Pte 24379 Jesse Horatio Roberts

• Age: 31
• From: Holywell, Flints
• 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.

Jesse Horatio Roberts was born in the June quarter of 1885 at Trelogan, Flintshire and was the son of Robert and his wife Mary Ann (nee Blake), of White Horse Farm, Trelogan. His parents married in 1873. Jesse was the youngest of six children; he had brothers David, John, Edward, and Robert Henry, and one sister, Sarah Ann.

In 1891 the family is living at Berthengam Farm, Llanasa, near Holywell.  His father is aged 45, a farmer and wheelwright born in Llanarmon, Denbighshire. His mother is aged 49, birthplace is shown as (Broughall) Shropshire.  They have four children, John 15, Sarah 11, Robert 8, and Jesse 6, all at school. 

Jesse was educated at Llanasa National School.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at Berthengam, Llanasa, Holywell, Flintshire, Wales. His father, Robert, is aged 56, born in Flintshire in 1845 his occupation is shown as farmer and carpenter. His mother, Mary Ann is aged 59, born in 1842 in Cheshire. They have six children living with them, David aged 27, born 1874, John aged 25, born 1876 and Edward aged 23, born 1878 are listed as farmers son, Sarah Ann aged 20, born 1881 has no occupation, Robert aged 18, born 1883 is a carpenter and Jesse aged 16, born 1885 is a grocer’s assistant. They were all born in Trelogan, Flintshire. Also living at the address is a relative named Mary Blake aged 9, born 1892 in Liverpool. All family members speak both English and Welsh.

By 1911 Jesse had moved to Liverpool and is one of three boarders with the McKee family at 154 Selborne Street, Toxteth Park. He is 25, single, and working as a grocer’s assistant. 

His parents are farming at White Horse Farm, Trelogan. His father is 65,his mother is 69, born in Shropshire. They state that they have been married for 37 years, and have had 6 children, 5 of whom have survived. Niece Mary Catherine Blake, 20, born Liverpool, is still living with them, as a domestic servant.  They have a 17-year old farm helper, John Evans from Staffordshire. 

His mother appears to have died in 1912-13 aged 69.

Jesse enlisted in Liverpool joining in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 24379. His regimental number and the amount of the War Gratuity suggest that he joined up in January 1915. 

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 with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 07th November 1915.

Jesse was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 31, 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 family appealed for information in the Liverpool Echo on 13th September 1916:  

Private J. H. Roberts K.L.R. His parents live at White Horse Farm, Trelogan, near Holywell. 

He was initially listed as missing in action, and his name appeared as such in the list of K.L.R. casualties published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 18th September 1916.   

King’s(Liverpool Regiment) - Roberts, 24379, J. H. (Holywell);    

However, a few days later they were notified that Jesse had been declared killed in action on or since 30th July 1916, as his death was reported in the Liverpool newspaper on 19th September:  

“Private J. H. Roberts, K.L.R.  He was previously manager at the firm of John Hughes, grocers, Lawrence Road, Wavertree, branch, and was the youngest son of Mr. R. Roberts, White Horse Farm, Trelogan, north Wales.”

His death was also reported in the Liverpool Echo on Monday 09th October 1916: 

WAVERTREE MAN FALLS  

Pte. J. H. Roberts, (K.L.R.), who was killed action. Prior to joining the Army he was manager at John Hughes’s, grocers, Lawrence Road. He lived at 3 Alderson road, Wavertree, Liverpool. 

John Hugh and Elizabeth Roberts lived at that address.

His 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.”

He earned his three medals. His British War Medal and Victory Medal were returned for adjustment.

Probate was granted in 1917: 

Roberts, Jesse Horatio, of White Horse Farm Trelogan Llanasa Flintshire and of 62 Cranborne Road Sefton Park Liverpool, a Private in the 19th Liverpool Regiment, died on or since 30th July 1916 in France.  Administration St Asaph 21st September to Robert Roberts Farmer. Effects £206..9s..4d.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £6-10s went to his father. The pension card (giving his battalion as the 10th Liverpool Scottish), shows that his father, by then living at Stealey Cottage, Trelogan, was awarded a pension of 8/- a week from July 1919.   His father died not long afterwards, in March 1920, aged 74.

He is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Picton Village

Llanasa War Memorial

St. Asaph and St. Cyndeyrn Parish Church

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