Pte 17691 Leslie Prophett

• Age: 20
• 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.

Leslie Prophett was born in Liverpool in April 1896, the son of William James Prophett and his wife Martha Ann (née Smith). He was baptised on 24th May 1896 in St. Michael's Church, Garston, his parents’ residence 42 Jamaica Street, and his father’s occupation given as carter. His father, born in Liverpool, and his mother, from Leicester, married on the 05th June 1892 at St Barnabas' Church, Penny Lane. William was a 27 year old carter of 42 Jamaica Street, father James a foreman, whilst Martha was aged 23 of 20 Grenville St, father George an engineer. They had five children, Leslie, the only son, had an elder sister Edna Lilian, and younger sisters Pattie, Selina, and Irene Elsie. 

At the time of the 1901 census the family is living at 42 Jamaica Street.  His father, 34, is a team owner/foreman, his mother is 32. Edna is 6, Leslie 5, and Pattie 3.

His father died in January 1911 at the age of 44.

Les is not with his family on the 1911 Census.  His mother, 40, and four sisters are living at 18 Greenville Street South, where his mother keeps a boarding house.  Edna, 16, is a message girl, and Pattie, 13, Selina, 8, and Irene, 7, are at school.  They have two boarders from Leicester, both boot repairers, and two visitors, J. Olsen, a 30-year old  engineer from Germany, and Cissy Schultz, 32, a milliner from Sunderland.

His mother remarried the following year on the 18th August to widower George Henry Glover at St Nicholas' Church, Liverpool. George was a 46 year old decorator of Devon Street. 

He enlisted on the 03rd September 1914 at St. George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 17691. He gave his age as nineteen years and 14 days  and occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet three inches tall, weighed 115lbs, 34” chest, being of fresh complexion with grey eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and as next of kin, his mother Martha, of 1 Devon St. 

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. 

Leslie's service record shows:

14.6.15: Belton Park, Grantham being in bed one and half hours after Reveille. Confined to barracks for three days.

7.11.15: Embarked for France from Folkestone with his battalion.

17.11.15: Gross neglect in losing ammunition (five rounds) and loses four days pay as punishment. 

14.4.16:  Sick, N.Y.D.(not yet diagnosed) and admitted to 55 Field Ambulance. 

17.4.16:  P.N.O.(Pyrexia of Unknown Origin) Returned to duty.

He was  killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 20, 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.   

His 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.”

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 22nd August 1916:

Private Leslie Prophett, " Pals," was a barman in the employ of Messrs. Threlfall, and resided with his parents at 1, Devon-street, Liverpool. 

Les earned his three medals, which his mother signed for.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 8/- a week from February 1919.

In March 1917 she received his personal effects: one packet of letters.

On his 21st birthday in 1917, his loved ones paid tribute in the Liverpool Echo on 17th April:

“In sad but loving remembrance of the 21st birthday of my dear son, Private Leslie Prophett, King’s (Liverpool Regiment), who was killed July 30, 1916.  (Always remembered by his Mother and Sisters.)”

“With sacred and loving thoughts, on his 21st birthday, of my dear brother Les, Private Leslie Prophett, King’s (Liverpool Regiment), who was killed July 30, 1916.  “Peace, perfect peace”.  His loving Sister Pattie.”

“In loving birthday remembrance (21st) of my dear Les, Private Leslie Prophett, King’s (Liverpool Regiment), who was killed July 30, 1916.  Fondly remembered by his Fiancée Nellie Baxter (Peggy).”

In the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading ‘Lost At The Battle of Guillemont’ his family and fiancee paid tribute to Leslie:

“In sad memory of my dear son, Leslie (Pals), aged 20 years, who fell in action July 30, 1916.

Duty called him: he was there,
To do his bit and take his share;
His heart was good, his spirit brave;
His resting place a soldier’s grave.

(Fondly remembered.) -Mother.”

“In sad but loving memory of my dear brother Leslie (Pals), aged 20 years, killed in action July 30, 1916. (“Peace, perfect peace.” – Sadly missed by his loving Sister and Brother-in-law Edna and Jim.”

“In loving memory of my dear brother Leslie (our Les) (Pals), aged 20 years, killed on the Somme, July 30, 1916.

In far-away France he sleeps,
‘Mid countless heroes brave,
The Angelus at noontide brings
Sad memories of his grave.

Never forgotten by his loving sister Pattie.”

“In loving memory of my dear Les, killed in action July 30, 1916. (Time cannot teach forgetfulness while grief’s full heart is fed by sorrow.) – Ever remembered by his Fiancée, Nellie Baxter (Peggy).”

Les was remembered on the second anniversary of his death in 1918:

“In loving memory of my dear son Leslie (Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916.  (Only those who have lost are able to tell.)  Sadly missed by his loving Mother and Sisters.”

“In affectionate remembrance of our dear brother Leslie (Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916.  Never forgotten by his Sisters Edna and Pattie, also brother-in-law Jim.”

“In loving memory of my dear Les (Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916.  (Time cannot teach forgetfulness, while grief’s full heart is fed by sorrow.). Ever remembered by his Fiancée Nellie.”

In 1939 his mother, now 69, was living at 1 Devon Street with her husband, 73, a glass sign decorator, and his son Thomas 42.  

His mother died on the 30th January 1941 aged 72, and his step-father on the 08th February 1945, aged 78. 

Sadly, Les has not been found on any local memorial.

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