L/Cpl 17513 Joseph Benedict Thomas

His parents had 13 children, of whom two died young, all born in Liverpool.  Joseph had older siblings Elizabeth Ann, William, and John (died), and younger siblings Jane, James, Christopher (died), Agnes, Edward, David, John, Mary, and Winifred. 

 

In 1891 the family is living at 52 Great Howard Street, Liverpool, with four children and a domestic servant.  His father is a marine store dealer (shop). Joseph is 3.

 

By 1901 his parents, with seven of his siblings, have moved to 26 Yew Tree Road (off Rice Lane), Walton.   His father is a marine store dealer, employer.  Joseph is not listed in the household.  A Joseph Thomas, born in Liverpool, age 13, is found living with his aunts Margaret and Ann Jones (both born Merioneth), in Ynscynhaiarn, Carnarvonshire.  A family connection cannot be determined.

 

Joseph is not found on the 1911 census, but his parents with eight of his siblings (ages 6-26) are still at 26 Yew Tree Road.  His father, 51, is now a paper stock merchant, his mother is 47.  

 

He enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 01st September 1914, as Private 17513, on the same day as his brothers Edward, Private 17514 and James, Private 17515, joining the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. His age is shown as 27 years and 180 days, and his occupation as clerk.  He is described as being 5’ 4 and three-quarter inches tall, weighing 140 lbs, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes, and dark brown hair.  He gives as next of kin his parents at 26 Yew Tree Road, (he states he has not resided out of his father’s house for three years). 

 

29/4/1915 posted to Depot

30/7/1915 posted to 22nd (Reserve) Bn

06/9/1915 appointed paid L/Cpl

 

His brothers shipped to France with their battalion on 07th November 1915.

 

14/02/1916 Seaforth Hospital (possibly Seaforth Auxiliary Hospital, Dingwall, Scotland)

17/02/1916 discharged, transferred to a military hospital in Newcastle on Tyne

 

27/6/1916 at Formby, reprimanded for being absent from parade

 

01/7/1916 posted to B.E.F.  with the 17th Battalion of The Kings Liverpool Regiment

02/7/1916 embarked for France

11/7/1916 joined his unit in the field

 

Less than three weeks later, Joseph was killed in action on 30th July 1916, aged 28, at Guillemont.

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.   

His service record shows he was initially declared Missing:

05/8/1916 declared Missing 30th July

26/8/1916 declared killed in action 30th July

 

A notice was placed in the Liverpool Echo on 16th August:

“Did not Answer Roll Call.  Lance corporal J. B. Thomas of the “Pals” is reported to be missing since July 29.  Any information will be gratefully received by his parents, at 26 Yewtree Rd., Walton.”

 

Two telegrams were sent in August to Infantry Records requesting information:

“Private Thomas 17593 of 17th Liverpools unofficially reported missing since July 30 please enquire and wire Thomas, Linkside, Leasowe Road, Wallasey”

 

After receiving the news, his parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 7th September 1916:

“July 30 killed in action, Lance Corporal J. B. Thomas (K.L.R.) the beloved second son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Thomas, 26, Yew Tree Road. R.I.P.”

 

Joseph’s name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Killed published in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on 21st September 1916. 

He 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.”

 

His father received Joseph’s Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £8-10s, and signed for his son’s Victory and British War Medals, and Memorial Plaque and Scroll. 

 

His pension documents were not received from the paymaster until 29/10/1918. The reason for such a long delay is not known.

 

His brother Edward was commissioned in the Machine Gun Corps.  James was wounded in 1916 and  transferred to the R.A.S.C.  They both survived the war.

 

It is not known when his mother died.  In 1939 his widowed father William, 80, retired paper stock merchant, and his married brother Edward, 44, are still living in Yew Tree Road.  His father died in 1941, aged 82.

 

Joseph is commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 37.

 

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