Pte 29298 Frank Whitehouse

• Age: 25
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Frank Whitehouse was born in Liverpool in the second quarter of 1890, the son of John Whitehouse and his wife Emma Elizabeth (née Lees) who married on the 05th September 1881 at St Silas' Church, Toxteth Park. John was a 36 year old warehouseman of 14 Pimhill Street, father John an iron worker, whilst Emma was aged 23 of 8 Foxhill Street, father Titus a coach spring maker. Of their nine children two died young. Frank had older siblings William (who died in infancy), Emma, Clara, Esther, and John, and younger siblings Eva, Mary (who died at age 2), and Arthur. 

Frank was baptised in St. Simon’s Church on 24th June 1890, his parents’ residence at the time 4 Garden Cottages, Eaton Road, West Derby, and his father’s occupation warehouseman.

In 1891 the family is living at 8 Garden Cottages (near Alder Hey Hospital), with five children. Father John is aged 45, a labourer born Scotland, mother Emma is aged 31, children Emma 7, Clara 5, Esther 3, John 2, and Frank is 10(?) months old. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are still living at 8 Garden Cottages, West Derby, Liverpool. His father is shown as a foreman grain malter born in Scotland in 1846, whilst his mother was born in Liverpool in 1858. Frank is 10 years of age and he has 6 siblings; Emma a pupil teacher born 1884, Clara a pupil teacher born 1886, Esther born 1888, John born 1889, Eva born 1892 and Arthur born 1897.  

His brother John died in 1910 at the age of 21.

By 1911 the family are living at 122 Thomas Lane, West Derby, Liverpool. Frank is 20 years of age and his occupation is shown to be a butcher. His parents are both present in the household, his father is 65, a warehouseman for a grain merchant born Old Monkland, Lanarkshire, and his mother is 52(married 29 years, 9 children, 6 still alive). His siblings are listed as; Clara, 24, is an assistant school teacher, Esther, 23, is a restaurant waitress, Eva, 19, has no occupation, and Arthur, 14, is at school. Eldest sister Emma is married and lives in Lincolnshire (sadly, she died in 1916 aged 32). There is a visitor also recorded.    

Frank enlisted in Liverpool joining the 20^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 29298.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built 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. 

Frank arrived in France on 20th December 1915.   

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 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. 

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.

Frank's 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.”

He earned his three medals.

Frank was remembered by his family on the second anniversary of his death in 1918:

Whitehouse - In loving memory of our dear son, Frank K.L.R. (4th Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916. - Fondly remembered by his Father, Mother, Brother, and Sisters. - 70 Maiden Lane, Clubmoor.  

His Army pay of £2 13s 8d and a War Gratuity of £4 went to his father. From the pension ledger in the name of his mother at 70 Maiden Lane, Clubmoor, it is not possible to tell whether a pension was awarded, or if so how much.

His brother Arthur joined the Lancashire & Cheshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial Force) when he was 17 in June 1913, and when war broke out volunteered for serve overseas. He left Southampton with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in July 1917 and saw action in Mesopotamia (Iraq) with the 387th Siege Battery until May 1918 when they sailed for Suez. He served in Palestine and arrived home for demobilisation in June 1919.

His father died in 1931 aged 85.

In 1939 his mother, now 80, was living at 216 Muirhead Avenue with son Arthur, 43, a dock porter.  She died in 1941 aged 82.

Frank is commemorated on the following memorials -

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 32 Left

St. John the Evangelist Church, Knotty Ash

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