Pte 52857 Arthur Cookson

• Age: 25
• From: Lytham St. Annes, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Arthur Cookson was born in Lytham on 21st August 1891 and was the son of Mrs Harriet Cookson of South Clifton Street, Lytham, Lancashire. Prior to enlisting he was living in Southport and employed at the Chapel Street branch of Messrs Seymour Mead. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 18, South Clifton Street, Lytham, Fylde, Lancashire. His mother, Harriet, is listed as single, aged 38, born 1863 and employed as a laundress and was born in Lytham, Lancashire as were her three children. She has three children at the time of the Census, Arthur aged 9, born 1892, Alice aged 6, born 1895 and Evelyn aged 3, born 1898. She also has a boarder living at the address, Dorothy Newsham, a widow aged 78, born 1823 in Lytham and living on her own means.  

By 1911 the family are still living at 18, South Clifton Street, Lytham, Fylde, Lancashire. His mother Harriet is aged 48, and is still employed as a laundress. She still has her three at the time of the Census, Arthur aged 19, is a grocer’s assistant, Alice aged 17 is employed as a domestic and Evelyn aged 13 is at school.  

Arthur enlisted in Southport and was serving in the 17th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 52857 when he was killed in action on 12th October 1916, aged 25, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive. 

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

Arthur 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.”

The Southport Visiter reported his death on the 18^th Nov 1916:

PRIVATE ARTHUR COOKSON
         (Killed in Action)

News has been received that Private Arthur Cookson, of the King's( Liverpool Regiment), has been killed in action in France. The deceased soldier was employed at the Chapel Street branch of Messrs: T. Seymour Mead's previous to joining the colours, and was very well known locally. 

Fleetwood Express 4th Nov 1916:

LYTHAM SOLDIERS KILLED

Official intimation has been received by Mrs Cookson of 17 South Clifton Street, Lytham that her son Private Arthur Cookson of the King's Liverpool Regiment was killed in France on the 12th ult. Private Cookson, who was 25 years of age enlisted in February last and went to France in July.

Soldiers effects and pension to his mother Harriet.

Arthur is also commemorated on the Cenotaph at Clifton Street Lytham and the Southport War Memorial.

Mother Harriet, dob 22nd Nov 1862, appears on the 1939 register at 6 Westby St, Lytham with her married daughter Alice Holden. She died in 1941 aged 78. 

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