Pte 16574 Robert Henry Griffiths

16574 Private Robert Henry GRIFFITHS, 18^th Battalion, KLR.

Robert (Harry) was born on the 11th March 1891 at 63 Edgeware Street, Edge Hill, Liverpool the son of Robert Henry Griffiths, born in Flintshire, and his wife Elizabeth(nee Davies) born in Denbighshire, who married in Wrexham in 1888. He was baptised on the 29th May 1891 at St Catherine's Church, Edge Hill, Liverpool. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 9 Amity Street, Toxteth Park. Robert is 10 years of age and is living with his parents and younger brother. His father is a 40 year old dock labourer, born in Nerquis, near Mold, whilst his mother is 41 years of age, born in Llanarmon-yn-Iâl, Denbighshire. His younger brother, Arthur was born in Liverpool and is 8 years of age. Also listed is a Margaret Griffiths aged 26.  

His father is on the Electoral Roll 1908 at 24 High Park Street, then in 1909 at No.22 High Park Street. 

His mother died, aged 50, in 1909. 

By the time of the 1911 Census the family are living at 22 High Park Street, Toxteth Park. Robert is now 20 years of age and is a wine merchant's clerk. His father, now widowed, is a 51 year old railway plate player. He advised that two of their three children have survived. Arthur is now aged 18 and is a grocer's assistant.

Robert Henry enlisted at St. George's Hall in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16574. He gave his age as 23 years 175 days, his occupation as clerk and his next of kin as his father of 24 High Park Street. He is described as being 5' 5" tall, weighing 112lbs, 34” chest with a fresh complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. His religion is stated as Wesleyan.

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. 

Whilst still stationed at Prescot Watch Factory, Robert married Emily Winifred Hancock on 17th March 1915 in the Wesleyan Chapel, Toxteth and their family home was at 53 David Street, Liverpool. Emily was born on the 16th Feb 1890 (pension card), and on the baptism record, 8th June, was the daughter of mariner James Hancock and his wife Letitia of 23 Tard St, later 53 David St, Dingle. 

His father died aged 56 in the first quarter of 1915.

Robert crossed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on 07/11/1915, arriving at Boulogne. His service record notes between 16-19th Jan 1916 he was at 98 F.A. suffering diarrhoea. 

Robert was killed in action on 01^st July 1916, aged 25. 

18^th Battalion Diary

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. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on the 12th July 1916: 

GRIFFITHS - July 1, killed in action, aged 25 years, Harry Griffiths (Pals), the dearly beloved husband of Winnie Griffiths, 53 David Street, Dingle.  

His family placed a note of thanks in the Liverpool Echo on the 12th July 1916:  

GRIFFITHS - Mrs Harry Griffiths wishes to thank all her kind friends for their loving letters of sympathy in her recent bereavement. - David Street Dingle.    

He now rests at Dantzig Alley British Cemetery.

The village of Mametz was carried by the 7th Division on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, after very hard fighting at Dantzig Alley (a German trench) and other points. The cemetery was begun later in the same month and was used by field ambulances and fighting units until the following November. The ground was lost during the great German advance in March 1918 but regained in August, and a few graves were added to the cemetery in August and September 1918. At the Armistice, the cemetery consisted of 183 graves, now in Plot I, but it was then very greatly increased by graves (almost all of 1916) brought in from the battlefields north and east of Mametz and from certain smaller burial grounds. 

Dantzig Alley British Cemetery now contains 2,053 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 518 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 17 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 71 casualties buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

Robert left estate valued at £131 3s 3d.   

On 17th April 1919, Emily Winifred completed a sworn declaration in which she stated that Robert’s both parents were deceased and his only brother was Private Arthur Griffiths, 25 years, living at 24 High Park Street. Emily was awarded a widow’s pension of 10/- (50p) per week with effect from 22nd January 1917. She also received Robert’s three medals earned between 7th November 1915 and his death. His personal items returned included disc, bible, photos, letters and a card case containing photos. 

His widow Emily remarried in 1921 to widow Joseph Walter Turley and they went off to live in Burnley. His first wife had died in tragic circumstances. 

Her death was reported in the Burnley Express on the 27th June 1920: 

TRAGEDY OF ILL-HEALTH.  

Missing Burnley Wife's Body Found in the Canal.  

At Padiham Police Station, on Wednesday, the East Lancashire Coroner, Mr. D. Haslewood, held an inquest on the body of Emily Turley, aged 28 years, of 7, Weldon street, Burnley, which was recovered from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal near Molly Wood, Hapton, on Monday, by the Padiham police, deceased having been missing from her home about week. The husband of the deceased, Joseph Walter Turley, book-keeper, residing at 7 Weldon Rd, Burnley, said during the last twelve months the deceased had been in very poor health, and had been much depressed. She had been atended by Dr. Waring. Witness went to his work at 8.10 a.m. on the 12th inst., leaving deceased in bed. She had had a drink of milk with an egg beaten up in it, and then said she was feeling better and seemed more cheerful. Witness returned home about 1.45 p.m. the same day and found deceased was missing. Their baby was in the house of Mrs. Doner, a neighbour. Witness had not seen his wife alive since, and he had identified the body. Elizabeth Ann Doner, 29 Grant street, said deceased was confined about eight weeks ago. She had been in poor health, and witness occasionally looked after the baby for her. On the morning of the 12th, about 9-45, witness went deceased's house and found she was absent, but the baby was there. Witness took charge of the baby, thinking deceased had gone on an errand, but she did not return. P.S. Blenkinsopp gave evidence to recovering the body from the canal at Hapton on Monday. It had been much battered by passing boats, but there was nothing to indicate foul play. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased's mind had been affected by the state of her health, and she committed suicide by drowning herself whilst of unsound mind. 

Joseph Turley died, aged 48, in 1939.

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