Pte 17319 George Latham Davies

• Age: 20
• From: Seacombe, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

George Latham Davies was born in the September quarter of 1896 in Seacombe, Cheshire and he was the youngest child of William Davies and his wife Annie (nee Latham). William, born in Shropshire, and Annie in Staffordshire were not married until 1884 in Birkenhead and had at least seven children. Their son William was born in Staffordshire, and Charles Frederick in Shropshire, after which the family moved to Seacombe in Cheshire, where Thomas, Stephen, John (who appears to have died at age 3), Mary, and George were born. 

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 167 Victoria Road. His father, William, is aged 42, a self employed shoe maker born in Kinstock, Salop, his mother, Ann, is aged 41, born in Forton, Staffs. The four year old George has four older brothers, William 22, Charles 21, who are both shoemakers like their father, Thomas 15 is a junior clerk and Stephen 13 is working as an office boy, and sister, Mary, who is 9. 

George’s father died, aged 48, in 1906 when George was 10 years old.

By the time of the 1911 Census his mother now aged 51 and had remarried (in 1909) to Charles Johnson aged 63. Her husband was a retired mariner and the children were living with her and her new husband at 34 Park Road, Seacombe. George’s older brothers William and Charles had left home. Thomas, 25, is a clerk for R.M.S.P. Co. (Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.), Stephen, 23, a clerk in the provision trade, Mary, 19, has no occupation, and 14-year old George is at school.

William and Charles emigrated to Canada. Charles had married in 1903 and emigrated to Canada in 1906, taking up farming in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

His mother, Annie, died in 1913 aged 53.

He attended the Egremont Presbyterian Church and prior to the outbreak of the war was employed by W H Midwood and Co, Cotton Brokers of Liverpool. 

George enlisted at St George's Hall, Liverpool on 01st September 1914, joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17319. He gave his age as 19 years and 90 days, as George was born in the summer of 1896, he was in fact 18 years old. He stated his occupation as a clerk in the Cotton trade. He was described as being five feet ten and half inches tall, weighed 136lbs, 34” chest, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Presbyterian and gave as next of kin his married sister Mary Duncan of 22 Chepstow Avenue, Egremont. He served in 2nd Company, 6th Platoon.

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

04.8.15: At Knowsley, absent without leave from 10.15pm until 10.30pm. Confined to barracks for two days.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion from Folkestone.

02.12.15: Deprived of four days pay for "Absence from Tattoo Roll Call until 9.30.

24.4.16: Sick, to 55 Field Ambulance and admitted with D.A.H. (disorderly action of the heart, often the result of stress or fatigue). 

25.4.16:  Admitted to 22 Field Ambulance with V.D.H.(valvular disease of the heart, a more serious organic disease or heart malfunction) 

27.4.16: Admitted to 5 Casualty Clearing Station V.D.H. 

03.5.16: Discharged to duty with unit.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916 aged 20 at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

19^th Battalion Diary 

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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. 

George was initially reported as Missing.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo dated 18th August 1916

"KILLED IN ACTION"

DAVIES - July 30, killed in action, aged 20, Private George Latham Davies, "Pals", dearly-beloved youngest brother of Mrs. Mary Duncan, 22, Chepstow-avenue, Liscard.

News of his death was reported in the Wallasey News of 26th August 1916:

"Private George Lathom Davies, of the Liverpool Regt., aged 20, has been killed in action. The young soldier, who was of fine physique, standing 6ft 1in., attended the Egremont Presbyterian Church, and was employed with Messrs. W.H. Midwood and Co., cotton brokers, of Liverpool. His employers, in a letter to his sister say :- "we deplore the fact that he is amongst the fallen. He was one of the first members of the firm's staff to respond to his country's call. We tender you our heart-felt sympathy." The deceased was a brother of Mrs. Mary Duncan, 322 Chepstow-avenue, Liscard, Mr. T. Davies 5, Parkfield-drive, and Mr. Steve Davies 58, Brompton-avenue. The commanding officer writes stating that young Davies was killed on July 30th, while taking a machine gun into action".  

A letter from his employer to his sister showed the esteem in which George was held:

“We deplore the fact that he is amongst the fallen. He was one of the first members of the firm’s staff to respond to his country’s call. We tender you our heart-felt sympathy.”  

Miss Olive Austin, relationship unknown, of 248 County Road, Walton, contacted the International Red Cross in hopes that George had been taken prisoner. She was notified on 13th September 1916 that they held no information on him. (In 1911 Olive Austin, 14, lived in Roxburgh Street, Walton, not far from County Road. As Olive was the same age as George, perhaps they were friends or sweethearts.)

Another entry on his ICRC card, information from a comrade in Munster POW Camp, was communicated to the family on 26th October 1917: "killed in action, Guillemont 30.7.16". This information came from Pte. 21776 John Fraser, 'B' Company, 19th Battalion K.L.R. from Everton. John was captured at La Bassee on 07th September 1916, and held at Munster POW Camp.  He was repatriated on  22nd November 1918.

George'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.”

His three medals and the Memorial Scroll went to his sister Mary.

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s also went to his sister Mary Duncan.  No pension card has been found, indicating that George had no dependents.

In January 1917 Mary was notified there were no personal effects to be sent.

In the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading Lost At The Battle of Guillemont, an anniversary tribute was posted to George by his sister and brother in law.

“In loving memory of Private George Lathom Davies (Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916, in his 21st year. “Noblesse oblige.” – M. and J.K. Duncan.”

In 1919 Mary, then at 27 Chepstow Avenue, Liscard, provided information on George's living relatives. Thomas, 32, and Stephen, 31, were also living in Liscard. William, 40, and Charles, 38, were in Saskatchewan.

George is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Cotton Association in Liverpool now situated at Walker House, Exchange Flags.   

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 4

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