Pte 22658 Arthur Collett

• Age: 19
• 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.

Arthur was born in Liverpool on 30th July 1897, the eldest son of Charles Collett and his wife Jemima Alice (nee Warwick) who had been married at Emmanuel Church in Everton on Christmas Day 1889. Charles was a 26 year old plumber of 27 Phoebe Ann Street, father Henry a printer, whilst Jemima was aged 21 of 5 Herbert St, father William a sawyer. Arthur was baptised at St Chrysostom's Church, Everton on the 22nd August 1897, the family living at the time at 55 Phoebe Ann Street (Everton).  

Arthur had an elder sister Mary Elizabeth, and brother Charles Henry (who died at 21 months), and younger siblings Winifred,  William, Herbert, and Doris. 

At the time of the 1901 census the family are living at 29 Heathcote Street, Edge Hill.

His father, Charles, was 36 and a plumber, Jemima – known as Alice – was 32. They had three children: Mary aged 8, Arthur aged 3 and 1 year old Winifred.

By 1911 the family had moved to 29 Earle Road.

His father, Charles, is described as a foreman plumber for Liverpool Corporation Water Works. Alice is at home with her six children. Alice’s place of birth was given in the 1901 census as Scotland, but on this census it’s given as Carlisle, Cumberland (she was actually born in Langholm, Dumfriesshire and baptised in Carlisle). His parents advise that they have been married for 21 years and have had seven children, six of whom have survived. The rest of the family were born in Liverpool. Arthur is 13, Mary is 18 and is a student teacher, Winifred is 11, William 9, Herbert 6 and Doris is 3. 

Arthur enlisted on the 09th November 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 22658. He gave his age as 19 years and his occupation as a clerk. (It appears he lied about his age on attestation as he was 17 years old). He was described as being 5ft 7½ inches tall, weighed 137 lbs, fresh complexion, brown eyes, dark brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England and next of kin his father Charles, 29 Earle Rd. 

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 the 8th April 1915, for not complying with an order he received 2 days C.B. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham.  His service papers show that on 10th July 1915 at Belton Park he was punished for "Obtaining food under false pretences." He was confined to barracks for four days. The Battalion remained at Grantham until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 07^th November 1915.

His service record shows qualification: stretcher bearer.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916 at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive on his 19th birthday. 

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.      .

His 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.”

Arthur earned his three medals, which his father signed for.

His father received Arthur's outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £7-10s.

The pension card in the name of his mother does not show the amount awarded, if any.

An article in the Liverpool Echo on the 26th August invites people the next day to attend:

A Memorial Service at St Dunstans, Earle Road at 11am:

Memorial Service for Robert Glynne Davies, Gilbert Pelling, Arthur Collett, Herbert Lawrenson, and Joseph Henry Martin.

All these men were local lads and must have attended St Dunstans Church and known each other. Indeed, looking at the war records, both Arthur and Joseph were punished for the same misdemeanour in July 1915. Arthur, Herbert, and Joseph served in the 20th and Gilbert in the 19th Batalion. All four lads were killed on the same day, all have no grave, all their names are on the Thiepval Memorial. Arthur was 19, Herbert 25, Gilbert 21 and Joseph 22 years old. Robert was a Captain in the 4th Batalion King’s (Liverpool Regiment), he was 29 when he was killed on the 14th August 1916 and is buried in Caterpillar Cemetery, Longueval.

All five of these men are remembered on the war memorial in the churchyard of St Dunstans Church, along with another 107 men from the same parish.

Arthur is also remembered in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 11 Right

Also on the family headstone at Kirkdale Cemetery, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool:

  PTE. ARTHUR COLLETT, 20TH K.L.R.
KILLED IN ACTION AT GUILLEMONT, FRANCE,
         30TH JULY 1916, AGED 19 YEARS

In 1919 his parents still lived at 29 Earle Road with daughters Elizabeth, 26, Winifred, 19, and Doris, 11, and sons William, 17, and Herbert, 14.

Sadly, his parents lost another son when Herbert died in 1923 at the age of 17.

His father worked for over 40 years with the Liverpool Corporation Water Department. He died on the 24th Nov 1933 aged 69.  

Liverpool Daily Post - Monday 27 November 1933 

COLLETT— November 24, suddenly, at 41 Prince Alfred-road, Wavertree, aged 69 years, CHARLES, beloved husband of Alice Collett (for 40 years with Corporation Department). Interment at Kirkdale Cemetery to-day (Monday) at 3p.m. (Friends accept this— the only- intimation.) 

In 1939 his mother Alice, then 70, was living at 4 Waldgrave Place, Wavertree, with married son William, a water meter inspector.

Alice appears to have died in 1948 aged 79 in Fleetwood.

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