you more in your great trouble. Yours sincerely, 

A. L. PRESTON (Chaplain). 

John earned his three medals.

Soldiers Effects, army pay of £4 6s 4d, war gratuity of £9, and Pension of 8/6 pw to mother Elizabeth Helsby. 

His mother, died aged 69, on the 31st August 1921. 

John is commemorated on the Pilkington’s War Memorial.

Grateful thanks are extended to the St Helens Roll of Honour website for their  kind permission to use the photograph of John.  

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