In 1891 the family is living at 37 Hogarth Road, Kirkdale, with four children. His father is aged 34, a labourer, mother Jane is aged 33, children Hannah 12, Catherine 11, Martha 4 and William is 2 . All were born in Liverpool. 

 

The 1901 Census finds the family at 54 Andrew Street (off County Road), Walton. His father is aged 44, and a dock labourer, mother Jane is aged 43. They have six children in the household; Martha H. 14, and envelope maker, William G. is 12, at school, Robert H. 10 at school, Jane 8 at school, Hugh Richard 6 at school, and David 3.

 

The 1911 Census shows William George living with his family at 18 Tyne Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. His father Robert Henry is aged 54, born in Liverpool in 1857 occupation, dock labourer, whilst his mother, Jane is aged 53, born 1858 in Liverpool. They have been married for thirty four years and have had twelve children of which two had sadly died. Those recorded in the household are shown as; William George aged 22, born 1889 an auctioneers porter, Jane aged 19 born 1892 is an assistant in a furniture business, Hugh aged 16, born 1895 is a wet dyers cleaner, David aged 13, born 1898, Minnie aged 9, born 1902 and Arthur aged 8, born 1903 are at school. 

He was the husband of Catherine (nee Sinclair) of 151 Orwell Road, Kirkdale, Liverpool. They married at St. Athanasius, Kirkdale in the June quarter of 1912 and had a son also named William George born 27th June 1913. His wife Catherine was born 5th October 1891. 

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 27361. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in March or April 1915.

He embarked for France on 15th December 1915.

William George was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 27, 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.    

William George's 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 was reported killed in the Liverpool Daily Post on 13th September 1916. 

William’s son was just three years old when his father was killed.  

 

His widow Catherine received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £4-10s, and was awarded a pension of 15/- a week from February 1917.

 

William was remembered by his family in the Liverpool Evening Express on Monday 30 July 1917: 

MARTIN— In loving memory of my dear husband, Private William G. Martin, who was killed in action, July 30, 1916, K.L.R. (Pals).  

Oh, what I would give to see thy face, 

And touch thy loving hand. 

When days are dark and friends are few,  

Dear husband how I think of you. 

From his loving wife and little son,  

151 Orwell Road, Kirkdale. 

Also in the Liverpool Evening Express on Thursday 31 July 1919: 

MARTIN— In affectionate remembrance of my dear husband, Will, Pals, killed in action, July 30, 1916. (God be with you till we meet again.) - From his loving wife and little son Willie, 151 Orwell Road.

His brother Hugh enlisted two days after war was declared on 06th August 1914, and served in the 5th K.L.R.  He went to France in February 1915 and after suffering multiple shell wounds in the head, arm, and thigh in December 1915 was evacuated to England, and recovered from his wounds.  He achieved the rank of Sergeant in 1917 and was selected for service with the King’s African Rifles.  He embarked for East Africa in October 1917 and returned to England in January 1919.  

 

Hugh died of malaria on 09th February 1920, aged 25, and his CWGC headstone in Kirkdale Cemetery reads:

 

“AT REST”.

Hugh was remembered by his family in the Liverpool Evening Express on Tuesday 10 February 1925: 

ROLL OF HONOUR. 

MARTIN – In loving memory of my dear son, Sergeant H. R. Martin, 5th K.L.R., died of malaria on Feb 8, 1920. Ever remembered by mother and family, 18 Tyne Street.  

Too dearly loved to be forgotten. 

His father died on the 02nd December 1924, aged 67, and was buried on the 05th December at Kirkdale Cemetery, his address 18 Tyne Street. 

 

In 1939 his mother, 82, (date of birth 09th August 1857) is living with her married son, Robert, at 23 Lordens Road, Huyton with Roby. She died in 1940, aged 83.

 

His widow, Catherine, married his brother David in the March quarter of 1920, and had three children. In 1939 they were living at 54 Hulme Road, Liverpool. Catherine died in 1973, aged 81.

 

His son William George married and had a family, and worked as a coach painter.  He died in 1987, aged 83.

 

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

 

 

Grateful thanks are extended to family member William Inman for permission to use the photograph of William now held on the site.