Pte 16054 George Rowland Ronson

George Rowland Ronson was born 28th March 1892 at Liverpool and was baptised 22nd May 1892 at St. Stephen's Church of England, Byrom Street, Liverpool. He was the son of Thomas Ronson and his wife Mary Ellen (nee Magill) who were married on the 14th Aug 1888 at St Stephen, Byrom St. Thomas was a book keeper of Drumlin St, father James an engineer, whilst Mary was of Fairy St, father James a shipwright deceased. George had an elder sister Lottie and a younger sister Lilian.  Two younger children sadly died, James Harold at age 2 and Albert in infancy.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 48, Osborne Road, Liverpool.

His father, Thomas, is aged 43 and is employed as a relieving officer with the West Derby Union (administers public relief), his mother, Mary Ellen, is aged 42, with no occupation listed. They have three children at the time of the Census being taken, Lottie aged 10, George Rowland aged 9 and Lilian aged 7. Their sister in law Annie Magill aged 35 is also living with them.

The 1911 Census shows the family living, in 8 rooms, at 100 Walton Village, Walton on the Hill, Liverpool.

His father Thomas is aged 53, born 1858 occupation still listed as a relieving Officer, his mother Mary Ellen is aged 53, born 1858 no occupation. They have been married for twenty two years and have had five children of which two had died. Those listed at home are; Lottie aged 20, born 1891 is an arts student at Liverpool University, George Rowland aged 18, born 1893 is an accountants clerk and Lilian aged 17, born 1894 is a part time student. Also living at the property is their sister in law Annie Magill aged 45, born 1866 a general servant domestic who was born in Liverpool.

George sat his Intermediate exams of the Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors in May 1914 and earned an Honours Certificate.

George Rowland enlisted on 31st August 1914 at Liverpool joining the 17^th Battalion (D Company) of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 16054. He gave his age as twenty two years and 180 days and his occupation as a clerk. He was five feet seven inches tall, weighed 121lbs, 36” chest, dark complexion, grey eyes, fair hair and gave his religion as Church of England.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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. 

His mother died in February 1915 aged 57 when George was in training in the Liverpool area.

Liverpool Daily Post - Saturday 20 February 1915 

RONSON - February 18, suddenly at Walton Village, Mary Ellen, the beloved wife of Thomas Ronson. Interment at Anfield Cemetery on Monday next at 12 o'clock. 

On 07th November 1915 he embarked for France with his battalion.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 24, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

17th Battalion Diary 30th July 1916

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th 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 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th 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. 

Like so many other of his Pals, George was initially reported as Missing as evidenced from the local press on 30th August 1916:

Private George R. Ronson, Liverpool's, is unofficially reported missing. Any information concerning him will be gratefully received by his father Mr T. Ronson, Woolton Village.

On 29th January 1917 his death was assumed for official purposes as having occurred on 30th July 1916.

George was buried close to where he fell, as an Unknown British Soldier of the King’s Regiment. After the war when graves were concentrated, his body was removed and his regiment confirmed by the shoulder titles but the ID disc was illegible. His Pay Book and name tape identified him as ‘__rge R Ronson’.

He now rests at Heath Cemetery, Harbonnières, between Amiens and St. Quentin, 14 miles from Guillemont. His headstone bears the epitaph:

"AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM" 

Harbonnieres was captured by French troops in the summer of 1916. It was retaken by the Germans on 27 April 1918, and regained by the Australian Corps on 8 August 1918. Heath Cemetery, so called from the wide expanse of open country on which it stands, was made after the Armistice, next to a French Military Cemetery, now removed. Graves were brought into it from the battlefields between Bray and Harbonnieres and from other burial grounds in the area.There are now 1,860 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 369 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 26 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 21 casualties buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

George earned his three medals, which Lottie signed for.  

Soldiers Effects to his father Thomas and sister Lottie. His Army pay went to his father in March 1917, and the War Gratuity of £8-10s to sister Lottie in 1920.  No pension card has been found.

His father died in April 1919 aged 62.  Later that year Lottie, 29, and Lilian, 25, were living in Derbyshire at Broad Close Farm, Tissington, near Ashbourne.   

His father's death was reported in the Liverpool Evening Express on Thursday 01 May 1919: 

April 28th at 100 Walton Village, aged 62 years, Thomas Ronson. Interment at Anfield Cemetery tomorrow (Friday) at 3 p.m. 

The CWGC communicated with Lottie, by then living at 54 Inigo Road, Stoneycroft, regarding his headstone.

George is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St. Simon and St. Jude Church Window (now lost)

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 43.

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