Pte 27534 Lawrence Victor Scarth

• Age: 17
• 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.

Lawrence Victor Scarth was born on 07th August 1898 in Liverpool and was baptised on the 21st August 1898 at St Benedict Church, Everton. He was the son of John Jennings Scarth and his wife Mary Ann (nee Patterson). His parents married in 1883 at West Derby Register Office and had nine children. Lawrence had elder brothers John Joseph and Leonard Stanley, elder sisters Lilian Beatrice and Edith Margaret, and a younger brother Albert Edward.  Three others died young:  their firstborn George Alexander died at age 2, Robert Grimshaw and Albert Avondale both died at the age of one.

The family had lived at 3 Creswick Street, Everton, since at least 1891 and his father held a steady job as an iron moulder.

The 1901 Census finds the family at 3 Creswick Street with six children. His father John J. Scarth is aged 39, an iron moulder born London, mother Mary A. is aged 40, children John J. aged 16, a foundry worker, Lilian B. 12, Edith M. 10, Leonard S. 4, Lawrence V. 2, and Albert E. 3mths. 

The 1911 Census shows the family are still living at 3 Creswick St, Everton, Liverpool. Lawrence's father, John Jennings Scarth is aged 49, born in London in 1862, his occupation listed as an iron moulder, whilst his mother, Mary Ann is aged 50, born 1861 in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. They have been married for twenty eight years and have had nine children of which three had died.  Those children listed in the household, all born in Liverpool are; Lilian Beatrice aged 21, born 1890 occupation letter filer, Edith Margaret aged 19, born 1892 is a dressmaker, Leonard Stanley aged 14, born 1897 a messenger boy, Lawrence Victor aged 12, born 1899 and Albert Edward aged 10, born 1901 are both at school. They also have Margaret Barclay a widow aged 80, born 1831 in Liverpool staying at the address. His eldest brother John is married, and works as a shipbuilding engineer’s patternmaker in Birkenhead.

He was educated at Steer Street Council School.

Prior to enlisting he had been employed as an apprentice iron moulder with Messrs. Brown, Duncan & Co of Bootle. 

He enlisted on the 12th May 1915 at Liverpool, when underage, joining the 19^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 27534. 

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.

Lawrence arrived in France on 29th December 1915, thus earning the 1914-15 Star.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 17, 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 death occurred just one week before his 18th birthday. (His CWGC record gives his age as 16).

Lawrence was initially declared Missing. 

His parents appealed for information in the Liverpool Echo on 01st September 1916:

“Private Lawrence V. Scarth (18), K.L.R.  His parents reside at 3, Creswick Street, Everton, Liverpool.”

A few weeks later, by 24th October 1916, the news was confirmed:

“July 30, killed in action, aged 17 years, Private Lawrence Victor Scarth, the dearly-beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. Scarth, 3, Creswick Street, Liverpool. (Deeply mourned by all the family.)”

Lawrence's 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 Army pay and a War Gratuity of £4-10s went to his father John.  A gratuity of 5/- a week was awarded from November 1918. 

Lawrence was remembered by the family in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost At The Battle Of Guillemont”:

“In loving memory of our dear son Lawrence Victor (late of the Pals Battalion), who was killed in action July 30, 1916. (Fondly remembered by Father, Mother, and Family.)”

And on the second anniversary of his death: 

“In loving memory of Private Lawrence Victor Scarth (“Pals” K.L.R.), killed in action July 30, 1916, in his 17th year.  Sadly missed by Father, Mother, Sisters, and Brothers.”

His mother died in 1927 aged 66, and was buried on the 15th December at Anfield Cemetery. 

His brother Leonard joined the R.A.F. in 1918. 

His cousin George Alexander Scarth was also a Pal. He served as a Sergeant in the 18th Battalion, and won the Military Medal.  He was commissioned in the Machine Gun Corps and survived the war.

There is an A.L. (sic) Scarth K.L.R. (Pals) commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 38 Left. 

There is no A L Scarth on the CWGC website, and the only other Scarth who was a Pal was his cousin George, who survived the war. We will contact Liverpool Town Hall to see if the error can be rectified.

Lawrence is also remembered on the Anglican Cathedral Roll of Honour. 

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