L/Cpl 15985 John Oswald Eyes

• Age: 23
• From: Hartford, Cheshire
• 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.

John Oswald Eyes was born in Hartford, Cheshire on 29th April 1893, the son of John Eyes and his wife Annie (née McIntosh) who were married in 1889 at St. John the Evangelist Church, Cheetham, Manchester.. He was baptised on 25th September 1893 in Christ Church, Wharton, his father's occupation listed as a joiner.   
 
The 1901 Census shows the family living on Chester Road, Weaverham, Cheshire. His father John is aged 35, occupation builders foreman and born in Hartford, Cheshire. His wife Annie is aged 38 born in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), India. They have three children living at the address. Ethel is aged 11, Linda aged 9, both born in Winsford, Cheshire. John is aged 7 born Hartford. 

On 04th September 1906 he was enrolled in the Verdin Technical School in Winsford.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 9 Brassey Street, Chester. His father John is aged 45, born 1866 and occupation clerk of works. His wife Annie is aged 47. They advise that they have been married for 22 years and have had 3 children. Their three children are resident at the time of the Census; Ethel is aged 21, born 1890 and is a School teacher, Linda aged 19, born 1892 and is a Book-keeper, both born in Winsford, Cheshire. John is aged 17, and his occupation is recorded as assistant builders surveyor.

John Oswald enlisted in Liverpool on the 02nd September 1914, joining the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 15985 giving his age as 21 years and 120 days. He gave his occupation as a draughtsman. He was described as being five foot eight inches tall, weighed 138lbs, with a 36” chest. He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes, and fair hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and as his next of kin his father John, of 9 Brassey Street. He had two tattoo marks on his left and right arm. 

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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

His records state:

27.01.15-01.02.15: Admitted to Whiston Hospital with Influenza for six days. 

27.03.16: Giving seven days punishment Confined to Barracks for having a filthy greatcoat on C.O’S inspection.

No.3 and No.4 Companies, intermingled because of the fog, soon came across a small German strongpoint on their line of advance, just to the south of Arrowhead Copse, and after a fierce hand-to-hand encounter, they captured it. Two friends from Chester wrote home separately to describe their experiences.

“We were in reserve for a week just behind the line waiting for our third attack. On the night of 29th July we moved up to our position just ahead and on the right of Trones Wood. Here we took up our position in shell holes just behind the 19th, and dug ourselves in for safety, awaiting early morning when the advance was due to take place at 4.45. We were in our stations, myself being with Ossy Eyes [Pte 15985 J.O. Eyes]. Frank [16016 F.A. Pierce] and his mates were quite near, also Sam’s [15938 S.H. Thomas] gun team. We were under constant fire, but not heavy, being mostly gas shells. It would be towards one or two o’clock when poor old Sam met his fate. Our sergeant had just given us our rum ration and gone to the shell hole where the gun team were, and here, unfortunately, one gas shell found its mark, landing in the centre of the gunners. Poor lads, it wiped the whole of them out.

It was a bad start for us, but at 4.45 the boys were up – into the mist they went headed by our section commanders. We ploughed along taking shelter here and there, for they poured one continual rain of lead at us. We were suffering terrible losses but the boys kept on. When we first started the attack, I saw Frank leading his section on. He was on our right, but he disappeared into the mist. We kept pushing forward and were then held up by a German advance trench (a strong point). Here we fought for three-quarters of an hour, when the enemy saw their chance was hopeless they downed arms, hands up, and cried like children for mercy.

We took up our position in what was once the German trench – only three of us out of our section, our NCO, Ossy, and myself. Getting lost, we attached ourselves to the 19th. Here we met another of our Pals who had also got lost. He was one of Frank’s section. Then he told us the terrible news. Frank was leading his section in the charge, and unfortunately was shot through the heart. The sights were bad enough, but the shock of losing Frank and Sam as well! I can’t describe my feelings – it’s heart-breaking. They were two fine fellows, so very popular in the company, and not only were they excellent soldiers, but thorough gentlemen too!” - 15971 Lance Corporal H. Foster (who survived the war).

