L/Cpl 16714 William Willis Farrance

• Age: 22
• From: Garston, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16714 L/Corporal William Willis FARRANCE, 18^th Battalion KLR.

William Willis Farrance was born on the 15th July 1893 at 14 Gladstone Road, Garston, Liverpool and baptised at St Michael’s, Garston on 17^th September that year, he was the youngest son of George Farrance and his wife Mary Elizabeth (nee Lyon). His parents married in Ditton on 06th April 1884 at St. Michael's Church.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 14 Gladstone Road, Garston. Willis is 7 years of age and is living with his parents and four siblings. His father is a 45 year old mineral ore sampler born in Rivington, whilst his mother is 40 years of age and was born in Ditton. All four siblings were born in Garston and are listed as; Edith E. a 16 year old apprentice dress maker, Florence aged 14, Agnes E. aged 12 and George T. aged 10.

The 1911 Census shows the family are still at 14 Gladstone Road, Garston. Willis is now 17 and he is shown as a junior clerk for steel construction engineers. George aged 55, and Mary aged 50  are resident in the property and have been married for 26 years and have had five children, all of whom have survived. Three of his siblings are still at home: Florence Mary aged 24, Agnes Emily aged 22 and an assistant teacher with Liverpool City Council, and George Thomas aged 20 and an apprentice plater to steel construction engineers.         

At the time of his enlistment Willis was employed as a clerk by Francis Morton and Company, who were manufacturers of iron and steel girders, bridges, piers and roofs. 

Willis enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion as Private 16714. He was aged 21 years 49 days, giving his occupation as clerk and his next of kin as his father. He was described as being, 5' 8" tall, weighed 127lbs, 35” chest, with a fair physical development, a sallow complexion with grey eyes and light brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England.    

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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. 

Willis sailed to France with his Battalion on the 07th November 1915 on board the SS Invicta.

A newspaper report in the Runcorn Weekly News of 14th January 1916 reported on both Willis and his brother George both serving overseas under the header:

GARSTON BROTHERS IN ARMS

HEAR OF EACH OTHER THROUGH THE WEEKLY NEWS

Private George Farrance of the 1st Scots Guards, and Private W.W. Farrance, of the Liverpool "Pals", brothers from Garston are both serving on the Western Front. The former has been out nine months, while the latter went out at the latter end of the year.

By a coincidence they both wrote on the same day, the 29th December, to the Rev. Thomas Williams, and as the "Weekly News" has proved so valuable a medium for the Garston boys, the brothers, who have not heard of or seen each other for months, will be glad to know they each report well. 

Private George Farrance, writing as one of Mr Williams' "old churchmen" says he will never forget the kind words said when he was in the Mission for the last time before going to France. "I have not heard from my brother Willis", he says "for a long time, but I saw a letter in the "Weekly News" saying he was doing fine. I will tell you of a narrow escape that I had when in the line. One day in the trench while I was looking after letters that had been collected from various men, a shell burst. I had moved to another dug out a few feet away, and a piece dropped on the same place where I had been sitting a few seconds before. I have the piece in my possession to this day and hope to show it to you when I get my leave. 

Private W. Willis Farrance writes "We have just arrived at our first stopping place after leaving the trenches, and your parcel, which I received safely on Christmas Eve, was very welcome. We did full justice to the to the good things enclosed, and they were soon polished off. Thanks very much for the woollies. They were very welcome, as the weather has been somewhat wintry. We had a quiet time in the trenches, and there were no casualties among the Garston Boys: in fact the Battalion had very few casualties. We are now resting behind the line, and await our next turn in the trenches. When it will be we cannot say. Things on the Western Front are now very quiet, and there is practically nothing doing. I suppose you know there was no Christmas truce this year, as in some portions of the line we have been preparing warm times for them by way of a change. Wishing you all a peaceful and prosperous New Year".          

On 19^th June 1916 he was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.

Willis was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, aged 22.

18^th Battalion Diary:

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks. 

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

His death was reported in the Runcorn Guardian:

"Lance Corporal W Willis Farrance was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs G Farrance of Gladstone Road, Garston and was on the staff of Messrs Mortons prior to joining the Pals in 1914. He was struck down in the grand charge on the 01st July and killed instantly". 

Despite the testimony of Private Shimmin it appears that Willis' body was subsequently lost as 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.”

Probate:- 

Willis is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 64

Victoria School, Grassendale which is now preserved in St Mary Parish Church, Cressington Park, Liverpool

Garston war Memorial, Garston

St Michael's Parish Church, Church Road, Garston. 

William’s elder brother, George Thomas, enlisted in Liverpool on 03^rd September 1914 also joining the 18^th Battalion but only 3 weeks later was discharged as “not likely to become a proficient soldier” with no further explanation.  However, it appears from the newspaper article that he re-enlisted and joined the 1st Scots Guards. George lived until 1961.

Willis' father died, aged 74, in 1929 and was buried at Allerton Cemetery on the 19^th December 1929 on the anniversary of his daughter Agnes' death.  

His mother died, aged 72, in 1933. 

We currently have no further information on William Willis Farrance, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.