Pte 15057 John Dennis Coe

• Age: 27
• From: Freshfield, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

John Dennis Coe was born in 1888 in Freshfield, Formby the son of John, who was born in Liverpool and his wife Charlotte (nee Cherry) who was born in Newark, Notts. John was baptised in St Peters Church Formby on 14th October 1888 his father's occupation given as book keeper. His parents married in 1881 in Newark and had three children, all born in Formby. Their eldest, Arthur Angus, born in 1882, died at the age of 4. John had an elder sister Elsie May, born in 1884.

On the 1891 Census at the age of two he is living with his parents at 5 Piercefield Road in Formby. He has an older sister aged 6 called Elsie May. Also living in the house is Alice Cahill aged 20 who is a general domestic servant. John’s father is a clerk to a stockbroker.

By the 1901 census the family are living at 7 Haydock Road, Liscard. His father, 52, is a clerk to a stock and share broker, his mother is 46. John, now aged 12 is still at school and his sister Elsie now 16 is a teacher pupil at a board school. Also living with them is general servant Lillie Roberts aged 18 from Birkenhead.

John’s father died on the 27th June 1909, aged 59. 

Probate 1909- 

COE John the younger of 3 Stoneby Drive, Liscard Cheshire died 27 June 1909 Probate Chester 20 August to Charlotte Coe widow. Effects £3724 10s 9d. 

At the time of the 1911 census John, 22, a cotton salesman, is living with his widowed mother Charlotte, 56, and Elsie, 26, at 3 Stoneby Drive in New Brighton.  

John enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 01st September 1914 joining the 17^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 15057.

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 07^th November 1915.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 27, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th 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 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th 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.    

His death was reported in the local press:

Liverpool Courier 10th August 1916

Private J.D.Coe (27), Liverpool Pals, of Stoneby Drive, New Brighton, was killed by a sniper on July 30th. He was formerly employed by a Liverpool cotton broker's firm, and was educated at Mr.Wrigley's school at Liscard

Liverpool Post & Mercury 10th August 1916

Private John Dennis Coe, who lived with his mother in Stoneby-drive, New Brighton, was shot by a sniper on July 30th. He was educated at the Liscard High School, and was in the employ of Messrs.Weld and Co., cotton brokers, Liverpool. 

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.”

John left a will which went to probate, in the amount of £1,462-17s, naming his brother in law Hugh Ballatyne. His sister, Elsie had married Hugh in 1912.

Probate 1916:- 

COE John Dennis of 3 Stoneby Drive, New Brighton, Wallasey Cheshire private 17th Battalion King’s Liverpool regiment died 30 July 1916 in France Probate Chester 26 October to Hugh Parker Bannatyne cheese and butter importer. Effects £1462 17s. 

John earned his three medals.

His outstanding Army pay of £11-2s-2d and a War Gratuity of £8-10 went to his brother-in-law Hugh Parker Bannatyne.

No pension card has been found, indicating that John had no dependents or that his mother did not apply for a pension.

His mother died in 1937 at the age of 82.

John is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Liverpool Cotton Association at Walker House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool
 
Liverpool's Hall of Remembrance, Panel 11 Right

Victoria Central Community Hospital, Wallasey

Liscard High School

Parish of St. James, New Brighton

And on the family gravestone in Rake Lane Cemetery -

                And of
    our dearly beloved son
           John Dennis
        17th Batt. K.L.R.
who fell in action at the Battle
  of the Somme, 30th July 1916
        in his 28th year

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