Pte 22647 Frederick Lewis Clark

• Age: 18
• From: Fylde
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Frederick Lewis Clark was born in about January 1898 in Fylde, Lancashire the son of James Henry W. Clark born in October 1869 at West Malling, Kent and his wife Sarah Elizabeth (nee Jones) born in February 1869 in Paddington, London. When his parents married in 1893 in Paddington, his father gave his surname as Whittaker-Clark. Lewis was baptised as Lewis Frederick Clark at Christ Church, Blackpool on 06th March 1898. At the time of his baptism his parents lived at 69 Lord Street, Blackpool, and his father's occupation was given as chef. Lewis was the eldest of their three children. He had sisters Primrose, born in 1901, and Helen Lavinia, born in 1903, both in Liverpool. 

By 1901 the 3 year old Lewis had moved to Liverpool with his parents, they were living at 19 Tunstall Street off Smithdown Road. 

His father, James, was aged 31, a hotel chef, mother Sarah was 32 with no occupation listed. Also in the household is his widowed maternal grandmother Sarah Jones, 61. 

By 1911 Lewis has two younger sisters, 9 year old Primrose and 7 year old Helen. The family were living at 15 Foxdale Road, Wavertree. His father James was aged 41, still a cook in a hotel and remained in that profession all his life, mother Sarah was aged 42. They have been married for 17 years and have three children. 

He enlisted on the 09th November 1914 at Liverpool, under the name Frederick Clark, joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 22647. He gave his age as 18 years and ten months and occupation as a steward. He was five feet seven inches tall, weighed 128lbs, 36” chest, fresh complexion, brown eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England and next of kin his father John, 106 Garmoyle Rd. (It would appear Lewis lied about his age on enlistment as he would have been 16 years and ten months old.) 

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built 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.

19.10.15: At Larkhill Camp: ... grumbling(?) when absent for duty. Confined to barracks for seven days.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion. 

30.11.15: Admitted to 98 Field Ambulance with diarrhoea.

01.12.15: Discharged to duty with unit.

01.7.16: Wounded in action.

04.7.16: Discharged from Field Ambulance.

Before his final operation at Guillemont he was reported with shell-shock. 

Liverpool Daily Post - Monday 14 August 1916 

WOUNDED SHELL-SHOCK. 

King’s (Liverpools) - Clarke(sic), 22647, F. (Liverpool); 

Lewis was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 18, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

30th July 1916

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 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. 

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.   

Lewis' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and his name is recorded 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.”   

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to his father.

His death was reported in the local press on 16th August 1916:

"Private Lewis Frederick Clark, only son of Mr. and Mrs. James Clark, of 106, Garmoyle Road, Wavertree, Liverpool. Employed by the Cunard Company.."  (His name does not appear on the Cunard Memorial.)

Liverpool Daily Post - Saturday 09 September 1916 

Killed. 

King’s (Liverpools) - Clark, 22647, F. (Liverpool); 

His parents placed a memorial notice in the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading Lost At The Battle of Guillemont::

"CLARK - In loving memory of our boy, Pte Lewis Frederick Clark (4th "Pals"), killed in France, July 30th 1916. (Ever remembered) 106 Garmoyle Road, Wavertree". 
   
The family also placed a similar notice in the Echo on the second anniversary of his death on 30th July 1918;

"In loving memory of our boy, Lewis Frederick Clark (4th Pals), killed in action, July 30, 1916. (Not forgotten.) - 106, Garmoyle Road, Wavertree."

In 1919 his parents and sisters, 18 and 15, still lived in Garmoyle Road.

In September 1939 his parents were living at 79 Woodsorrel Road, Wavertree. His father was 69, and retired, his mother was 70.

His parents moved to north Lancashire, possibly to avoid the Blitz, and lived in Yealand Redmayne, north of Lancaster.

His father died in 1943 aged 72 and is buried in Allerton Cemetery. His mother, Sarah, died in 1952, at the age of 83.

Lewis is commemorated in Liverpool's Hall of Remembrance, Panel 11 Right

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