11526 Lance-Corporal Charles Henry Phillips, 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, killed in action 23 July 1916, near High Wood

11526 Lance-Corporal Charles Henry Phillips, 2^nd Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, killed in action 23 July 1916, near High Wood

Charles Henry Phillips was born and lived in Morley, in Yorkshire. An Old Contemptible, as 11526 Pte C H Phillips he disembarked in France on 15 August 1914 with the 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers and would have served with the BEF in 1914 at the crucial early battles of Le Cateau and on the Aisne. In 1915 the battalion fought at Hill 60 in the Ypres salient and was then transferred to the Somme sector. There in July 1916 the battalion fought in an area between Morval and High Wood, and was part of the attacks on High Wood between 20 and 25 July 1916.

Pte Phillips was wounded in action in 1914 whilst serving with ‘A’ Company*, being reported as wounded on the Casualty List issued by the War Office for 22 September 1914. He was aged 19 at the time, with one year of service. He had been admitted, under the admission number 115, to 4^th Stationary Hospital on 17 September, most probably having been injured a couple of days prior, possibly when the battalion was crossing the Aisne at Missy on 14 September. He was under treatment for just under a fortnight for a gun shot wound to the right ear, being returned to duty on 30 September.

Whilst on the Somme, the 2nd Battalion, as part of the 13th Brigade of the 5th Division in XV Corps (General Watts), was engaged in the following places:

17 July : Meaulte (battle billets).

19 July : In front line between Bazentin-le-Grand and Longueval (old German second line).

20 July : Attack and taking of road leading from southern corner of High Wood to Longueval by A & D companies: 124 other rank casualties. Relieved at 3.30am 21/07 by 14^th Royal Warwicks).

21 July : Bazentin-le-Grand area again (old German second line).

22-23 July : night attack on Wood Lane, part of German switch line, A & D companies leading the assault for the battalion, which was in turn supporting the 1^st Royal West Kents. The 1^st Royal West Kents reached part of their objective, as did one platoon of ‘D’ Company but both were forced to withdraw to the former British line on the road by heavy German fire. The battalion suffered 110 other rank casualties, including 29 missing. Relieved from positions at 9pm and withdrew to bivouac in Pommiers Redoubt.

24th July : Pommiers Redoubt.

L-Cpl Phillips’ death was presumed on or after Sunday 23rd July 1916. He appears likely to have been one of the 29 missing casualties in the attack on Wood Lane on the 22nd/23rd.  A Red Cross enquiry was later made by a Mrs Rebecca Phillips, receiving a negative response. Charles was listed as "Missing" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office for 27 August 1916. L-Cpl Phillips’ remains were found at 57.c.S.4.b.3.3., and he was later buried and is now commemorated at Serre Road Cemetery n°2. Plot XXXIX. Row A. 11. His financial effects of £15 14s and 2s 6d and War Gratuity of £11 were split between his mother, Mrs Rebecca Shackleton, and his brother William Phillips and sister, Mrs Edith Brook. A claim for a pension was later made by Charles’ stepfather, William Henry Shackleton of 28 Bond Street, Hunslet, Leeds.

*The entry for him in the admissions and discharge book of the 4^th Stationary Hospital seems to suggest that he was serving with the 1^st KOSB, however this must be a mistake as the 1^st battalion was not in theatre at this point

