Pte 16205 Harry Sparrow

• Age: 25
• From: New Ferry, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16205 Private Harry SPARROW, 18th Battalion KLR.

Harry Sparrow was born in New Ferry on the 24th October 1890, the eldest son of Henry Sparrow and his wife Eliza (nee Cross) who were married at St Mary's Church, Birkenhead on the 02nd December 1888, Henry was a 21 year old labourer of 21 Garnet Street, father William, whilst Eliza was aged 21 of 12 Garnet Street, father William. Henry was born in Eastham in 1868 and his wife Eliza in Birkenhead in 1869. Harry was baptised on the 21st December 1890 in Birkenhead Parish Church. 

At the time of the 1891 census the couple lived at 41 Star Street in Birkenhead with 5 month old Harry and his 1 year old sister Lillian. Henry at this time was a labourer.

By 1901 Henry and Eliza were both aged 32, and Henry had become the Licensee of The New Pier Vaults located at 36 New Chester Road, New Ferry. As well as Lillian aged 11 and Harry aged 10, the couple had three more children Joshua aged 7, Vesta 5 and 2 year old Freda. 

 By 1911 Henry is the Licensee of the Punchbowl Inn in Hoylake, a large establishment on Market Street in Hoylake. This is a pub where Henry would stay the Licensee until his death in 1930. Lillian aged 21, Harry 20 and Joshua 18 are recorded as helping in the business, while Vesta 15, Freda 12 and two more children Leslie aged 9 and 7 year old Edna are all at school. His parents, now aged 42, advised that they had been married for 22 years and all seven of their children had survived. 

Harry enlisted at Liverpool on 01st September 1914 as Private 16205, giving his age as 23 years 300 days, his occupation as clerk for Lever Brothers and his next of kin as his father, Henry, living at the Punchbowl Inn. He was described as 5’ 7” tall, weighing 134lbs, 36” chest, with a sallow complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. His religion was 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. 

He crossed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on the 07th November 1915, and between 31st May and 14th June 1916 was attached to 30th Division Grenade School.

Harry was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01st July 1916.

The events of the day for the 18th Battalion were as follows:

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 18th 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.

Harry has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

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.”

Birkenhead News on 15th July 1916: 

DEESIDE MEN FALL. 

M. and Mrs. Harry Sparrow, of the Punch Bowl, Hloylake, were deeply grieved the other day to hear that their son Harry had been killed on July 1st. Harry, who was an old Hoylake footballer, and consequently well known throughout the entire district, joined the 3rd Liverpool Pals soon after war was declared. A son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow's, Mr. Cotton was wounded in the early stages the war, and subsequently discharged. 

His death was reported in the Birkenhead News on 22nd July 1916:

"There seems to be no doubt that Private Harry Sparrow, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow,of the Punch Bowl Hotel, Hoylake, has paid the supreme sacrifice at the age of 25 years. Employed in the Liverpool office of Messrs. Lever Bros., he was known locally as a footballer, playing at outside right for the Hoylake A.F.C. His play was of the dainty and brainy type. He was a model of scrupulously fair play, shady tactics being quite ignored by him. He will be much missed". 

Alfred Kirkwood also killed in action on 01st July 1916 with the 18th Battalion K.L.R played in the same team as Harry Sparrow.

Soldiers Effects to father Henry, Pension to mother Eliza. 

He was remembered by his family in the Birkenhead News on the 03rd July 1917: 

Notices were also inserted by his brothers and sisters at the Punch Bowl, and another by sister Lil and brother in law Li, 85 Easton Road, New Ferry. 

He was also remembered in the Liverpool Echo on the 04th July 1918: 

IN MEMORIAM. 

SPARROW - In sad but loving memory of HARRY, dearly loved son of E. and H. Sparrow, killed in action, July 1, 1916.

0, for a touch of a vanished hand  

And the sound of a voice that is still. 

- Punch Bowl Hotel, Hoylake. 

As of July 1919 his siblings were Lillian Cotton, Joshua 26, Leslie 17, Vesta, Freda and Edna

Harry is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Lever Brothers War Memorial, The Causeway, Port Sunlight

St Hildeburgh Church, Hoylake

West Kirby War Memorial which is located on Grange Hill, overlooking West Kirby.

His father, died aged 62, on the 19th November 1930 and his mother died, aged 78, in 1947. 

He is also commemorated on the family grave at Grange Cemetery, West Kirby reads:- 

In Loving Memory of  

HENRY SPARROW  

Who Died 19th of November 1930 Aged 62  

Also  

HARRY his beloved Son  

2nd Pal's L’pool Regiment  

Killed in Action on the Somme  

1st July 1916 Aged 25 

Never Forgotten. 

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