“Ossy Eyes [15985, J.O. Eyes] and I who managed to come out of this without a scratch are badly cutup over this terrible affair, and I know you, and all those who know those dear comrades of ours will be badly upset about it. Poor old Charlie [21518 C. Heath] met his death while performing a very brave act. Our battalion were in the first wave that went over, and when we advanced so far, we got orders to get down, and Charlie, who noticed a German machine-gun a few yards ahead of him, charged with one or two others to try and capture it, but was fatally hit by a bomb. Frank Pierce [16016 F.A. Pierce] was sniped through the head and Sam Thomas [15938 S.H. Thomas] was knocked out by a gas shell while going up the trenches the night previous to the attack. Gordon Pinches [21589 N.G. Pinches] was killed with a bullet, but where it caught him exactly, I could not say.” – 21646 Private C.J. Wright (recipient of the Military Medal, himself hit and killed by an aerial bomb on 08th October 1918, just a month before the Armistice).

John was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 aged 23 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

From the 17th Battalion 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 17th 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 17th 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.”

On 29.12.16 his war record states that after his death he was mentioned in Sir D. Haig’s dispatches for gallantry and devotion to duty.

The Chester Chronicle on 28th October 1916 published an article about John under the headline:

HARTFORD ARCHITECT KILLED – Hit while carrying Wounded

News has been received at Hartford that Pte John Oswald Eyes, a member of the King’s Liverpool regiment, has been killed in action. Private Eyes was the only son of Mr John Eyes formerly of Helmsdale Hartford and now of Brassey Street Chester, and who is Clerk of Works at Chester. The deceased soldier, who was 23 years of age, was exceedingly well known in Hartford and district and his death will be lamented by the many friends who knew him. He had had a brilliant career and success had attended him from the first, and it is sad to think that such a promising future should be prematurely cut short . As a boy Pte Eyes attended the Hartford school, and under Mr Pierce the headmaster, he made good progress with his education. He won a scholarship entitling him to attend the Winsford Technical School, the erection of which Institute it is interesting to note was superintended by his father. On his fathers removal to Chester Pte Eyes, for a time worked in his fathers office there, and became well known in the city. Later he was engaged by Mr Fairclough, builder of Warrington, as an architect and his prospects were very bright. On the outbreak of war he enlisted in the Liverpool regiment and it was in November 1915 that he left the training camp for France. He saw active service all through the first stages of the great advance and was doing admirable work under fire when he received his death blow on October 12. The first intimation of his death was written to his parents by a chum who spoke of the great friendship which existed between Pte Eyes and his comrades. Later the captain of the battalion informed Pte Eye’s parents that on the 12th of October following a successful attack the gallant soldier was carrying wounded comrades to safety. The enemy however caught sight of him, and turned a machine gun in his direction with the result the Pte Eyes was severely wounded in the back. The captain conveyed him to a dug out and did everything that was possible in the hope of saving his life, but death took place shortly afterwards. The remains were interred on the battlefield and a funeral was attended by several of his pals.

Private Eyes was an all-round athlete and a well educated youth. In almost every examination he undertook he gained a pass, and the medals and diplomas won by him are too numerous to mention. We might say however, that in 1914 he gained a pass for the City and Guilds of London Institute of Technological examinations at the Chester School of Science and Art. He won a medal two years in succession for a similar subject open to all England and also held the Westminster medal for two years. He enjoyed every form of sport and act one time played football with the Chester Sealanders team. While at Hartford he was a member of the parish church choir and was a great favourite amongst the parishioners who feel much sympathy for the bereaved family.

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 01st 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.”

He earned all three medals.

Soldiers Effects, Army pay £2 18s 4d and a War Gratuity of £9 to father John, Pension of 11/- pw to mother Annie. 

He is also commemorated on the Chester Citizens Memorial, situated in Chester Town Hall.

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