Pte 15753 Thomas Michael Devine

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Thomas (Tom) Michael Devine was born in Liverpool on 26th September 1895, the son of James Francis Devine and his wife Mary Ellen (nee Cassidy). James and Mary Ellen married in 1895; Tom was the eldest of their five children.  He had younger siblings James Joseph, Frances Irene, John Albert Edward (Jack), and Joseph. Tom was baptised on 06th October 1895 in St. John's Roman Catholic Church, his parents living at 39 Matlock Street at the time.

At the time of the 1901 Census, 5 year old Thomas was living with his parents and two younger siblings at 61 Freeland Street, Kirkdale. His father, James, is a 28 year old cab driver born in Liverpool in 1873 whilst his mother Mary E. is 27 years of age, born in Liverpool in 1874. His siblings are shown as brother James aged 3 and a new born baby sister called Irene. Also present is a visitor Ada Hewitt who is a 22 year old upholsteress born in Liverpool. 

James and Mary had two more children, John and Joseph.

His father, James Devine, died on 28th July 1906, aged 33.

By the time of the 1911 Census his widowed mother and four siblings were living at 29 Sleepers Hill in Anfield. Thomas is aged 15 and working as an assistant clerk for a solicitor. His siblings are listed as; Irene aged 11, James aged 10, John aged 9 and Joseph aged 5.

Tom's brother Joseph died, aged 6, on 28th March 1912.

He enlisted on 03rd September 1914 at St George's Hall, Liverpool joining the 17^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15753. He gave his age as 18 years and 350 days and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet six inches tall, weighed 115lbs, 34" chest, with a fresh complexion, hazel coloured eyes and brown hair. It was noted that he had two gold-crowned front teeth. He stated his religion as Roman Catholic and gave his mother, as next of kin at 111 Walton Breck Road, Anfield.
He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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. 

There are a number of indiscretions on his record all of which occurred at Belton Park, Grantham.

01.6.15: Talking on parade. Two days confined to barracks.

06.6.15: Absent from tattoo till 11.40pm. Four days confined to barracks.

13.8.15: Neglecting to look after his government clothing. Three days confined to barracks.

26.8.15: Idle on sentry duty. Three days confined to barracks.

01.9.15: Absent from living? stables.  Three days confined to barracks.

Tom received a postcard from his brother James which featured a photograph of James among a number of young straw boated men with the message on the reverse as follows:

111 Walton Breck Road, Anfield, L'pool 

September 26th 1915

To dear Tom,

With Love

from James 

The postcard was given to Tom and was the last time that the brothers saw each other before Tom embarked for France.

On 07th November 1915 Tom sailed to France with his battalion.

Tom was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 21, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th 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 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th 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 Liverpool Daily Post on 12th September 1916: 

Killed. 

King’s(Liverpool Regiment) - Devine, 15753, T. (Liverpool); 

Tom's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.  

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.”

Tom was remembered on the first anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost at Battle of Guillemont”:

“In loving memory of Private Thomas Devine (Tommy), 1st Pals, killed in action July 30, 1916. (Never forgotten.) - Frances.”

He was also remembered by his family in the Liverpool Daily Post on 01st August 1917: 

DEVINE - In loving memory of Thomas Michael (1st Pals), the dearly beloved eldest son of Mary and the late James Devine, killed in action July 30, 1916.  

He sleeps besides his comrades  

In a hallowed grave unknown  

But his name is written in letters of love  

On the hearts he has left at home.

Never for one moment forgotten by his loving Mother, Sister Renee, Brothers James and John, and his dear Friend George Ellis (in France)  

He was also remembered on the second anniversary of his death in 1918: 

"In loving memory of Private Thomas Michael Devine (Pals), the dearly-beloved eldest son of Mary and the late James Devine, killed in action, July 30, 1916. - Sadly missed by his loving Mother, Brothers Sapper James and John, Sister Renee, and his dear friend Sapper George Ellis (in France). - 111, Walton Breck Road, Anfield."

His CWGC record shows: Son of Mary Ellen Devine of 111 Walton Breck Road, and the late James Devine.

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 5/- a week from April 1917.

His mother was notified in November 1916 there were no personal effects, however on the 05th March 1918 a ‘small book’ was forwarded. .

Tom is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance in Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 4.    

He is also remembered at home on the family headstone in Kirkdale Cemetery, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool.

The pension card also shows "living soldier Ellis 21948 K.L.R., allotment 3/6d." (George Ellis 17th Bn., shipped to France on the same day as Tom, and was later transferred to the Royal Engineers, Inland Waterways. He survived the war.)

His brother James enlisted on 10/09/17 in the R.F.A., served with the B.E.F. from December 1917 to April 1918 including with the Royal Engineers Railway Division and was discharged in December 1918 as no longer physically fit for war service (malaria), with a pension of 8/3d for 31 weeks and a Silver War Badge.

In 1919 his mother Mary Ellen was still living at 111 Walton Breck Road with James, 21, Frances, 19, and John, 16.  Frances later married and had a son she called Thomas.

His mother died on 10th April 1938, aged 64.

Grateful thanks are extended to James Smith the great great nephew of Tom and great great grandson of Tom's brother, James, who sent copies of postcards sent to Tom by his brother and one returned to the family that was carried by Tom.

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