Pte 29614 Archibald Arthur Connor

• Age: 22
• 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.

Archibald Arthur Connor was born on 07th August 1893 in Liverpool, the son of Edward Connor and his wife Catherine (nee Ramsay). He was registered at birth as Archibald and baptised Archibald in St. Alphonsus' Church, Liverpool on 17th August 1893, his parents resident at the time in Edward Street. He appears on civilian records as Archibald. His parents married on the 17th September 1883 at St Vincent de Paul, Liverpool. Edward was of 180 Upper Frederick St, father Timothy, whilst Catherine was of the same address, father Archibald; sadly, only three of their children survived. His surviving siblings were Florence Mabel and Catherine. 

His mother's age varies on censuses; she was born in 1864 and in 1891 Catherine, 27, and Edward, 29, lived at 27 Snowdrop Street in Kirkdale with her widowed mother Catherine Ramsay, 59, born in France

At the time of the 1901 census the family live at 1 First Street, Bootle. His father, 36, is a dock labourer, his mother's age is given as 34. Archibald is 7, Mabel 5, and Catherine 3.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 60 Louis Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. His father, Edward, is aged 44, born 1867 in Kerry, Ireland, his occupation is recorded as a dock labourer, whilst his mother,  Catherine is aged 41, born 1870 in Tottenham, London with no occupation listed. They advise that they have been married for twenty five years and have had fourteen children of which eleven had died. The surviving children are in the household, Archibald aged 17, born 1894 is a shop assistant dealing in paints and varnishes, Mabel aged 15, born 1896 no occupation and Catherine aged 12, born 1899 is at school. 

He enlisted in Liverpool for reasons unknown under the name Arthur in about June 1915, joining the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 29614 and served in No.1 Company, 1st Platoon. 

He arrived in France some time in 1916.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 22, 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. 

He was originally posted as Missing in the Liverpool Express on 11th September 1916:

MISSING AT THE FRONT

The relatives would be pleased to receive any information which returned soldiers may possess of the following men reported missing at the front:

(1)- Pte. Archiblad Connor K.L.R. OF 60 Louis-street, Kirkdale.

His death was assumed for official purposes as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916 and was announced in the Liverpool Echo on 29th August 1916:

"Private Archie Connor (23), K.L.R., son of Mr. Edward Connor, 60, Louis Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. He joined in June, 1915." (Archie was killed just before his 23rd birthday, i.e., in his 23rd year.)

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

King’s (Liverpools) - Connor, 29614, A.; 

Archie'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.”

A Miss L. Moore, (relationship unknown) of 3 Winifred Street, Wavertree, contacted the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva in hopes that Archie had been taken prisoner but was notified on 17th November 1916 that they held no information on him.

His father also contacted the ICRC on multiple occasions and received the same response on 15th January 1917, 8th May 1917, and 19th June 1918.

Archie's outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £4 went to his mother Catherine, who was awarded a pension of 10 shillings a week from April 1917, increased to 15 shillings for one year from 1918.

Archie is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 10 Right

CWGC records hold two records for this man, both under service number 29614. One for Archibald Connor (ALIAS see Arthur Connor). The other listing shows Arthur Connor (Birth name Archibald Connor.) Son of Edward and Catherine Connor of 60 Louis Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool.    

His father died aged 51 in 1924. 

His mother Catherine, dob 26th Feb 1864, appears on the 1939 Register still at 60 Louis St. 

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