Sgt 21501 Robert Glyn Griffith

• Age: 26
• From: Everton, 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.

Robert Glyn (Bob) Griffith was born on 19th January 1890 in Liverpool to Samuel Griffiths and his wife Elizabeth Ann (nee Owen). Samuel was born in Chester, and Elizabeth in Liverpool. They married on the 31st August 1869 at St Peter's Church, Everton. Samuel was a 23 year old printer of 11 Netherfield Road South, father John a grocer, whilst Elizabeth was aged 21 of the same address, father Richard a tailor. Bob was the tenth of their eleven children, and the youngest son.

In the Census of 1891, the family are living at 103 Dacy Road, Everton. Samuel is 45 and working as a printer, his wife Elizabeth is 42. The 1 year old Robert has 8 older siblings – Elizabeth aged 20, John aged 19 who was a printers assistant as was 17 year old Samuel, Emmeline 13, William 10, Edith 8, Harry 6 and Lydia 4.

By 1901 the family have moved to 121 St Domingo Vale. His father, 55, is a general printer and employer. His mother is 52.  They have eight children at home. They have another child Nellie aged 8. Their son William, aged 20, is working as an elementary school teacher and Harry 16, is a clerk at a provisions merchant. Robert is 11. Also in the  household is nephew William Henry Griffith, 19, born in Chester. 

Bob was baptised when he was 18 years old on 30th March 1908, in Holy Trinity, Walton Breck Road, together with Edith Annie, 25, and Harry Dudley, 23. At the time the family lived at 65 Rockfield Road, and his father's occupation was given as master printer.

In the 1911 Census the family are recorded as living at 65 Rockfield Street. His father is 65, a letterpress printer and employer, his mother is 62. They advise that they have had 11 children, one of whom, Beatrice, born in 1876, sadly died aged 8. Only three children are now living at home Harry 26, a provision merchant's clerk, Nellie aged 18 with no occupation listed and Robert 21, who is an elementary school teacher. Their parents Samuel and Elizabeth are recorded as having had 11 children, one of whom, Beatrice, born in 1876, sadly died aged 8.

Robert was an assistant master at St Anne’ School, Stanley, Liverpool. He was also well known as a member of the Aliens Rugby Football Club as well as obtaining repute as an artiste, he was a pupil of the Liverpool School of Art.

He enlisted on the 13th September 1914 at Liverpool and gave his age as 24 years and 6 months and his occupation as a teacher. He said he had served an apprenticeship which expired in 1908 and previously served four years in the Territorials. He was described as being five feet seven inches tall, weighed 116lbs, 36" chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. His next of kin was father, Samuel, of 243 Lower Breck Road, later amended to his sister Nelly, of 11 Elsie Road, Anfield.  

Formed on 7^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. 

19.9.14: Promoted to Corporal.

4.3.15: Promoted to Sergeant.

7.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

26.5.16-4.6.16: Granted leave to UK (probably for his father’s funeral). His father died suddenly on 13th May 1916, aged 70 (Bob would have received the news before he was killed) and his mother in April the following year aged 68.

His father's death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on Monday 15 May 1916: 

GRIFFITH—May 13, suddenly, aged 70 years, Samuel, the beloved husband of Elizabeth Ann Griffith, 243, Lower Breck-road (P.M. Alliance Lodge 667 and member Mariners' Chapter). (Funeral arrangements later. Friends please accept this -the only- intimation.)  

07.6.16: Rejoined battalion after leave.

His military record shows qualification: grenadier which meant that he  had trained in how to throw hand grenades and fire rifle grenades.

Bob was killed in action on the 30th July 1916 at the village of Guillemont, France, aged 26, during the Somme Offensive.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

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.    

A report in the Liverpool Echo on 01st September 1916 described how Bob was killed:

“SILENCED MACHINE GUN

- How Liverpool Schoolmaster was Killed – 

“Sergeant Griffith, who was for eight years an assistant master at St. Anne’s School, Stanley, has been killed in action.  He was well known as a member of the Aliens Rugby Football club and had obtained much repute as an artiste; he was a pupil of the Liverpool School of Art.  A comrade describes his death as follows: - Some of the platoon had been mown down by a German machine gun, which was enfilading from the right flank.  Sergeant Griffith mustered a few men, who, to his shout of, “Come on, boys”, dashed at the enemy and wiped the squad out, not without, however, the loss of the sergeant, who fell mortally wounded.  He was noticed to be lying alongside a German officer.  Brave little Bob Griffith!  I take my cap off to his memory.” 

Bob's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost, his name is recorded 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 family were notified about three weeks after his death, placing notices in the local newspaper on 21st and 22nd August:

"July 30, killed in action, aged 26 years, Sergeant Robert G. (Bob) Griffith (Pals), late of 243 Lower Breck Road. - From Lizzie and Pip."

"July 30, killed in action, aged 26 years, Sergeant Robert G. (Bob) Griffith (Pals), late of 243 Lower Breck Road. (Sadly missed by Mother, Sisters, and Brothers.)"

His outstanding Army pay went to his brother John Richard. The War Gratuity of £11-10s went to his brother Harry, who was granted probate, effects of £34-11s-3d.

GRIFFITH Robert Glyn of 243 Lower Breck Road, Anfield Liverpool Sergeant 19 Battalion the King's Liverpool regiment died 30 July 1916 in France Administration (with Will) Liverpool 27 March to Harry Dudley Griffith provision merchants salesman. Effects £34 11s 3d. 

No application for a pension has been found, as his parents had died, and Bob had no dependents.

Bob earned his three medals which were issued in the name of Griffiths and were returned for adjustment. These medals together with his Memorial Plaque, were found offered for auction in 2014 for £180-£220.

In 1919 Nellie provided information on Bob's living relatives: she and Elizabeth lived in Liverpool, his other sisters were married and lived in Wallasey. His three brothers were married, Richard lived in Cheltenham, and William and Harry in Liverpool. Samuel had died.

In October 1919 the Imperial War Graves Commission enquiry received an enquiry concerning the location of Bob's grave, which was forwarded to Infantry Records. Their response is not recorded.

Bob is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Anne’s School, Stanley, Liverpool. Bob's sister Lydia erected the memorial in his memory:

"This tablet was erected by Lydia M. Sturgeon, in memory of her brother Sergt Robt. Glyn Griffith, who was a teacher in this school, buried in some corner of a foreign field that is forever England" 

Sefton RUFC

Liverpool's Hall of Remembrance, Panel 47 Right

St. Anne's Church, Stanley, Liverpool.

We currently have no further information on Robert (Bob) Glyn Griffith. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.