Pte 16033 William Rotheram Harrison

• Age: 21
• From: Oldham, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

William Rotheram Harrison was born in 1895 in the village of Denshaw in West Yorkshire, five miles northeast of Oldham, the son of Samuel Harrison and his wife Elizabeth (nee Rotheram). His parents married in 1893 at St Paul's Church in Skelmersdale. He was baptised in St. Paul's Church, Skelmersdale on 20th January 1895. His father who was born in Wigan is shown as a School Teacher. His mother was born in Skelmersdale. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at Christ Church School Newburgh, Lathom. His father, Samuel, is a 32 year old school master and his mother, Elizabeth, is a 32 year old school matron. William is aged 6 and he has a brother John aged 3 who was born at Newburgh in 1898. Also declared in the household is Margaret Tickle a 27 year old described as a general servant (domestic). 

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved and are now living at 5 Church Cottages, Gateacre. His father is shown as Head Teacher at an Elementary School and his mother is shown as a Teacher at the same establishment. His parents are both aged 42 and advise that they have been married for 18 years and have had two children. William is a student aged 16 and his younger brother John is also shown as a student aged 13.

William was educated at the Liverpool Collegiate School, Shaw Street, Liverpool and was employed as an Insurance Clerk by Legal & General Life Assurance Company prior to joining the army.

He enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 04^th September 1914 joining the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 16033. (He served in No.4 Company). He gave his age as 19 years and 256 days, born in Oldham and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet nine inches tall, weighed 135lbs, 34" chest, and was of sallow complexion, with blue eyes and  brown hair with a scar on his chest. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin as his father of “Cremona” Grange Lane, Gateacre, Liverpool.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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 7^th November 1915.

His service record has survived and shows: 

21.2.16: Admitted to 22 Field Ambulance and treated for impetigo. 

9.3.16: Discharged to duty.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 21, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

17^th Battalion Diary 

The Bn was in support to 19 & 20 Bn K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20^th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17^th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17^th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions)  in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

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.     

An entry on his Casualty Form shows a report received on 05th August 1916 from O/C 17th K.L.R. stating, Wounded to F.A., but three weeks later, on 26th August 1916, he was reported as Killed in Action.

He was reported as wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post on 11th September 1916: 

Wounded. 

King’s(Liverpool Regiment) Harrison, 16033, W. R. (Liverpool); 

William's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he 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.”

William is commemorated locally on the following Memorials:

St Stephens Church, Gateacre

Collegiate School 

His brother John was wounded in June 1915 whilst serving with the 8th Battalion (Liverpool Irish).

William's Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10 went to his father. No pension card has been found, suggesting that his parents did not apply for a pension.

His personal belongings were sent to his parents in December 1916: 1 photo

In 1919 when requested to provide information on William's living relatives, his father declined to furnish information about William's mother or siblings as "there is far too much red tape .. about the matter".

At the outbreak of war in 1939 his parents, then both 70 years old, still lived at Cremona. His father apparently changed his occupation as he gives his occupation as retired incorporated accountant. His mother was a retired schoolmistress.

His father died in 1941, aged 72, and his mother in 1949, at the age of 80.

All of the service records give his middle name as Rotheram. It appears that an error in SDGW put the 'h' in and incorrectly showed his middle name as Rotherham.     

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