Pte 32972 Charles Glynne Smith

• Age: 25
• From: Runcorn, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Charles Glynne Smith was born in Runcorn in the September quarter of 1892, the son of John Arthur Smith and his wife Emma (nee Rowley). His parents had both been widowed and had children from previous marriages. His father, born in Leigh, Lancashire, had married in 1871 and had a number of children, including Annie and John Arthur, both born in Leigh, and Frederick William and Herbert Kniveton, who were born in Runcorn. His mother apparently had also been married previously, and had children including Amy Webster, born in London, and Robert Webster, born in St. Helens. 

His parents married in 1887 in Runcorn  and had four children together; Charles had older siblings Ewart Gladstone, born in 1887, and Phyllis, 1889, and a younger brother Roland (given name registered at birth as Rowley), born in 1894.  

Before Charles’ birth the blended family is found on the 1891 census at 136 Greenway Road, Victoria Terrace, Runcorn. His father John is 42, a pawnbroker, as is his mother Emma, 36.  Living with them are his father’s children Annie, John, Frederick, and Herbert Smith, and his mother’s children Amy and Robert Webster, as well as Ewart and Phyllis, and a nephew, John Pemberton, from Leigh.  His father is not found with the family on later censuses, although his mother is listed as married.  Some time after 1894 the family moved to St. Helens.

The 1901 census finds his mother as head of the family at 50 Dentons Green Lane, St. Helens. Half-sister Amy, 25, is a grocer’s assistant, Ewart is 13, Phyllis 11, Charles is 8, and Roland 7.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 12 City Gardens, St Helens. His mother Emma aged 55,  is head of the household, she was born in 1855 and has no occupation, listed, she was born in Woolwich, London. She advises that she has been married for twenty five years. At the time of Census she has three children living with her and all were born in Runcorn. Ewart aged 23, born 1888 and Charles aged 18, born 1893 are both commercial clerks and Roland aged 17, born 1894 is a draughtsman, and they all are working for a glass manufacturer. 

Before enlisting, Charles worked for Pilkington’s in their sheet works

He enlisted in St Helens and served in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 32972. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in about March 1915, and went to France in early 1916.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 25, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in about March 1915, and went to France in early 1916.  He served in ‘C’ Company, 11th Platoon.

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.

He was initially declared Missing on 30th July 1916 in the Liverpool Echo 02nd Sept 1916: 

Missing. 

SMITH - Private Charles G. Smith, K.L.R. His mother resides at 12 City Gardens, St Helens. 

The anguish of his family can be seen in the correspondence and numerous enquiries through the International Red Cross. 

His sister, Mrs. A. Cooke, of Brookfield Road, Lymm, Cheshire, was informed on 21st September 1916 that they held no information on Charles. Her enquiry stated:

“Pte. 32972 3rd Kings Liverpool. Transferred 18th Kings Liverpool then 17th Manchester and at last 17th Kings Liverpool”.  

(His medal roll shows service overseas only with 17th K.L.R.) 

She contacted them again in November 1916, requesting the ICRC make enquiries at Dülmen POW Camp (possibly in response to a rumour or misleading information she had heard).

On 25th November she was informed he was not at the camp. 

Again in December after further enquiries, she was told he was not there, and the investigation was closed. 

His mother also contacted the ICRC and was informed on 28th December that they held no information on Charles.

His death was later presumed, for official purposes, as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.  Charles was 23 or 24 years old.

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.” 

His mother Emma received his Army pay and a War Gratuity of £5, and was awarded a pension of 9/- a week, from March 1922.  At that time she still lived at 12 City Gardens, St. Helens, and later moved to 14 Pine Ave., Windlehurst, St. Helens.  

Ewart attested in March 1916 (he was described as being 5’2” tall and weighing 97 lbs, and wore glasses), and also worked for Pilkington’s.  He was called up on 27/11/1917 and served at home in the Army Pay Corps.  He was demobbed on 08/01/1920, his pension claim for defective vision being rejected.

Charles is commemorated on Pilkington’s Roll of Honour

On the 1921 Census at City Gardens mother Emma is widowed and living with children Ewart, Phyllis and Rowley. 

Emma died aged 80 in 1937. 

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