Pte 24453 Henry Darcy

• Age: 21
• From: Upton, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: V.J.9

Henry was born in Upton, Cheshire in the fourth quarter of 1894 the son of William Darcy and his wife Sarah Jane Darcy (nee Fleet). His birth was registered as D'Arcy and he was baptised as Henry Darcy on 25th November 1894. His parents married on the 12th Jan 1891 at St Mary’s, Upton, William was a 26 year old labourer of Upton, father John a labourer, whilst Sarah was aged 21 also of Upton, father Thomas a labourer. They had ten children, two of whom died young. Henry had an elder brother John Miller, and younger siblings Gertrude Victoria, Florence Elizabeth, Alfred William and Bertha (who both died in infancy), Edith Mary, Etta Louise (Louie), Ruben Wilfred, and Emily Laura. 

In 1901 the 6 year old Henry was living with his parents at 7 Garfield Terrace, Upton. His father, William, was aged 38, born in Upton and working as a general labourer, Sarah was aged 37, born in Chester. Henry had an older brother John aged 8, and two sisters Gertrude 3 and Florence aged 5 months. They have a boarder Robert Ross 22, a gardener born in Scotland. 

The 1911 Census shows the family were living at the same address. The father, William, is 47 years old and was born in Ireland(sic), he was working as a farm labourer and his wife Sarah was born in Chester, is aged 41. They have been married for 20 years, and have had 9 children, of which two died. Their eldest son John had left home, but all the other children were living at home. Henry, now aged 16, was also working as a farm labourer. Brothers and sisters were, Gertrude 13, Florence 11, Edith 7, Louie 4 and Ruben aged 1. Another daughter Emily would be born in 1913. 

John (also called Jack) has not been found on the 1911 census but in September that year he began employment with the London & North Eastern Railway. 

Sadly, his brother, Ruben died at the age of 5 in 1915.

Henry enlisted in Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 24453.

The Birkenhead News on 12th June 1915 listed "Local Patriots" who had enlisted: 

"Private Harry D'Arcy, son of Mr. and Mr. D'Arcy, of Upton, is with the Liverpool Pals."

He arrived in France on 07th November 1915, disembarking with his battalion at Boulogne.

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

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 death was reported in the Birkenhead News on 02nd September 1916: 

News has been received by Mr. and Mrs. W. Darcy, of Upton, near Birkenhead, of the death in action of their son, Private Henry Darcy. He was killed on July 30th.  

In January 1917, just a few months after his son’s death was confirmed, Henry’s father William, enlisted in the Royal Engineers Road Troops (Railway) Army number 225191. He declared his age to be 49 years and 11 months although he was at least 52. He was discharged due to chronic bronchitis and age on 31st October 1917.

Henry was buried close to where he fell and after the war, when graves were concentrated, his body was removed and reinterred in Guillemont Road Cemetery where he now rests. 

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries, including:-

HARDECOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY. The village of Hardecourt-au-Bois was captured by French troops on the 8th July 1916, and again by the 58th (London) and 12th (Eastern) Divisions on 28 August 1918. Five British Artillerymen were buried by their unit in the French Military Cemetery, in the middle of the village, in September 1916; and in 1918 the 12th Division buried in the same cemetery 14 men of the 9th Royal Fusiliers and two of the 7th Royal Sussex.

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His outstanding Army pay went to his mother Sarah Jane, and the War Gratuity of £6 to his father. His mother was awarded a pension of 8/- a week from April 1917.

On the first anniversary of his death in 1917 his loved ones placed notices in the local press:

"In loving memory of Henry Darcy, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, killed in action July 30th, 1916. - Sadly missed by father, mother, brother and sisters, 3, Salacre Terrace, Upton."

"In fond remembrance of Henry Darcy, killed in action July 30th, 1916 (20th Pals). Always remembered. - Nellie."

On 31st July 1918 the family put a notice in the Liverpool Echo which read:

In Loving memory of Private Henry Darcy (The Pals) aged 21 killed in action 30th July 1916. Also Ruben who died February 17 1915. Sadly missed by Father, Mother, sisters and brother Jack in Egypt.

His brother, Jack's service record has not survived, but medal rolls show a John M. Darcy served in the 4th Bn. Cheshire Regiment and arrived overseas in July 1915. He was later transferred to the Royal Engineers (Railways). He survived the war.

His father William died in 1936 aged 72.

In 1939 his mother Sarah Jane was living at 10 Rake Lane, Upton. She died in 1945 aged 75.

Harry is commemorated on the following memorials -

Upton Civic Memorial

Parish of Overchurch Memorial, St. Mary's Church, Upton 

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