L/Cpl 35985 Thomas Davis

After Thomas' birth the family moved to the Manchester area, where Frank and Fred were born.

By the time of the 1891 census the family (incorrectly transcribed as Darnes) had moved to Denton, which is five miles east of Manchester where James worked for Lancashire Police. They lived at 75 Kynder Street. Thomas is 2 years of age and lives with his parents and two older brothers. His father, James is 35 years of age and was born in Bolton, whilst his mother is 27 years of age and was born in Manchester. His two brothers were born in Liverpool and are recorded as; John Henry aged 6 and James aged 2. 

By 1895 his father was working in Lees, east of Oldham, where daughters Louie and Florence and sons Charles (who died in infancy) and Albert were born.

By the 1901 census the family lived at 30 Hartshead Street in Lees, Lancashire. Both parents are in the household along with their eight children. Thomas is 11 years of age and his siblings are listed as follows; Ann aged 18, John Henry aged 16 and employed as a cotton piecer, James aged 14 also employed as a cotton piecer, Frank aged 9, Fred aged 7, Louie aged 5 and Florence aged 2. 

Thomas was baptised in the parish of Leesfield on his 14th birthday, on 25th April 1903, together with his brothers James, Frank, and Fred.

The 1911 Census finds the family now living at 7 Phillimore Street, Lees. Both parents are in the household, they declare that they have been married for 29 years and have had ten children, nine of whom have survived. His father, 54, is now a police pensioner, his mother is 47. There are seven of their children still living with them and they are recorded as follows; James a 24 year old minder in a cotton spinning room, Thomas aged 21 and a big mule piecer, Frank 19 and Fred 17 are in the same employment as Thomas, Louie aged 15 is employed as a little tenter in a cotton card room, Florence is 12 and Albert is 8.  

Eldest daughter, Ann, 28, a cotton warper, is living with her widowed grandmother, also Ann Davis, in Rochdale. John Henry is married, living with his wife and daughter at 11 Hartshead Street, Lees, and is employed as a cotton spinner. He later became the landlord of the Antelope Inn.

Thomas enlisted in Oldham likely in mid-1915, and arrived in France some time in 1916. He was serving in the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 35985 when he was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 27, during the attack on the German held village of Guillemont.

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 initially reported Missing and his name was published in the list of K.L.R. on 14th September 1916.   

His death later presumed, for official purposes, as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

Thomas' 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 record on the Commonwealth War Graves Register states that he was the son of James and Lucy Ann Davis, of Baden House, Phillimore Street, Lees, Oldham. One of five brothers who served, three of whom fell.

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £3 went to his father. His parents were awarded a pension of 7/- a week, their address 50 West Street, Oldham. 

His older brother, John Henry, served as Gunner L/47015 in the Royal Field Artillery and who was 32, and married with a young daughter was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele on 04th August 1917. He now rests at Dickebusch New Military Cemetery Extension, Belgium. His wife's details are shown on CWGC as M.A. Davis of Antelope Inn, Hartshead Street, Lees, Oldham. 

His brother Fred served as a L/Cpl (268008) in the 1/7th, later 10th Bn. West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellington's), and arrived in France in April 1915. Just six weeks after the death of John, on 22nd September 1917, Fred died of wounds. Fred was 23, and now rests in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Flanders.

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