Sgt 16984 John Stanley Orrett

• Age: 25
• From: Prescot, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 17th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

John Stanley Orrett was born on the 17th May 1891 in Prescot and was the son of James Orrett and his wife Alice (née Holland) of 4 Garden Walk, Prescot who had married on the 28th March 1885 at St Helens Parish Church. James was a year 22 old clerk of St. Helens, his father, James. was a gardener, whilst Alice was aged 23 of St Helens, her father, Josiah, was a deceased clerk. He was baptised on the 21st June 1891 at St Mary the Virgin, Prescot. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 4, Garden Walk, Prescot, Lancashire. His father, James, is aged 37, born in 1864 is employed as a commission agent and was born in Whiston, Lancashire. His mother, Alice, is aged 41, born in 1860 in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. They have five children at the time of the Census; Annie, is aged 15, born in 1886 in Frodsham and she is an apprentice dressmaker, the remaining four children, James, is aged 12, born in 1889, John Stanley, is aged 9, born in 1892, William, is aged 7, born in 1894 and Walter, is aged 5, born in 1896, all of the children were born in Prescot.  

The 1911 Census shows John living at 21 Sutherland Street which was a Boarding House in Pimlico, London where he is aged 19 and working as a clerk at Somerset House.

He enlisted on the 3^rd September 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool as Private 16984 of the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He was aged 23 years and 90 days, and previously served with the London Volunteers before discharge. He was desribed as being 5 foot 9 and a quarter inch tall, weighed 134lbs, had a fresh complexion, blue eyes, fair hair. He stated his religion as Church of England.

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. 

His service papers record the following details: 

7.11.15: He embarked for France with his battalion.
30.01.15: Appointed Lance Corporal.
20.04.15: Promoted to Corporal.
27.05.15: Promotion to Lance Serjeant.
01.09.15: Promotion to Serjeant.
30.04.16: To 30 Infantry Brigade as Instructor.
16.08.16: Etaples.
28.08.16: Entitled to Proficiency Pay from 01.09.15.

It is recorded that he was killed in action on the 18th October 1916, aged 25, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.

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.”

There is some doubt as to whether the recorded date is correct as the 18th Battalion War Diary states that at 18.30 pm on October 17th, Ravenscroft and a NCO (John), left the front line trench to tape the start line for the first wave of attacking troops. At about 19.30pm,the Germans, presumably sensing the impending attack, sent up an SOS rocket calling for artillery fire. The subsequent bombardment fell on the British front line and communication trenches and Captain Ravenscroft and John were killed.

The War Diary lists this bombardment the evening before the attack, as a contributory factor in the failure of the whole attack, so there can be no doubt that both GuyRavenscroft and John Stanley Orrett were killed on 17th October and that the official date given for his death is wrong. This view is fortified by information given in a letter by former 17122 Private W Gregory of the 18th Battalion, written in 1974. He recalls the night of 17th October 1916,and states, “Captain Ravenscroft and Sergeant Orrett went out earlier in the night from my post to take white tapes for guidance to the German Lines. They were never seen again.“ 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Monday 22nd October 1917;

ORRETT - In loving memory of our dear son and brother Acting Company Sergeant-Major John S. Orrett (K.L.R.), missing October 18, 1916, now officially presumed killed on that date. (Sadly missed by all at Garden Walk, Prescot, and by whom any particulars concerning him would be gratefully received.)

John Stanley is also commemorated on the Prescot Civic Memorial and St Mary the Virgin C. of E. Church, Prescot.

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