Pte 23036 Alexander Horn

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• 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.

Alexander Horn was born in Wavertree, Liverpool in October or November 1893, the son of William Horn and his wife Annie (nee Bruce). Both William and Annie had been born in Scotland, Annie in Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire and William in Cornhill, near Banff. 

Annie had a child Elsie who was born in Belhelvie in 1880. Annie was raised by her grandparents in Belhelvie, about 7 miles north of Aberdeen. 

On the 1881 census Annie Bruce, a domestic servant, is living with grandfather Thomas Kemp and aunt Elespet (sic) Kemp in Belhelvie, with 4-month old daughter Elespet Horn.

William Horn and Annie Bruce married in 1887 in Prescot, Lancashire, and had five more children. Alec had older siblings William and Jane Bruce (known as Jen or Jeannie), both born in Wavertree.  By 1896 the family had moved to Skelmersdale, where Annie Mary was born (who died at 17 months), and George in 1898.

On the 1891 Census the family are living in the Police house at 69 High Street Wavertree, The house is next door to the Police station and lock up in which there were three prisoners on the census day. William, is 32 years of age and his occupation was a police constable, Annie is also 32. They have three children in the household; Elsie a 10 year old scholar, William is 2 and Jane B. is a new born.

The family are living at The Police Station, Clayton Street, Skelmersdale at the time of the 1901 census.

William is 42, and a Police constable, Annie is also 42. They have five children: Elsie aged 20, William 12, Jane 10, Alexander 7 and George aged 2. William, Jane and Alexander had been born in Wavertree and George in Skelmersdale.

Elsie married Thomas Brighouse, who is also a Policeman, in 1903. 

The 1911 Census shows that Elsie and her family are living in Ulverston, Lancashire. They have three children and on the day of the census their middle child, 5 year old Elsie is staying with her grandparents in the Police station at Morecambe where they now live. Also living with William, who is now a 53 year old Police Sergeant, are his wife Annie aged 53 (they have been married for 26 years and have had 6 children, five of whiom have survived), daughter Jane  20 who is a confectioner, Alexander  17 who is a grocer, and George aged 12 who is at school.

William, 22, remained in the Liverpool area and is boarding in Wavertree, employed as a provision salesman.

Alexander enlisted on the 11th November 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 23036. He gave his age as 21 years and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet seven inches tall, weighed 129 lbs, with a 36” chest, a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Presbyterian. He gave his father as next of kin at Cartford Toll Cottage, Cartford Bridge, Out Rawcliffe, Garstang, Lancashire. He states he has lived out of his father's house for at least three years.

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. 

7.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 22, 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.  

Alec was listed among local casualties killed in the Liverpool Echo on 18th August 1916:

"Private Alec Horn, of the "Pals", second son of ex-Police-sergeant Horn, late of Wavertree and Morecambe, was in the employ of Messrs. Johnston and Blackburn, provision merchants."

Also in the Liverpool Daily Post on Saturday 09 September 1916: 

Killed. 

King’s (Liverpools) - Horn, 23036, A. (Garstang); 

His 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.”

He earned his three medals, which his father William received in June 1920 and December 1921.

His father William received Alec's outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £7-10.  His mother, at 84 Gregson Street, was awarded a gratuity in February 1917 in lieu of a pension.

By 1917, Alec’s parents are living back in Liverpool.

Morecambe Visitor 13th June 1917 

ROLL OF HONOUR. 

Private Alex Horn, King’s Liverpool Pals 

In the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading Lost At The Battle of Guillemont, Alec's family paid tribute to him:

“In loving memory of Alec Horn (the Pals), the dearly-beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. Horn, 84, Gregson Street, Liverpool, killed in action July 30, 1916, aged 22 years; also of his dear chum, Joe Murphy, killed in action July, 1916. (In death not divided.) – Sadly missed by Father, Mother Sister Elsie and Brother Bill.”

“In loving memory of our dear brother, Private Alec Horn (the Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916. 

The happy hours we once enjoyed,
how sweet the memory clings; 
No morning dawns, no night returns, 
but what we think of him. 

From his loving sister Jen and Brother George (in France).” 

And on the second anniversary of his death in 1918:

"In loving memory of Signaller Alec Horn (Pals), who fell in action, July 30, 1916, in his 22nd year, second dearly-beloved son of William and Annie Horn, 84, Gregson Street, Liverpool. - Ever remembered by Father, Mother, Elsie, and Bill."

"In loving memory of our dear brother Alec, who fell in action, July 30, 1916.
  Oh how we miss you, brother dear,
    'Tis sweet to breathe your name.
  In life we loved you very dear,
    In death we do the same.
From Sister Jen and Brother George."

Records in 1919 show that Alec’s brother William was in the RAMC in France, George (who had also served in France) and Jeannie (Jane) are living with their parents at 84 Gregson Street, and Elsie is living at the Police station in West Derby where her husband is presumably working.

By the time the Commonwealth graves register was completed, Alec’s parents lived at “Ythen Brae” Vining Avenue, Whiston, Prescot.

Alec is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Roll of Honour at Liverpool Town Hall Panel 59

Morecambe War Memorial. 

His father, William, died, aged 68, in 1929 in Garstang and his mother, Annie, died, aged 80, in 1938 in Liverpool, the Electoral Roll has her address as 23 Corndale Road, Wavertree.  

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