Pte 332470 Thomas Ensor

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool in the 20th Battalion King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 332470.  Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, he served 21 months, enlisting in about June 1916, when he had just turned 18 years old. He was transferred to the 18th Bn K.L.R., most likely in February 1918 when the 20th Bn was disbanded.

 

He was killed in action on 28th March 1918. with C Coy, 4 Platoon.

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 the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.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.   

Thomas was initially declared Missing between 21-28 March.  Mr. M. Ensor [sic], probably his mother, at 35 Dryden Street, contacted the International Red Cross but was notified on 3rd May 1918 that they held no information on Thomas.

 

His death was later presumed, for official purposes, as having occurred on 28th March 1918 (Soldiers’ Effects shows date of death as 24/3/1918). CWGC shows his age as 19 (which agrees with the baptism record), whereas the family headstone shows age 20.

Thomas' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France. 

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 mother Mary Ellen received his effects, Army pay of £10 5s 8d and a War Gratuity of £9-10s. The pension card, in the name of his mother, at 35 Dryden Street, shows that a pension was refused, although often in cases of soldiers Missing in Action, a pension was later awarded.

 

 

In 1939, on the eve of the Second World War, his mother is still at 35 Dryden Street, running a sweet and tobacco shop. Daughters Ellen and Josephine are assisting in the business, Son Edward is home on leave from the Army and grandson Thomas Hugh, son of John, lives with them.

 

His mother died on the 15th September 1959, aged 88, and was buried on the 18th September at Ford Cemetery, her address at the time of her death was 242 Stanley Park Avenue South.  

 

Thomas is commemorated on the following memorials:

 

St. Anthony’s R.C. Church, Liverpool 

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 1

 

He is also remembered on his parents’ gravestone in Ford Cemetery -