Cpl 29615 John Coghlan

• Age: 29
• From: Liverpool
• 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.

John Morris Coghlan was born in Liverpool on 19th September 1886, his parents were John B. Coghlan who was born in Ireland, and his wife Ellen (nee Luther) born in South Kensington London. He was baptised in St. Francis Xavier Church on 26th September 1886. His parents married on the 27th June 1883 in St. Andrews' Church, Dublin where they were living at 7 St Bridgid’s Ave, North Strand, and soon after their marriage moved to Liverpool. They had ten children; birth records have been found for nine live births in Liverpool: Their firstborn, George, died at 3 weeks old. John had an elder sister Bridget Mary, and younger siblings Thomas Francis, Ellen (who lived two days), James Wilfred (died at age 4), Georgina Ann, Ellen Agnes (died at 2 months), and Edward Fitzgerald. 

In the 1891 Census, the 4 year old John is living with his parents, 5 year old sister Bridget, and brother Thomas aged 3 at 33 Breck Road, Liverpool. John’s father is aged 39, a bookkeeper in the fruit trade, mother Ellen is 29. 

He entered St. Francis Xavier School in March 1893 when he was 6 years old, the family residence at that time given as 17 Dawson Grove, Everton. 

By 1901 the family are living at 106A Cazneau Street, Liverpool, the 14 year old John is a wood carvers apprentice. His father, 48, is a bookkeeper, his mother is 37.
There are two more children, Georgina and Edward.

John’s father died in 1905 at the age of 51 and is buried in Ford Cemetery.

By the time of the 1911 Census John’s widowed mother Ellen is 45 and is living at 70 Hamilton Road, Everton. She has borne 10 children with only 5 surviving. The eldest Bridget is aged 25 and is an elementary school teacher, John is now aged 23 and a wood carver, Thomas is a 21 year old marine engine fitter, Georgina, aged 17, is at home and Edward 13 at school. They have a boarder, William Toker, 38, a ship's steward.

Ellen died in 1914 aged 49, and is also buried in Ford Cemetery.

John enlisted in the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 29615, likely in the summer of 1915.

John left for France on an unknown date, probably early in 1916 as part of a reinforcement draft for his Battalion.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 29, 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.   

John was originally posted as Missing and on the 29th August 1916 his sisters put an appeal for news into the Liverpool Echo:

"Corporal John Coghlan K.L.R Any information concerning him will be gratefully received by his sisters at 31 Reservoir Street, Everton, Liverpool".

His name was published in the list of K.L.R. Missing on 14th September 1916. 

King’s (Liverpools) - Coghlan, 29615, Corpl. J.; 

On 27th November 1916 he was reported Killed in Action in the Liverpool Echo: 

The Liverpool Echo dated 27th November 1916 reported

Killed in Action. 
 
"Corporal John Coghlan, K.L.R.  Previously reported missing. His home was at 31, Reservoir Street, Everton."

His loved ones posted on the same day:

"July 30, killed in action, aged 30 years, Corporal John Coghlan, eldest son of the late John and Ellen Coghlan, R.I.P. (Dublin papers please copy.) - 31, Reservoir Street."

John's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, 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 remembered one year on in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost at Battle of Guillemont”:

“Killed in action, July 30, 1916, Corporal John Coghlan. (On whose soul sweet Jesus have mercy. R.I.P. Remembered by his Sisters and Brother, 31 Reservoir Street.)”

He was also remembered on the second anniversary of his death in 1918: 

"Corporal John Coghlan, K.L.R., killed in action July 30, 1916. ("We loved him in life - let us not forget him in death.") - Remembered at 31, Reservoir Street, and by Brother (still serving). R.I.P."

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £5 went to his sister Georgina, who was awarded a pension of 5 shillings a week for two years from April 1917, increased to 7 shillings and sixpence then to 12 shillings and sixpence from 1919. Entries on the pension card end in 1921.

Sadly, John has not been found on any memorial in the U.K.

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