Pte 22695 James Good

• Age: 28
• From: Kirkcudbright, Dumfries
• 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.

James Good was one of three children born in Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire in Scotland in 1887 to mother Christina Good, no father recorded on birth records.  He had older siblings Alexander Bryden Good born on 17th November 1873 and Elizabeth, born on the 09th March 1879.

At the time of the 1881 census Christina Good, aged 28, was living with her parents John and Elizabeth Good in Back Street, Dalry. She had two children, Alexander, 7, and Elisabeth, 2.  

Christina was married to Peter McKie on the 08th June 1888 and had a daughter, Jessie J., born in about 1889.

In 1891 James aged 4, was living in Back Street, Dalry, with his mother Christina, 37, stepfather Peter McKie, 49, their daughter Jessie, age 2, and (half?) sister Elizabeth Good, age 12. His stepfather is a general labourer.

At the time of the 1901 Census he was living with his mother and stepfather at Back Street, Dalry. His step father is Peter McKie a Lamplighter and billposter born at Dalry in 1847, whilst his mother is Christina McKie born in Dalry in 1854. They have a daughter, Jessie born in Dalry in 1890. James is 13 and is at school. 

His mother Christina and stepfather Peter remained in Dalry, but the three siblings moved to Liverpool, where his mother's sister Agnes had married in 1879.

His brother Alex, 27, a pawnbroker's manager, is living in Liverpool with his widowed aunt Agnes Clint and her four sons in Northbrook Street.

Alexander married Louisa Jones in Liverpool in 1903. At his marriage he gave his father's name as John Good. His sister, Elizabeth, also married in Liverpool, in 1907 to William Charles Wright.

At the time of the 1911 Census he was living with his widowed aunt Agnes Clint, aged 56, and her son Walter, 22, at 94 Northbrook Street in Liverpool. James, now 23, is recorded as a warehouseman in a biscuit factory (Crawford's).

Prior to the war he was living with his sister Elizabeth at 31 Kinmell Street, he was employed by Crawford’s Biscuits. His brother Alexander also lived in Liverpool at 46 Edgerton Street.

He enlisted on the 09th November 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 22695. He gave his age as 27 years and his occupation as a clerk. He was five feet seven and a half inches tall, weighed 128lbs, 36" chest with a fresh complexion,  with blue eyes and light brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin was his sister Elizabeth Wright, 31 Kinmel Street, later changed to his brother Alex, of 46 Egerton Street.     

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.

James was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 28, at the village of Guillemont, France, 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.     

James 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 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.”

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