Sgt 22607 William Atherton

 

The 1881 Census shows the family are living at 113 Brook Street, Birkenhead.

 

William is one year old and has three older sisters. His older brothers John and James have left home.

 

 

On 13 April 1911 his third and last child was born, a daughter named Zoe.

On 06th November 1914 William aged 35 years 199 days enlisted into the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private. 22607. He was described as being 5 Foot 7 and a half inches in height and weighed 182 lbs with a 43 inch chest. He has hazel eyes and brown hair. He gives as next of kin his wife Martha at 71 Prenton Park Road, Birkenhead. Interestingly, he states his religion as Church of England.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th 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 07^th November 1915.

His service record shows that on 09th February 1915, he was made Lance Corporal then a short time later on 12th March 1915 he was promoted to Corporal. Further promotion followed on 19th April 1915 made up to Sergeant on probation before on 06th July 1915 he was made full Sergeant. He was posted to France on 07th November 1915. 

On 11th June 1916 William was granted leave to return to the UK.

He took part in the Somme battle at Montauban on the opening day of the Somme offensive, and he will have partaken in the action at Trones Wood before he went into battle at Guillemont on 30th July 1916. A day so catastrophic that it was referred to as Liverpool's blackest day as close to 500 Liverpool Pals were killed in action. 

30th July 1916

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.    

It was in this attack that William was reported Missing.

He was reported as Wounded and Missing in the Birkenhead News on 16th September 1916:

Birkenhead Sergt.-Major

Wounded and Missing  

Acting Sergeant -Major W. Atherton, whose home is at 71 Prenton Park-road, is officially reported as wounded and missing. He is known to have been wounded in the engagement of July 30th, and was subsequently posted as missing. He was in the "Greys" some years ago, and soon after the outbreak of the present war he volunteered for service, joining the King's Liverpool Regt., and was sent out to the front at the beginning of this year.[“Greys” - 1st Cheshire Rifle Volunteers] 

Before going on active service he was engaged under the Birkenhead Corporation in the gas meter department, and was well known in Bowling circles as a member of the Tixall club. He is married with three children, and Mrs Atherton will be glad to hear from any of his comrades who may have had news of him since he was reported as missing.     

It was not until the 18th August 1917 that the Birkenhead News reported his death:

MISSING FOR OVER A YEAR 

Now Reported Killed In Action

 

 

(There is no evidence to support the claim that William had served in the Royal Scots Greys.)

On 18th August 1917 Martha placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo:

William's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name 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.”

 

Grateful thanks are extended to Joe Devereux for permission to use the photograph of William now shown on this site.