Pte 22378 William George Fraser

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

His mother, Janet, died around Christmas time in 1905, aged about 43, and the family was broken up by the time of the 1911 Census.

On the 1911 Census William George is a 17 year old butchers apprentice at West Derby Union boys home in Kirkdale.

His father Robert is an inmate in the West Derby Union Rest House in Belmont Road. He is 46, occupation listed as former dock labourer. Margaret, 22, is a dressmaker boarding at 7 Aspinall Street with James and Mary Copple and son James whom she will marry in 1919.  Agnes, 19, is a domestic servant in West Derby Street.  Charles T. Fraser, 16, born in Liverpool, is a farm worker on the farm of John and Eleanor Kaneen in Malew, Isle of Man (however, Charles would have been 14).  A Charles Fraser, 15, also born in Liverpool, is a sea apprentice on the training ship “Indefatigable”  at Rock Ferry on the Mersey.

Before enlisting, William was employed with Messrs. George Lunt and Son, bakers, a large contractor supplying the bakeries of the great ocean liners.

William enlisted on 06th November 1914 at Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 22378. He gave his age as 21 years and 301 days and his occupation as a mill hand. He was described as being five feet four inches tall, weighed 120lbs, 37" chest, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and sandy coloured hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. His NOK was his father Robert James Dudgeon Fraser,  of 16 Waterhouse St, Everton, then 58 Andrew Street, County Road, Walton.

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.

08.9.15: At Belton Park, Grantham: Forfeit pay for absence from 10.00pm 4/9/15 till 7.45am 6/9/15. Confined to barracks for seven days and forfeit of three days pay.

05.10.15:At Larkhill Camp, Salisbury: Confined to barracks for fourteen days and forfeit three days' pay for absence from 10.00pm 02/10/15 till 7.45pm 04/10/15. 

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion. Confined to barracks for fourteen days and forfeit of three days pay.

A letter from his sister Agnes Wignall was sent on March 04th 1916 to the Records Office regarding Pte W.G. Fraser, 13 Platoon/18 Section, 20th Battalion. She said a postcard from him dated 21st February stated he was wounded, but she has not heard from him since

25.5.16: Fell out on march, to field ambulance, and admitted to 1/1 Lancs West Casualty Clearing Station on the same day with exhaustion and pains in stomach. 

28.5.16: Discharged to duty and rejoined unit.

09.6.16: To F.A., rejoined unit on the 11th.  

William was killed in action on the 30th July 1916 at the village of Guillemont, aged 22, during the Somme Offensive.

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 listed as missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on 14th September 1916;

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 21st October 1916:

KILLED IN ACTION Private William George Fraser, K.L.R. He resided with his sister at 16, Waterhouse Street, Everton, and was formerly employed by Messrs. George Lunt and Son.

16 Waterhouse Street was the address of his sister Agnes.

William's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

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 his three medals, which his father signed for.

Soldiers effects and pension to father Robert James Dudgeon Fraser including a War Gratuity of £7-10s. He was awarded a pension of 3 shillings a week from July 1917, increased to 3/6d in September 1917 and to 5 shillings from November 1918.

His brother Charles enlisted in the 17th Bn K.L.R. as Private 31177 and later served with the 1/8th K.L.R. He disembarked in France on 15th March 1916, and survived the war.

In 1919 his father was living at 58 Andrew Street;  Charles, 23, lived in Jefferson Street, Everton, with married sister Agnes (Wignall) 28; and Margaret (Copple) lived in Edge Hill.

His three siblings all emigrated to the United States.

His father died in 1936, aged 73, on the 13th October 1936 and was buried on the 16th October at Anfield Cemetery. 

Sadly, William has not been found on any local memorial.

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