Sgt 17697 Benjamin Henry Partridge

• Age: 36
• From: Liverpool
• 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.

Benjamin Henry Partridge was born in Walton, Liverpool, on 27th June 1879, the son of Joseph Benjamin Partridge and his wife Hannah (née Linton). He was baptised in St. Saviour's Church, Everton, on 06th August 1879, his parents’ residence given as 54 Kepler Street, and his father’s occupation as clerk. His parents married on the 5th Dec 1874 in Camerton, Workington, Cumberland and had six children. Their first child, Mary Simpson, was born in Cumberland in 1876, then the family moved to Liverpool, where Catherine Sarah, Benjamin, John James Linton, Hannah Judith, and Charles Pocklington were born.   

The Census of 1881 shows the family are living at 3, 5 Court, Pembroke Place, Liverpool.

His father, Joseph is shown as a barman who was born in Allonby, Cumberland in 1852, whilst his mother Hannah is shown as a barmaid born in Seaton, Cumberland in 1854. Benjamin is shown as a 1 year old born in Liverpool and has two older sisters, Mary S born 1877 and Catherine S. born 1878. There are two visitors present, his aunt Jane Linton, 33, and Harriet Linton, 9.

By 1891 the family have moved to 50 Goldie Street, Everton. 

Both parents are present in the household though his father is now shown to be a warehouseman aged 39, and his mother, aged 38, has no occupation listed. Benjamin is now 12 years of age and a scholar whilst his siblings are shown as;  Catherine, John b.1882 and Hannah J. b.1886. There is also listed a visitor and a lodger. His sister Mary is 14, and is employed as a domestic servant in Huyton. 

His father remarried on the 8th Dec 1894 to Martha Ann Graham at St Silas, Toxteth. Widower Joseph was a 42 year old warehouseman of 20 Rhiwlas St, father Benjamin a publican, whilst Martha was aged 30 of Little Broughton, Cumberland, father John a clerk. They had three children, Josephine Martha in 1898, Joseph Benjamin (who died in infancy), and Eric Gardner in 1909. 

In the 1901 Census Benjamin is shown as a boarder at the home of Helen Percival at 39 Gibson Street, Toxteth Park. 

He is now a single 21 year old and is employed as a Soap maker's runner. His father, 49, a warehouseman, and wife Martha, 45, with her children James 18, Elizabeth 15, and John Graham 13, Hannah, 13, and Josephine, 3, are living at 14 Wynnstay Street, one of the Welsh streets in Toxteth Park. 

Ben has not been found on the 1911 census.  However, a Benjamin Partridge, manager at a soap works, is boarding at 128 New Chester Road, New Ferry.  His age of 39 is pencilled over (Ben would have been about 31), but his birthplace is listed intriguingly as Cumberland. No births of this name and age were registered  in Cumberland. His father is at 5 Moss Grove with Martha and her two children, John Graham, 25, and Bessie Graham, 23.  Hannah, 23, is a bookkeeper, Josephine is 13, and Eric is one year old. 

Prior to the outbreak of war Benjamin he was employed by Lever Brothers and was also a Past Master of the Freemasons Downshire Lodge. 

He enlisted on the 04th September 1914 at St George's Hall, Liverpool joining the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 17697 and gave his age as thirty four years and 90 days and occupation as a manager (he would have been 35). He stated he had previously served in the reserves with the previously served with the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment 1899-1905 and 1905-1908 as well as serving with the Liverpool Scottish from 1910-1914. he was five feet four and a quarter inches tall, weighed 128lbs, fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England. He states he has lived out of his father’s house for more than three years (Rock Ferry).

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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

19.9.14: Appointed Lance Corporal.

4.3.15: Promoted to Corporal.

02.6.15: Appointed unpaid Lance Sergeant.

17.6.15: Appointed paid Lance Sergeant.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

He was serving Sergeant No 17697. when he was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 37, 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.     

Ben's body was not recovered from the battlefield 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.”

His CWGC record gives his age as 36, but based on his birth registration and baptism record, Ben would have been 37 years old.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo of 19th August 1916

"Sergeant Ben Partridge, of the "Pals," who has been killed, was 36 years of age, and resided at 5 Moss grove, Sefton Park, Liverpool. He was employed by the Lever Brothers at Port Sunlight for twenty years. He was a Past Master of the Freemasons, Downshire Lodge. His officer, writing home said: "Your son, Ben was killed in action on July 30, 1916. He was always bright and cheerful and one of the best soldiers of the battalion. Ben was ready to do his duty as well as at sport so long as they did not clash. Knowing Ben you could imagine how he died-bravely doing his duty encouraging his men." 

Birkenhead News - Saturday 26 August 1916 

Prominent Freemason Killed. 

Well known and esteemed in Masonic circles, Sergeant Ben. Partridge, of the King's Liverpool Regiment, has been killed in action at the age of 36 years. For a period of twenty years he had been engaged at the Port Sunlight works of Messrs. Lever Brothers. He was a Past Master of the Downshire Lodge of the Masons. A company officer, writing to the deceased sergeant's relatives, says: "Knowing Ben, you can imagine how he died—bravely doing his duty, encouraging his men." 

He earned his three medals, which his father signed for.

In the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading ‘Lost At The Battle of Guillemont’ tributes were paid to Ben on the first anniversary of his death:

“In loving remembrance of my beloved son, Sergeant Ben Partridge, 19th K.L.R. (Pals), killed in action on the Somme, July 30, 1916.”

“In memory of Sergeant B. H. (Ben) Partridge (19th K.L.R.), killed in action July 30, 1916. – Mr. and Mrs. W. Illidge, 29, Bath Street, Port Sunlight.’

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £11-10s went to his father, who was awarded a pension of 10/- a week from January 1919.

Probate, giving Ben’s address as 27 Highfield Grove, Rock Ferry, was granted to his father in the amount of £369-18s-2d.

The War Office notified his father c/o John R. Watkins, solicitor, 5 Harrington Street, Liverpool, that there were no personal effects to be sent.

Unfortunately Army form W.5080, providing the names, ages, and addresses of his living relatives, signed by his father in 1919, is faded and illegible. The information was notarised by the Secretary of the British and Foreign Marine Insurance Co., 5 Castle Street, Liverpool.

Probate 1916:- 

PARTRIDGE Benjamin Henry of 27 Highfield Grove, Rock Ferry Cheshire Sergeant 19th Battalion King’s Liverpool Regiment died 30 July 1916 in France on active service Probate London 18 October 1916 to Joseph Benjamin Partridge warehouseman. Effects £369-18s-2d. 

Ben is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Lever Bothers, Port Sunlight. 

Masonic Roll of Honour

Masonic Hall, Liverpool.

His father died on the 10th Jan 1934 aged 82. 

Probate:- 

PARTRIDGE Joseph Benjamin of 5 Moss Grove Liverpool died 10 January 1934 Administration Liverpool 8 February to Martha Ann Partridge widow. Effects £138. 

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