Sgt 16265 Horace James Pugh

• Age: 23
• From: Willaston, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Horace James Pugh was born in 1894 in Willaston, Cheshire, and was the son of John Harry Pugh and his wife Alice (nee Bowcock), who married in 1893 at St Nicholas' Church, Burton, Cheshire.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at Grocer Shop, Willaston Main Road, Willaston, Cheshire. His father, John Harry, is aged 30, born in Willaston, Cheshire in 1871 occupation, grocer, his mother, Alice, is aged 33, born in Burton, Cheshire in 1868 has no occupation listed. They have three children in the household, Horace James aged 7, born 1894, Wilfred aged 5, born 1896 and Elizabeth Lilian born 1900. 

Horace was educated at Birkenhead Institute.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at Neston Road, Willaston, Cheshire. Hiorace's father, John Harry, is shown as aged 41 and is still a grocer and his wife Alice is aged 43 and she is an assistant grocer. The children, Horace James aged 17 is a clerk for a Lever Brothers, Wilfred aged 15 is a shop assistant in the family grocer’s and Elizabeth Lilian is at school.

Horace was among scores of workmates from Lever Brothers' Port Sunlight soap factory in the Wirral who enlisted with the Liverpool Pals.

He enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on the 02^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 16265. he gave his age as 20 years and 184 days old and gave his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being 5 foot ten and 3/4 quarters tall in height, weighed 186lbs, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Methodist. He had a small mole on his collar bone which was classed as distinctive.

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. 

He crossed to France with the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment on 07th November 1915.

His service papers show:

Appointed Unpaid Lance Corporal 24/01/1916.

Attached to the 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment 01/04/1916

Attached to 30^th Division Grenade School 18/05/16

Resumed with Battalion 31/05/16

Resumed duty with Battalion 05/04/16.

To Field Ambulance 18/06/16 and admitted to hospital. Transferred to Rouen on 20/06/16, and transferred by ship SS Aberdonian to UK on the 26/06/16.

Promoted to Corporal 28/02/17

Embarked at Folkestone and disembarked Boulogne 01/03/17.

He was again posted to  the 18th Battalion on 02/03/17.

Appointed paid Lance Sergeant on 05/05/17 and appointed acting Sergeant.

Wounded in action on 13/06/17 Gunshot wound to the head returned to duty 17/06/17.

Confirmed in rank of Sergeant 12/06/17 (commenced duties 05/05/17).

He was killed in action on the 31st July 1917, aged 23, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

18^th Battalion

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

He was reported killed in the Liverpool Echo 13th September 1917:

PUGH - July 31, killed in action, aged 23 years, Sergeant Horace J. Pugh (K.L.R.), daily beloved eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. H. Pugh, P.O. Willaston, Chester.


The Birkenhead News of 15th September 1917 gave some further details:

Willaston Sergeant Killed.

Much regret will be felt in Willaston by the news of the death in action on July 31, of Sergt. Horace J. Pugh, of the K.L.R. The deceased soldier, who was only 23 years of age, was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Pugh, Post Office, Willaston.

Horace's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Alice.

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Birkenhead Institute Memorial

The Willaston War Memorial, Willaston Royal British Legion

Port Sunlight Civic Memorial

Lever Brothers’ Employees

His father died, aged 74, on the 29th December 1944.

Probate 1945:-

PUGH - John Harry of Atworth House, Neston Road, Willaston, Wirral, Cheshire died 29 December 1944 Probate Liverpool 17 February to Wilfred Pugh grocer and Elizabeth Lillian Tompkins (wife of Frank Tompkins). Effects £1735.

His mother died, aged 89, on the 17th September 1956.

Probate 1956:-

PUGH - Alice of Atworth House, Neston Road, Willaston, Wirral Cheshire died 17th September 1956 at the Cottage Hospital, Neston Probate Liverpool 05th November to Wilfred Pugh grocer and Elizabeth Lillian Tompkins (wife of Frank Tompkins). Effects £176 13s 11d.

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