Pte 24652 William James Lock

• Age: 20
• From: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

24652 Private William James LOCK, 18^th Battalion, KLR.

William James Lock was born on 28th August 1895 in Ellesmere Port and educated at the Church Schools there. William was the youngest of seven children born to Joseph Lock, and his wife, Elizabeth Ruth (nee Padden), who who were married on the 24th June 1875 at the Parish Church, Compton Bishop, Somerset. Joseph was a 25 year old painter, father William, whilst Elizabeth was aged 22, father James, both of Compton Bishop. He was baptised on the 21st May 1899 in Ellesmere Port. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 11 Worcester Street, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. His father, Joseph is aged 51, born in Backwell, Somerset in 1850 and employed as a navvy, whilst his mother, Elizabeth Ruth, is aged 49, born 1852 in Highbridge, Somerset and has no occupation listed. They have four children living with them at the time of the Census, Jane aged 21, born 1880 in Weston Super Mare, Joseph aged 11, born 1890 in Nottingham, Charlotte aged 10, born 1891 and William aged 5, both in Ellesmere Port. They have two boarders living with them, William Twiss aged 32, born 1869 a galvanised iron labourer born in Liverpool and his son Alfred Twiss aged 6, born 1895.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 13 Fleming St Ellesmere Port, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. William James is now aged 15 and employed as a telegraph messenger. He lives with his parents and two siblings. His father, Joseph, is shown as being aged 61, born 1850 and employed as a general labourer, his mother, Elizabeth Ruth is aged 59, and has no occupation listed. They have been married for thirty five years and have had eight children of which one had died (also William James d.1892 in infancy). They have four of their children still living with them, Joseph, 21 years old and a labourer in a flour mill, Charlotte aged 20  and their married daughter, Elizabeth Mary Jones aged 27 and her husband William Jones aged 29, born 1882. Also listed are an aunt Jane Middleton a widow aged 77, born 1834 in Devon and two boarders James Henry Strover aged 48, born 1863 in Kent and Edward Brannan aged 58, born 1853 in Dundalk, Ireland and both were employed as general labourers. 

When he enlisted in Liverpool on 09th January 1915, William had been employed as an assistant at the local cement works. He joined the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 24652.

He crossed to France as part of a reinforcement draft on 14th April 1916. 

He was killed in action on 01^st July 1916 aged 20 years, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.

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 day’s 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 Birkenhead News on the 15th July 1916: 

Three Ellesmere Port  “Pals” Slain. 

The deaths are announced of Private Tom Mounsey, Wal Stanway and W. Lock, three well-known Ellesmere Port men of the Liverpool Pals, who were in the first batch to fall in the present offensive in France. 

 Also in the Liverpool Echo on the 21st July 1916: 

ELLESMERE PORT LOSSES. 

Private William Lock of the “Pals” was one of the first to fall in the great advance.  

Again in the Birkenhead News on the 05th August 1916: 

ELLESMERE PORT LOSSES. 

Regarding Private William lock who we referred to last week, two well-known soldiers Sergeant Crosby and Private A. Knight have written in sympathy to the sorrowing parents.  

There is a report that he was originally buried in Trones Wood Cemetery but this grave was subsequently lost and he is now 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.”

Soldiers Effects to father Joseph, Pension to mother Elizabeth R., 3 Fleming St, Ellesmere Port.  

William is commemorated on the headstone of the family grave at Christ Church, Ellesmere Port reads:- 

In loving memory of  

Pte WILLIAM LOCK  

King’s Liverpool Regiment (Pals) 

Beloved son of  

JOSEPH AND ELIZABETH LOCK  

Who fell in action in France  

July 1st 1916 aged 20 years,  

Also  

ELIZABETH RUTH LOCK  

Who died March 26th 1926  

Aged 73 years,  

Also  

JOSEPH beloved husband of the above  

Who died March 24th 1937  

Aged 87 years. 

William is also remembered on the Ellesmere Port War Memorial which is located in front of Christ Church, Ellesmere Port.

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