Pte 29627 George Pink

• Age: 23
• From: Rock Ferry, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

George was educated at Somerville School.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 43 Waverley Street, Seacombe, Cheshire. His father, William, is aged 37, born 1874 in Lower Bebington, Cheshire, his occupation is shown as a general labourer, whilst his mother, Ada, is aged 37, born 1874 in Higher Bebington, Cheshire, has no occupation listed. They have been married for eighteen years and have had nine children of which two died. Those listed in the property are; George aged 17, a general labourer who was born in New Ferry, Frederick aged 16, born 1895 is also a general labourer and was born in Rock Ferry, William aged 12, born 1899 is still at school, and Albert James aged 9, born 1902 were both born in New Ferry. The three remaining children Elizabeth Anne aged 7, Born 1904, Samuel Gibson aged 4, born 1907 and Alice Adelaide born 1911 were all born in Seacombe. 

Three children were born after the 1911 census: Ada in 1912, Thomas Stanley 1915, and Wilfred Arthur in 1917.

Prior to the outbreak of the war, George was employed by Rank's Flour Mills. 

He attended St Pauls Church, Seacombe. 

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 29627. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, George enlisted in about May 1915, and went to France in 1916.

He was returned to the front.

George was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 23, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

30th July 1916

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 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. 

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.

He was also initially reported as Missing. The anxiety for his family must have been unbearable as nearly two months later the Wallasey News in the edition of 14th October 1916 still reported him as Missing  

"Private George Pink, of the King's Liverpool Regiment, the eldest son of Mr.and Mrs.William Pink, of 43 Waverley-street, Seacombe, is officially posted as "wounded and missing" since July 30th. He was educated at Somerville Schools, and was employed at Rank's flour mills. He attended St. Paul's Church, Seacombe". 

On 02nd November 1916 his name was among the ‘Previously reported missing now reported killed’ in the Liverpool Daily Post: 

The family made another appeal on 08th November 1916, after he was declared killed in action.

George'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.

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 Army effects and a War Gratuity of £4-10s went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 12/6d a week from May 1917.

George's family paid tribute to George on the first anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost At The Battle Of Guillemont”:

“In loving memory of our dear son, Pte. George Pink, K.L.R. (Pals), wounded July 30, 1916, reported killed. (One of the best.) – Sadly missed by Mother, Father, and Family.”

On the second anniversary of his death in 1918, the family posted a notice in the Missing - Information Wanted column: 

“Missing July 30, 1916, then presumed killed on that day, Private George Pink, (Liverpool Pals), aged 25 years [the age he would have been in 1918], dearly-loved eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Pink, 43, Waverley Street, Seacombe.”

His brother William, who was 15 when war was declared, served in France in 1918 with the Royal Fusiliers. He survived the war with a disability pension.

In 1939 his parents, both 65, were living at 14 Liscard Crescent, Wallasey.  His father is a retired flour mill hand.  Youngest daughter Ada, 27, is a factory charge hand.

George is commemorated in the Victoria Central Community Hospital, Wallasey

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