Pte 17057 Arthur Jackson Hilditch

• Age: 24
• From: Hunts Cross, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 18th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: III.B.1

Arthur Jackson Hilditch was born on the 14^th November, 1891 in Hunts Cross, Liverpool and was baptised on the 27^th January, 1892 at St Thomas' C.of E. Church, Liverpool. He was the youngest son of Henry Hilditch and his wife Jane (nee Jackson) of Hunts Cross Hotel, Liverpool, who married on the 25th April 1878 at St Mary's Church, Bootle. Henry was a victualler of Childwall, father George, whilst Jane was of Bootle, father Richard.  

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at the Hunts Cross Hotel, Liverpool. His father, Henry, is a 47 year old hotel proprietor born in Haslington, Cheshire. His mother, Jane, is a 53 year old born in Jedburgh, Yorkshire. They have six children in the household; Phoebe a 22 year old domestic waitress, Gertrude a 20 year old domestic cook, George is an 18 year old grocer's apprentice, Henry E. is a 17 year old grocer's apprentice, Ethel is 11 and Arthur is 9. The family also employ a general domestic servant, Elizabeth Cummings who is 28 years old    

His father died on 13th October 1905, aged 51 years, he was buried at St Peter's Church, Woolton on the 17th October. 

 The 1911 Census shows the family are still at the Hunts Cross Hotel. His mother is now shown as a widow, aged 66, and is now a hotel proprietress. She has four of her children with her in the household; Gertrude aged 30, George is aged 29 and a hotel manager, Henry Ernest is 27 and also a hotel manager, Arthur Jackson is a junior clerk aged 19. The family employ a servant; Mary Corris aged 34.    

Arthur enlisted on the 01^st September 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool aged 22 years and 240 days, and gave his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five foot ten inches tall, weighed 133lbs, 36" chest, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England  and stated his next of kin as his mother Jane, at the Hunts Cross Hotel. .

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. 

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his Battalion.

16.03.16: Attached to 30^th Division Grenade School.

16.02.16: Entitled to Class 1, Proficiency Pay.

He was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 17057 when he was killed in action on the 18th October 1916, aged 24, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

18^th Bn Diary

18^th October 1916

Attacked German trenches commencing 3.40 am. Relieved by 19^th Manchester Regt. Took up position in support Bn trenches W. of Goose Alley.

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals gives an overview of the events of the day:

“At 3.40 am the whistles blew, and the Battalion left its assembly trenches, in three waves, approximately fifty yards apart, and began to cross No Man’s Land. Almost immediately, the German Barrage fell on the first wave and halted its advance, so that the second wave soon caught up with it. This was not a great problem at first, and the two combined waves were able to advance together for about 300 yards, whereupon they encountered the German Grid Trench system. On the right of the advance, it was found that the wire was largely intact, apart from a few gaps, and the Germans bombed and machine gunned these gaps, which prevented any further progress. Elsewhere along the trench, however, the wire was cut and there did not seem to be any serious opposition. Nevertheless, the men hesitated to jump down into the German trenches, and instead, began to filter back across to the safety of their own lines.

By this time the third wave had caught up, as had a fourth wave, which had been detailed to mop up any opposition once the trenches had fallen, and all four waves became intermingled which added to the confusion. No less than three attempts were made to try to get the men to go forward again, but each attempt became markedly less successful than its predecessor, and eventually the attack came to a standstill. Although the British assembly trenches had received the attention of the German guns, the attackers in No Mans Land had not come under any great intensity of fire up until this point.

However, once it became obvious to the Germans that the attack was disorganised and faltering, they began to fire into the massed men from the flanks. It was probably this that finally settled the issue and convinced the Pals that they could no longer gain the enemy trenches, and all four waves, now merged into one, began to retreat to their own lines. The whole attack had been an abysmal failure, and no ground had been gained at all”.       

He was listed as Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on Wednesday 29 November 1916: 

Missing. 

King’s Liverpool Regiment - Broady, 17046, W. T. (Egremont); Cadwell, 29492 J. J. (Southport); Cromwell, 16706, Corpl. T. L.; Fitzroy, 32741, F; Golothan, 32690, Corpl. W. P. (Chester); Griffiths, 32795, J. W.; Hilditch, 17057, A. J.; Leadsom, 39054, S.; Leighton, 16975, H. N. (Seaforth); Narracott, 17080, F. V.; Orrett, 16984, Sergt. J. S. (Prescot); Poole, 33265, F. (Shrewsbury); Powell, 23167, J.; Rench, 16992, T. F.; Ronson, 16054, G. R.; Speed, 26587, R.; Taylor, 23841, A. 

Soldiers Effects to mother Jane, no Pension record found.         

He now rests at Warlencourt British Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE ARE IN DEATH”

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified.

Probate of his estate was obtained at Liverpool on the 17th November 1917 by his widowed mother of Highfield Farm, Halewood. His effects were valued at £128 9s 9d.

His identity disc was also sent to his mother.

Arthur is commemorated on the family headstone in St Peter’s C. of E. Church, Woolton:

ALSO ARTHUR JACKSON

YOUNGEST SON OF ABOVE

PRIVATE 18TH BATT K.L.R. PALS

KILLED IN ACTION FRANCE 

OCT 18TH 1916 AGED 24

This is final resting place of his parents, his mother Jane died on 27th April 1924 aged 78. Also his brother Henry Ernest who died on 21st August 1962, aged 78.

He is also commemorated on the Memorials at:

St.Hilda’s C. of E. Church, Hunts Cross

Liscard High School

Liverpool Institute School

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