Pte 16268 James Cecil Rawlinson

• Age: 19
• From: Anfield, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Danzig Alley Cem, Mametz
  Panel Ref: Mem 10

16268 Private James Cecil RAWLINSON, 18^th Battalion KLR.

James Cecil was born on 25th October 1896 and was baptised on 03^rd January 1897 in Holy Trinity Church, Walton Breck, Liverpool, his parents were then living at 101 Belmont Road. He was the son of James Rawlinson, and his wife Cecilia (nee Robinson). They were married on 13th July 1882 at St Thomas' Church, Liverpool. James was 21 and Cecilia 18 their address was stated as 34 Virgil Street, Liverpool.

His father ran the family business of J. Rawlinson & Co. produce brokers based in African Chambers, Old Hall Street, Liverpool.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 84 Anfield Road, Liverpool.

James is listed as 4 years of age and is living with his parents and four sisters. His father is 38 years of age and described as a produce broker's agent - employer and was born in Liverpool, whilst his mother is 36 years of age and was born in Liverpool. His siblings are listed as; Emily A. aged 18 and a school teacher, Cecilia A. aged 14 and a dressmaker's assistant, Ivy aged 11 and Violet aged 1. There is also a servant present; Mary Abbott aged 20. 

By 1911 the family are living at 67 Rockfield Road, Walton.

His father is 47 years of age, a general produce broker, his mother is 46 years of age and they state that they have been married for 29 years and have had six children all of whom have survived. James is now recorded as being 14 years of age and is still at school, his siblings are declared as; Emily aged 28 and a school teacher, Cecilia 25, Ivy 21 and a milliner, Violet aged 11 and Gladys Ruby aged 8. 

He was a keen cricketer and was a member of Stanley Cricket Club. When war was declared he was employed at Joseph Bibby & Son., Liverpool.

James enlisted at St. George's Hall in Liverpool on 31^st August 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16268. He gave his age as 18 years 300 days - which would have put his date of birth as September or October 1895, ie 12 months earlier than his Birth Registration and Baptismal Record indicates. He gave his occupation as clerk and his next of kin as his parents at 68 Rockfield Road. He was described as being 5' 5" tall, weight 106lbs, 33” chest, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated 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. 

James crossed to France with his Battalion on the 07^th November 1915.

On the 02^nd February 1916 he had a denture problem and attended the Field Ambulance.  

He was killed in action, during the attack at Montauban, on 01^st July 1916, aged 19.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun. 

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

James was originally buried in Vernon Street Cemetery, Carnoy, but the location of his remains was lost probably through enemy shelling, and he is now commemorated on the war memorial in Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, France.

The village of Mametz was carried by the 7th Division on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, after very hard fighting at Dantzig Alley (a German trench) and other points. The cemetery was begun later in the same month and was used by field ambulances and fighting units until the following November. The ground was lost during the great German advance in March 1918 but regained in August, and a few graves were added to the cemetery in August and September 1918. At the Armistice, the cemetery consisted of 183 graves, now in Plot I, but it was then very greatly increased by graves (almost all of 1916) brought in from the battlefields north and east of Mametz and from certain smaller burial grounds, including:-

VERNON STREET CEMETERY, CARNOY, in the valley between Carnoy and Maricourt, at a place called "Squeak Forward Position". 110 soldiers who died in July-October 1916 were buried here by the 21st Infantry Brigade and other units.

Dantzig Alley British Cemetery now contains 2,053 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 518 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 17 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 71 casualties buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

A report of his death also appeared in the Liverpool Evening Express on 25th July 1916:

"Private Cecil Rawlinson only son of Mr.J.Rawlinson, of 63 Rockfield road, killed on July 1. He lost his life says his officer, "doing splendidly for his country and had a natural aptitude for doing well whatever he took in hand." He was formerly with Messrs.Bibby". 

On his Service file is a copy of a telegram from the War Office to Preston dated 13^th July 1916 asking that next of kin be informed of his death, but their address is given as 45 Rockfield Road. 

On 18^th July 1916 his father writes again saying that they “had not heard anything official about their son - we have had news from private sources that he was wounded on 1^st and killed on 3^rd July 1916”.

By 18^th October 1916, his father had obviously had official notification and wrote asking whether his son had any effects and this letter is endorsed “no effects”. The letter is on headed notepaper bearing the name J. Rawlinson & Co, General Produce Brokers, Africa Chambers, Liverpool.

In March 1919 his father notifies change of address to 13 Gloucester Road, Birkdale, but in July 1919 there is a note to the effect that his father again lived at 68 Rockfield Road and War Office letters to the Birkdale address had been returned.

James Cecil is remembered on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 45 

Beoco Ltd. (British Edible Oil Co.) formerly Bibby's, Regent Road, Bootle.

Exchange Newsroom, Exchange Flags, Liverpool