Pte 17716 Thomas Starkey

• Age: 19
• From: Widnes, Lancs
• 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.

Thomas Starkey was born on the 29th November 1896 in Widnes and was the son of Frederick Starkey and his wife Mary Jane (nee Wright). His parents married in 1874 and had 11 children, one of whom died young. He was baptised on the 17th January 1897 at St Mary's Church, Widnes. Birth records have been found for the ten surviving children, of which Thomas was the youngest:  Mary Ann Elizabeth, born in 1875, Ada Jane 1879, Mary 1880, Frederick 1882,  Eliza 1884, John 1886, Minnie 1888, Henry 1890, and Florence, 1893. 

On the 1891 census, before Thomas’ birth, the family lived at 34 Church Street, Widnes. His father, 41, was born in Runcorn, and worked as a joiner and coffin maker.

His father died in the March quarter of 1901, aged 52, when Thomas was 4 years old.

The Census that year finds his widowed mother, 45, still at 34 Church Street, with eight of the children at home. Frederick, 18, is a funeral undertaker, Eliza 16, a domestic servant (1-year old George is listed as son), and John, 14, is a soap packer.  Minnie is 12, Henry 10, Florence 8, and Thomas is 4.

He attended Warrington Road School and St Mary`s Sunday School and was also a member of the Hutchinson Street Mission.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 32 Church Street, Widnes, Cheshire. His mother Mary Jane is a widow aged 53, born 1858 in Runcorn as were her children. At the time of the Census she is living with six of her children; Frederick aged 28, born 1883 a coffin maker, Eliza aged 25, born 1886 no occupation listed, John aged 23, born 1888 and Henry aged 20, born 1891 are both labourers, Florence aged 17, born 1894 an assistant in a printing works and Thomas aged 14, born 1897. They also have a boarder George Starkey aged 11, born 1900 at their address. 

His brother Frederick died later in 1911, aged 29. 

Before he enlisted Thomas was employed by his widowed mother in her newsagents shop in Widnes. 

He enlisted on 04th September 1914 at St George's Hall, Liverpool joining the 19^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 17716. He gave his age as 19 years and 270 days (false, in fact he was 17) and his occupation as a clerk. He also advised that he had been an apprentice at Pilkingtons and this was to expire 1916. He was described as being five feet six and half inches tall, weighed 137lbs, 37” chest, being of fresh complexion with brown eyes and auburn coloured hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin, was his mother Mary Jane at 28 Church Street, Widnes.

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 on 7^th November 1915.

Thomas' service papers record the following:

04.9.14-06.11.14: Billeted at home.

11.3.15: At Knowsley disobeying an order, disorderly conduct in barrack room. Confined to barracks for three days.

7.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion from Folkestone.

11.01.16: Sick with Impetigo and admitted to hospital. 

19.01.16: Rejoined unit.

20.01.16: Sick sent to Field Ambulance.

25.01.16: Rejoined unit.

He served in No.2 Company. 

Thomas was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 19, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. It would appear Thomas added two years on his age when he enlisted.

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 

Thomas was initially declared Missing; his family issued an appeal for information in the Runcorn Weekly News on 01st September 1916: 

“Private Thomas Starkey, 17716, 28, Church Street, Widnes, of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment (Pals), has been missing in France since the 29th July, and any information concerning him will be greatly received by his mother.  Private Starkey enlisted in September, 1914, and went to France last November.”

The local press also reported

Private Thomas Starkey

Private Thomas Starkey, of Widnes, who had been reported missing in July, 1916, was later reported by a comrade to have fallen in action. He was an old boy of Waterloo Road Schools and St Mary's Sunday School, and was a member of Hutchinson Street Mission. He enlisted in August 1914, and went to France in November of the following year. 

Three weeks later, on 22nd September, the same newspaper printed a list of local men killed, which included the name of Pte. Thomas Starkey. 

Thomas'body was not recovered 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 is also remembered on the memorial at St Mary`s Church in West Bank, Widnes. 

He earned his three medals.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 12/6d a week from April 1917.

His brother John enlisted on 03/09/1914 but was discharged after 10 days as medically unfit (due to toe deformities). He again attested in February 1916, was mobilised in April and posted in February 1917 to the 17th Labour Company K.L.R.  After serving in the R.W.F. and the  Royal Defence Corps, he was discharged as no longer physically fit.  

In 1919 Ada, Mary, Eliza, John, Henry, and George (listed as brother) were living at home with their mother at 28 Church Street.  Minnie and Florence also lived in Widnes, and Mary Ann in Ditton.

His mother died, aged 69, in 1924. 

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