L/Cpl 17580 Ernest Forrest

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Ernest Forrest was born in Liverpool on 28th February 1890, the son of Edward Forrest and his wife Margaret (nee Woolley). Edward was born in Preston, Lancashire, and Margaret in Swansea, Wales. When they married on the 24th Nov 1887 at St Mary, Birkenhead his father, Edward, was a widower with three sons: Edward, Alfred, and William. Edward was aged 46, a bottler, father Edward a master carter, whilst Margaret was aged 38, father William a painter, they both lived at 11 Herbert Place. His original marriage to Elizabeth Brew took place on the 27th July 1867 at St Peter Liverpool. Elizabeth died in 1883 aged 35, address 6 Queensland St. 

Ernest was baptised in St Peter's Church on the same day as his baby brother Arthur who was born in October 1891. Their father is recorded as a mineral water manufacturer.

At the time of the 1891 census at 145 Albert Edward Rd, Edge Hill, Liverpool.

His father is aged 48, a soda water manufacturer, mother is 41.  Half-brother Alfred, 20, is a carter, William is 12, and Ernest is one year old. 

On the 1901 Census at the same address his father, a mineral water manufacturer/employer, is 58, his mother is 51. William is 23, and a pianoforte tuner working on his own account. Ernest is 11, Arthur 9, and Margaret 7. They also have a servant Alice Hughes 25. 

His father, Edward Forrest, died in 1903, aged 60, and was buried on the 7th June at West Derby Cemetery. 

His mother, Margaret died in 1904 aged 54, and was buried on the 16th Feb at West Derby Cemetery. 

The 1911 census finds Ernest, 21, working as a bookkeeper and collector for an estate agency, lodging at 118 Gladstone Road, Edge Hill.  Arthur, 19, a bricklayer's labourer, is  boarding in Wavertree, and Margaret, 17, a ladies' companion, is boarding in Edge Hill.

Ernest enlisted on 11th September 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 19^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 17580 and served in No.2 Company. He gave his age as 24 years and 210 days and his occupationas a clerk. He was described as being five feet five and half inches tall, weighed 122lbs, 35” chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and gave his sister Margaret, c/o 205 Alderson Road, Wavertree as his next of kin. 

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation 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.

His service records show:

03.9.15: At Belton Park, Grantham: Creating a disturbance in the Company Barrack Room after "lights out". Eight days confined to barracks.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion. 

17.11.5: Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.

25.2.16: Sick to 98th Field Ambulance and admitted with laryngitis.

07.3.16: Discharged to unit.

19.3.16: Appointed acting paid Lance Corporal.

16.4.16: Sick to Field Ambulance.

18.4.16: Admitted to 55 Field Ambulance with Myalgia.

18.4.16: Appointed paid Lance Corporal.

21.4.16: Discharged.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 26, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. Although it took over a year to notify the family that Ernest had been killed.

19^th Battalion Diary 

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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.   

His Casualty Form shows that he was initially reported as Wounded, to Field Ambulance, and subsequently Wounded and Missing. His name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Wounded published in the Liverpool newspaper on 11th September 1916 (two years to the day from when he enlisted), but reported Wounded and Missing on 30th September 1916.

The Liverpool Echo of 30th July 1917 carried an anguished appeal for information:

WOUNDED AND MISSING. Lance-corporal E- Forrest, K.L.R.. posted as missing since July 30, 1916. Any news would be gratefully received his sister and brother at 65, Singleton-avenue, Birkenhead. 

An enquiry was made with the International Red Cross by Mrs. M. Stileman (crossed out, replaced with Asst. Hon. Sec.), Headquarters, 1, Gambier Terrace, Liverpool. (This was the location of the Women's War Service Bureau which assisted soldiers and their families). The ICRC enquiry form also shows the address Branch Depot 75 Bold Street (which was a branch of the Women's War Service). A reply was sent on 11th June 1917 that they held no information on Ernest.

It took until 1918 to notify the family that Ernest had been killed as a subsequent notice from the family confirmed their worst fears:

FORREST - Lance Corporal E. FORREST (3rd Pals) wounded and missing July 30, 1916, now reported killed in action, late of 208 Alderson-road, Wavertree; Member Hamer Lodge "Masonic"- Never forgotten by his sister Maggie. 

Ernest's body was not recovered or 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.”

He earned his three medals, which went to Margaret. Arthur received the Memorial Plaque and Scroll. 

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his sister, who was awarded a gratuity in lieu of a pension in May 1917, then living at 66 Singleton Avenue, the home of half-brother William.

Probate was granted in 1918, effects of £52-2s-7d to Margaret.

In 1919 Margaret, 25, provided information on Ernest's living relatives. She was working in Southport, and could be contacted through the Refreshment Room, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, Southport. Arthur, 27, lived in Amlwch, Anglesey. Alfred, 46, lived in Liverpool and William, 41, in Birkenhead. By 1920 Margaret was again living with William in Birkenhead.

Ernest Gilbert Forrest is commemorated on the Masonic Memorial in the Masonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool.  (No other records show a middle name. A Freemason Membership register shows Ernest Gilbert Forrest, a 25-year old estate agent, initiated in March 1912 in Hamer Lodge, West Lancashire, and appears to show date of death as May 1916.) 

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