Pte 42956 Walter Herbert Stothart

• Age: 34
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

Walter Herbert Stothart was born on 2nd November 1883, the son of Richard Stothart and his wife Margaret (née Burrows). His parents married at St Peter's Church, Liverpool in 1867 and had 8 children, one of whom died young.

The 1891 Census shows the family are living at 62 Denman Street, Liverpool.
His father is a tailor born in Liverpool in 1837 whilst his mother was born in Liverpool in 1848. Walter is 9 years of age, a scholar, and has six siblings; Albert 21 a printer compositor apprentice, Emily 19 tailoress, Samuel 16 confectionery apprentice, Thomas 13 grocers messenger, Florence 10 a scholar, and Alexander 4 a scholar.  

His father died in 1899, aged 53, living at 1 Kepler Street.

In 1901 his widowed mother Margaret, 54, is living at 15 Copley Street, Everton, with five children at home. Samuel 26 confectionery baker, Thomas 23 cabinet fitter and packer, Florence 10 a fruiters manageress, Walter is 17, a carpet planner’s assistant, Alexander 14 a printers apprentice.

The 1911 Census shows the family still living at 15 Copley Street, Everton.
His mother is aged 62 the Census shows that she crossed out that she had been married for 44 years and had 8 children, 7 of whom have survived. Walter is 27 and his occupation is shown as a carpet planner. He has two siblings still living at home, Florence 30 a greengrocers assistant, and Alexander 24 a letterpress assistant.     

Walter married Florence Margaret Singleton, born 07th September 1887, in the fourth quarter of 1913 at West Derby, Register Office.

In the summer of 1914 he was a keen cricketer for the Crescent team who played on Stanley Athletic Park.

His mother died in August 1915, aged 63, living at 15 Copley Street.

Walter enlisted in Liverpool joining the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 42956. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, he served for 18 months, enlisting or being conscripted in about September 1916.  At some point Walter was posted to the 20th Bn K.L.R.  then transferred back to the 18th, probably when the 20th was disbanded in France in February 1918. He served in 2nd Company, 8th Platoon. 

Walter was initially declared Missing between 21-28 March 1918.

The Battalion Diary gives an insight into the chaotic events of the day

28^th March

At about 6am the enemy commenced to shell heavily the whole of the forward line and brought Trench Mortars and MACHINE Guns into action.

FOLIES was shelled and the area in the rear of the village as far back as LE QUESNEL.

Rations were received at dawn and parties were organised to carry them to the Companies on the right. Owing to the heavy fire, however, it was not possible to get them up.

Heavy fighting was in progress on the right from soon after dawn and at 8am the enemy was reported to be in possession of BOUCHOIR and progressing towards the BEETROOT FACTORY. About 10am  the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.

At noon the enemy was bombarding the village and vicinity heavily and reports were received that he was in occupation of WARVILLERS on the left and ARVILLERS on the right.

The front line East of FOLIES continued to resist until about 2pm when the order was received from the 89^th Infy Brigade to the effect that the Battalions were relieved by the French and would withdraw at once to MEZIERES, where the men would be fed. Companies withdrew under some shelling and very heavy M.G. and rifle fire from the left , through K10 -K3 – North side LE QUESNEL to the main ROYE road and reorganised about D.29 c. The march from this point was conducted in good order despite the congested roads.

At MEZIERES it was decided to continue a rearward movement and the march was resumed via VILLERS-MOREUIL – MORISEL – ROUVREL, which village was reached about 7pm and the Battalion billeted. The men had marched 13 miles from the left position in good order and with practically no straggling. They were exhausted on arrival at ROUVREL, but in good heart.

Echelon ‘A’ of the Transport joined the Battalion at this village and the men were fed immediately on arrival. The night passed without incident.

A request for information was sent to the International Red Cross by Miss Mary Wood (sister-in-law), 38 Skipton Road, Anfield, but in a reply dated 11th June 1918 she was informed that they held no information.

Walter’s name was published in the list of those Killed in the Weekly Casualty List on 14th May 1918.

A request for information  was placed by his wife in the Liverpool Echo on 08th May 1918. 

"Private Walter H.Stothart,"Pals," reported killed about March 23. Information welcomed by his wife, 41 Marlsford street, Sheil road." 

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

His widow Florence received Walter’s Army effects and a War Gratuity of £8.  She was awarded a widow’s pension of 13/9d a week from October 1918, later changed to 19/- (?) a week from March 1919.

Florence never remarried and in 1939 was living at 29 Stanley Lane, Bebington,  Cheshire, with daughter Florence, born 06th November 1920.  She died in 1960, aged 73.

Sadly, Walter has not been found on any local memorial.

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