Pte 17435 George Clement Murphy

• Age: 17
• From: Widnes, Lancs
• 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 Clement Murphy was born in late 1898 or early 1899 in Ditton, Widnes, and was the son of William Francis Murphy and his wife Sarah Viola (nee Blackburn).  His father had been widowed in 1893 when his wife, Annie Mary Stead(m.1886), died at the age of 30, leaving him with a son, William Francis, born in 1887 (another son, George Edward, died at age 1). His parents married in 1896 at Prescot Register Office and had four children. Clement had an elder brother John Herbert and younger siblings Joseph Leonard and Louisa Viola. 

At the time of the 1901 census the family is living at The Cedars, Ditton, near Widnes, with three children and a domestic servant. 

His father, 41, is an alkali works manager born in Widnes, his mother Viola is 31 born in Bold, half-brother William is 14, John is 3, and George (sic) 2 years old.  

A daughter, Louisa Viola, was born in 1909.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at Ditchfield Road, Ditton.

His father, William Francis is aged 51, born in 1860 and he is still employed as an Alkali works manager, whilst his mother, Sarah Viola is aged 40, born 1870 in Bold, Lancashire. They have been married for fourteen years and have had four children. Clement's step brother William Francis is aged 24, born 1887 and is an Alkali works foreman, John Herbert is aged 13, born 1898, George Clement aged 12, born 1899 and Joseph Leonard aged 9, born 1902 are all students and were born in Ditton, Widnes. Louisa Viola is one year old. Also staying at the address at the time of the Census are his father's two sisters Louisa Catherine Murphy aged 54, born 1857 and occupation Head Teacher and Frances Emily aged 45, born 1866 with no occupation listed, both were born in Widnes. They also employ a servant Emily Hunt aged 18, born 1893 also in Widnes.

He enlisted in Liverpool on 01st September 1914 at St George's Hall joining in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 17435 under the name Clement Murphy. He gives his occupation as clerk and his age as 20 years and 260 days. He added five years to his age as he was only 15 years old.  He is described as being 5’ 6 and a half inches tall, weighing 119 lbs, 34” chest, with a fair complexion, brown eyes, and fair hair.  He gives as next of kin his father at “Sunnyside”, Hough Green, Widnes, and his religion as Roman Catholic. 

Formed on 07^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. 

His conduct sheet shows a number of infractions for which he was confined to barracks - 

At Knowsley  

(?)/04/1915, 3 days, absent from tattoo until 11:45 p.m.

At Grantham 

07/08/1915, 5 days, absenting himself from (?) parade 10:30 a.m. and having a dirty cot.

10/08/1915, 3 days, leaving range without permission.

At Larkhill 

02/10/1915, 8 days and forfeited 3 days’ pay, absent without leave from tattoo until 6:30 p.m.

10/10/1915, 4 days, absent from stables

26/10/1915, 7 days, absent from inspection parade and stables

He arrived from France on 07th November 1915

Although his 1914-15 Star Medal Roll shows that he arrived in France on 07/11/1915 with his battalion, his service record shows otherwise: 

He embarked for France on 16th December 1915.

17/12/1915 arrived at I.B.D. Etaples

07/01/1916 proceeded to join 2nd Ent. Bn. in the field

15/03/1916 to hospital, sick

16/03/1916 admitted No.2 C.C.S. (dental caries)

17/03/1916 rejoined 2nd Ent. Bn. in the field

10/04/1916 admitted No.20 C.C.S., phlebitis

14/04/1916 admitted No.2 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne 

15/04/1916 transferred to Convalescent Camp, Boulogne 

16/04/1916 discharged to Base Details ? fit

21/04/1916 discharged to Etaples, Cl. A

21/04/1916 joined 30th I.B.D. Etaples

21/05/1916 rejoined his unit in the field

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 17, at the village of Guillemont, France, during a brigade attack on German held trenches at “Arrow Head Copse” & “Maltz Horn Farm” on 30th 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.    

Clement was initially declared Missing and his name appeared in a list published on 18th September 1916 in the Liverpool Daily Post.  It is not known when his family was informed of his fate.

Patrick'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.”

Clement was initially declared Missing and his name appeared in a list published on 18th September 1916 in the Liverpool Daily Post.   

King’s(Liverpool Regiment) - Murphy, 17435, G. C.(Widnes);   

It is not known when his family was informed of his fate but it was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post - Tuesday 01 May 1917. 

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING, NOW 

REPORTED KILLED. 

Liverpool R. - Murphy, 17435, G. C.(Widnes);   

 
He is also remembered on the War Memorial at St Michael’s Church, Hough Green (as Clement Murphy).

His mother died not long after Clement was declared Missing, in late 1916, at the age of 46.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his father.  No pension card has been found.

In 1919 his father still lives at “Sunnyside” with William, 32, John, 22, Joseph, 17, and Louisa, 10.

In 1939 his father, 80, is living at 49 Darby Road, Toxteth, Liverpool. He is not shown as retired, but as a technical manager, chemical works.  Living with him is his son Joseph and his wife. Joseph is 37, an antique dealer and A.R.P. ambulance driver.[Address confirmed by electoral roll] 

His father died a wealthy man on the 15th April 1946 aged 86. 

Probate:- 

MURPHY William Francis of 49 Derby(sic) Road, Liverpool died 15 April 1946 Probate Liverpool 20 June to William Francis Murphy commercial traveller John Herbert Murphy civil servant and Joseph Leonard Murphy motor driver. Effects £14,566 1s 3d. 

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