47637 Cpl Thomas Mack, X/2 Trench Mortar Battery, Died of Wounds 27 Oct 16

47637 Cpl Thomas Mack, X/2 Trench Mortar Battery, Died of Wounds 27 Oct 16

Thomas Mack was born in Westport, County Mayo. He lived in Croydon and Tottenham, and Soldiers Died on the Great War suggests he enlisted at Holloway. He served as 47637 Cpl T Mack in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He entered the France and Flanders theatre of war on a base detail on 6 June 1915, as a Gunner, and was accordingly entitled to the 1915 Star. By late 1916 he was in the rank of Corporal, serving with X/2* [Medium] Trench Mortar Battery, 2nd Division. The medium batteries had joined the division in April 1916. By October 1916 the 2nd Division, which had been sent into battle on the Somme in July, was preparing for the Battle of the Ancre, the divisional artillery and trench Mortar batteries being particularly employed in cutting the enemy's wire in front of his defences, preparatory to an assault. On 25 October 1916 Cpl Mack was severely wounded, suffering several gun shot wounds (army term for any penetrating wound). The X/2 Divisional Trench Mortar Battery War Diary for October 1916 contains a reference to Cpl Mack: "25/10/16. No. of rds fired 22. Corp Mack wounded. Gnr Ballantyne 'shock'. Retaliation light." Corporal Mack was admitted to hospital (number 3 Casualty Clearing Station**) on 25 October 1916 under Index Number Of Admission T12469. This record also confirms that he was serving with X.2 Trench Mortar Battery at the time of admission. Cpl Mack died of wounds on 27 October 1916 whilst in the care of the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station, which had come to Puchevillers along with the 44th CCS in June 1916, just prior to the opening of the Battle of the Somme. He is buried at PUCHEVILLERS BRITISH CEMETERY, plot V., row E. grave 20., Somme, France, one of 1763 casualties commemorated there. As a former Croydon resident he also appears in 'Croydon and The Great War' under the Croydon Roll of Honour, whilst as an Irishman by birth he also appears on Ireland's Memorial Rolls. His financial effects, including £9 10s War Gratuity, went to his sole legatee, Bert Adkin, in 1920.

*His entry in the register of soldiers' effects has 'Y' TMB, but other records show 'X'

**TNA reference MH106/328

15103 Pte A.W.WRIGHT, 17th Battalion, King’s (Liverpool Regiment, killed in action 3 July 1916

15103 Pte A.W.WRIGHT, 17th Battalion, King’s (Liverpool Regiment, killed in action 3 July 1916

Alan William Wright was the son of WILLIAM HENRY and MARGARET ELIZABETH WRIGHT, of "REDCOT," 17, BEACH LAWN, Waterloo, LIVERPOOL. He was born on 28 October just1894 in Liverpool.

An original 'Liverpool Pal', he would have joined up by 2 September 1914 and, as 15103 Pte A.W.WRIGHT he served with the 17th Battalion of the King's (Liverpool Regiment. The 17th (1st City) was the first of the Liverpool Pals battalions to be raised by Lord Derby, being formed at Liverpool on 29 August 1914. The 17th Battalion was part of the 89th Brigade, 30th Division. He entered the France and Flanders theatre of war on 11 November 1915. Alan was aged 22 when officially recorded as killed in action on 3 July 1916. (Although it is of note that information published by the family at the time indicates thatl they understood him to have been killed on 1 July 1916.) Having successfully taken the Dublin Trench part of the defensive system, as the battalion contribution to the capture of Montauban on 1 July, on this date the battalion was in the line in Dublin Trench to the east of Montauban. At 9pm on 3 July the 27th Infantry Brigade successfully attacked the adjacent Bernafay Wood. The battalion's casualties for the day were 8 other ranks killed and 24 wounded, Alan being one of these.

A record on Lives of the First World War provides the following information, along with a photograph of Pte Wright:

"IN MEMORY OF ALAN WILLIAM WRIGHT FROM MANCHESTER BORN 28TH OCTOBER 1894 A PUPIL AT KING WILLIAM’S COLLEGE, ISLE OF MAN 1908 - 1911 KILLED IN ACTION BY A SHELL DURING THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME 3RD JULY 1916 AGED 21".

His financial effects of £6 3 10 and War Gratuity of £8 10 were sent, in 1916 and 1919 respectively, to the administrator of his estate, Dr William H Wright.

Having no known grave, Pte Wright is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 1 D 8 B and 8 C.

Image: Lord Kitchener inspecting troops in front of St George's Hall, Liverpool, on 20 March 1915.