Pte 17379 George Hartley

• Age: 33
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

George Hartley was born in Liverpool in the fourth quarter of 1882, and was baptised 10th December 1884 at Laurel Road Chapel, Liverpool. He was the son of Anthony Hartley and his wife Susannah Eliza Lyne (née Monday) who were married on 25th April 1871 at St Columbus' Church, Liverpool. On his marriage certificate Anthony was a railway guard of 22 Vine Street, father John a dairy man, whilst Suaannah was of 73 Walnut Street, father William an agent. 

By the time of the 1891 Census Anthony is aged 41, born in Caton, Lancaster, and has set up on his own account as a greengrocer at 362 Edge Lane, his mother, Susannah, is aged 40, and was born in Bristol. The couple have nine children at this point: Emma who is 19, Frank aged 17 who is working as a railway signalman, William aged 15, Ada 14, Annie 12, Frederick 10, George 8, Harry 4 and 1 month old Bessie.

George’s brother Frank was killed in an accident at Lime Street Station in September 1896. He was working as a railway shunter and was crushed between two coach buffers. He had been married less than a year and his wife was pregnant with their child. This was reported in Liverpool Daily Post on Friday 18 September 1896.

The 1901 census records that Anthony, aged 51, still has the greengrocers shop, his mother Susannah is aged 50. Their children William, Ada, Annie and George are working in the family business. Harry aged 14 is a clerk and Bessie is at home. The couple have had another daughter called Ethel who was born in 1893.

George’s sister Annie died on the 16th October 1903, aged just 25.

By the 1911 census Anthony and Susannah are in their 60s and still have the greengrocers. Four of their unmarried children are living at home; Harry aged 24 and George aged 28 are working in the greengrocer trade and Bessie aged 20 and Ethel aged 18 are at home too. The census form records that Susannah has borne 12 children, 4 of whom had died.

George enlisted on the 2nd September 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool and gave his age as 31 years and 330 days and his occupation as a fruit salesman. He was described as being five feet five and three quarter inches tall, weighed 149lbs, 38" chest with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin as his father Anthony, at 362 Edge Lane. 

Formed on 7^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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. 

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

30.7.16: Wounded, to Field Ambulance, then reported wounded and missing. 

George was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 17379 when he was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 33, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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. 

His 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. 

George’s brother Harry also served in the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Corporal no.17380. Evidently the two brothers travelled together to St George's Hall to enlist as their service numbers are consecutive. Harry also served in the 14th, 12th and 8th KLR.  He survived the war and married on 24th April 1922 to Ada Eveline Walker at St. Marks' Church in Liverpool. He died on 17th September 1936 in St. Helens.

George is also remembered in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 57 and also on the family headstone at Anfield Cemetery:

ANTHONY HARTLEY  

The beloved husband of SUSANNAH LYNN HARTLEY  

Who died 14th Feb. 1921 aged 71 years.  

Also ANNIE, daughter of the above  

Who died 16th Oct. 1903 aged 25 years.  

also GEORGE, son of the above  

Killed in action at the Battle of Guillemont, France  

31st(sic) July 1916, aged 37(sic) years.  

also SUSANNAH ELIZA LYNN HARTLEY wife of the above  

Who died 21st June 1932, aged 81 years. 

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

Photograph courtesy of the Devereux database at the Museum of Liverpool Life.