Pte 16792 William John Atherton

• Age: 20
• From: Toxteth Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16792 Private William John ATHERTON, 18^th Battalion KLR.

William John Atherton was born in Liverpool on the 21st January 1896, the  elder of two sons of William, a Constable in the Liverpool City Police born in Whiston, and his wife Elizabeth Agnes (nee Holland), whom he married in 1891 in Toxteth. He was baptised on the 15th March 1896 at St Paul, Princes Park.  

In 1901 father William aged 34, is a police constable b.Prescot, and mother Elizabeth aged 28 b.Liverpool, lived with their two children, Mabel aged 8 years and William John aged 5 years, at 16, South Grove, Toxteth. 

In 1911, his father aged 44, now being shown as a Police Sergeant, mother Elizabeth Agnes aged 38(married 19 years 5 children, 3 still alive), William John now 15 and described as an office boy, lived with his parents, Mabel now 18 and shown as a telephone operator and a younger brother, Harry James aged 9 years, at 70 Albert Edward Road, Kensington, Liverpool.  

William enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on the 03rd September 1914, at Liverpool, giving his age as 19 years 30 days, and his occupation as clerk. He is described as being five feet six inches tall, weighed 155lbs., chest 35”, with fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. He gave his next of kin as his father, who was residing at 70 Albert Edward Road. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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. 

After training William crossed to France with his Battalion on board SS Invicta arriving in Boulogne on 07th November 1915.

It is known he was attached to 201 Field Company Royal Engineers between 15 and 30 April 1916. He returned to the 18th Battalion and was killed in action with No 3 Company during the attack at Montauban on the 01st July 1916 the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

The Battalion diary gives an insight into the action:

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks. 

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

William has no known grave 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.”

Liverpool Daily Post 3rd July 1917 

LOST AT THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME.  

ATHERTON—In ever-loving memory our dearly loved son (Our Willie), K.L.R., killed action July 1, 1916.—(Deeply mourned by all at home. One of the best.) —70, Albert Edward-road. 

Liverpool Echo 22nd Jan 1918 

ROLL OF HONOUR. 

ATHERTON— In ever loving 22nd birthday remembrance of our dearly loved son (“ our Willie ”), killed July 1. 1916 K.L.R. (too dearly loved ever to be forgotten. One of the best.) Deeply mourned by all at home, 70 Albert Edward Road. 

Liverpool Daily Post 2nd July 1918 

LOST AT SOMME BATTLE.  

ATHERTON—In ever-loving memory our dearly loved son (Our Willie), K.L.R., killed action July 1, 1916.—(Deeply mourned by all at home. One of the best.) —70, Albert Edward-road. 

William is also commemorated on the following Memorials;

St Cyprian with Christ Church, Durning Road, Liverpool

Hall of Remembrance inside Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 16 Right

Having served in France from 7^th November 1915, William earned his three medals

Soldiers Effects to father William, Pension to mother Elizabeth. 

On 1st April 1919, his father claimed entitlement to the memorial scroll, plaque and medals, still living at  70 Albert Edward Road. The CWGC site shows that his family then moved to 20 Talbotville Road, Broadgreen. 

Mother died aged 63 in 1935 and the father William, dob 13th March 1867, appears on the 1939 register still at 20 Talbotville Rd. He is living with his daughter Mabel b.1892 and he died aged 73 in 1940. 

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