L/Cpl 16917 Leonard Malley

• Age: 23
• From: 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.

16917 L/Corporal Leonard MALLEY, 18^th Battalion, KLR.

Leonard was born in 1893 at 7 Joshua Street, Liverpool and was the eldest of eight children born to William Charles Malley, and his wife Mary Jane (nee Treble) who were married on the Christmas Day 1892 at St Saviour's Church, Everton. William was a 26 year old pawnbroker of 77 Premier Street, father William, whilst Mary was aged 21 of 38 Downing Street, father William.

He was baptised on 25th June 1893 in the Church of St George, Everton, Liverpool.

Leonard was educated at Claughton Higher Grade school and from there he went to work with his father in his pawnbrokers shop in Price Street, Birkenhead. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 36, Patten Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire. His father William Charles is aged 34, born in Liverpool in 1867 is a pawnbroker. His wife Mary Jane is aged 30, born 1871 in Liverpool and has no occupation listed.  They have four children at the time of the Census, Leonard aged 7, born 1894 in Liverpool, Lilian aged 5, born 1896, William aged 3, born 1898 and Elsie aged 1, born 1900, were all born in Birkenhead.  

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 8 Marlborough Grove Birkenhead, Cheshire. His father William Charles aged 44, is a pawnbroker and his wife Mary Jane is aged 40, and has no occupation listed.  They have been married for eighteen years and have eight children. Leonard aged 17 is assisting in the family pawn-broking business, Lilian aged 15 is a student, William Charles aged 13, born 1898 and Elsie aged 11, Martha aged 7 and John Price aged 5 are at school, George aged 2 and Mary Elizabeth born 1911. They have a domestic servant Margaret Jane Harris aged 16, born 1895 in Birkenhead living at the address.  

Leonard was mentioned in a report of a break in at the shop on Price Street in the Birkenhead and Cheshire Advertiser on the 05th October 1912 (with a similar case being reported on the 18th March 1914)  

MAN SMASHES PLATE GLASS WINDOW.  

At the Borough Police Court on Wednesday before Alderman T. N. Deakin and Mr. A. M. George Brown, 92 Church-street, was charged on remand with breaking into the shop of W. Charles Malloy on Sunday, stealing silver watches and other articles, value £3.   

Leonard Malley, 8 Marlborough-grove, assistant to Wm. Charles Malley, Price-street, gave evidence that he left the shop looked up at 11-40 p.m. on Saturday, the window then being unbroken. On Sunday he was called to the shop, where this window was broken, and a number of articles were missing. The articles produced were the property of his employer, and were valued at £2.  

Prisoner, who said “I plead guilty to stealing four watches from the pavement off the flags,” was ordered to take his trial at the Quarter Sessions. 

Leonard enlisted in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16917. He gave his age as 21 years and 100 days, and gave his occupation as a clerk and his next of kin as his father, living at  8 Marlborough Grove. He was five feet six inches tall, weighed 114lbs, 34” chest, fresh complexion, hazel coloured eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England.  

From the 23rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03rd 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. 

He embarked for France with his battalion on 07th November 1915, sailing on board the SS Invicta and disembarking in Boulogne.

After a period of training in which he specialised as a signaller coming top in his signalling exam, Leonard was appointed HQ signaller.

Between  25^th January and 7^th February 1916 to enhance his signalling capabilities he was attached to 20^th Signal Company for instruction and then attached to 21^st Brigade for signalling duties between 29^th April and the 1^st May.  On 1^st May 1916 he was appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid) and resumed with his unit.

Leonard was killed in action on the 01^st July 1916, aged 23, during the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

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 day’s 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. 

Leonard's death was reported in the Birkenhead News on 19th July 1916:

Lce-Corpl. Malley Killed.

"News has been received by Mr.Malley, of 8, Marlborough-grove, Birkenhead, that his eldest son Lance-Corporal Leonard Malley was killed in action on July 1st. The deceased soldier enlisted in the 18th Service Battalion K.L.R. (2nd "Pals") at the beginning of the war. He was educated at the Claughton Higher Grade School, and from there went to work for his father, who carries on a pawnbroker's business in Price-street. A short while ago he came out top in his signalling examination, and was made a headquarter signaller. Lance-Corporal Malley, who was 23 years of age, was the eldest of a family of eight. Another of Mr.Malley's sons, William, aged 18, is also serving." 

His family organised a Memorial service for him at Claughton Church, Claughton.

Birkenhead News 19th Aug 1916 

On Sunday afternoon a memorial service was conducted at Christ Church, Claughton by the vicar the Reverend G. Foster Carter M.AA., to the memory of Corpl. Leonard Malley, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Malley of 8 Marlborough Grove, Oxton. The young soldier was in the signalling section of the 2nd “Pal's,” and fell in the big push north of the Somme. The impressive service was well attended, the congregation including the members of the family and members of the YMCA were Corpl. Malley was a worker and a prominent member of the gymnasium. During the service the choir sang “On the Resurrection morning” and “Rock of Ages” while the Dead March in “Saul” was very impressively rendered by the organist. In the course of the short address the vicar made touching reference to the splendid character and devotion to duty of Corpl. Malley, who he said was confirmed whilst on active service. In a letter received by Mr and Mrs Malley, their son’s signalling officer states that the young fellow died gallantly standing by his company officers, the last of whom was shot just after he fell. The officer goes on to say that his loss will be greatly felt in the section for he was a friend. The letter concludes with the sentence:- “He was more to me than anyone in the section” - a touching tribute indeed, and one that will bring comfort to the parents of the brave young fellow of whom they were so justly proud. 

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and he 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 was granted in London on 22nd August 1916:- 

MALLEY Leonard of 8 Marlborough Grove Birkenhead Lance Corporal 18th Battalion Kings Liverpool regiment died 1 July 1916 in France on active service Administration London 22 August to William Charles Malley pawnbroker. Effects £157 14s 8d. 

Leonard is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Birkenhead War Memorial, Hamilton Square

Christ Church, Claughton, Wirral.

His father died a wealthy man, aged 59, on the 07th May 1926. 

MALLEY William Charles of 157 Price Street and 8 Marlborough Grove both in Birkenhead died 7 May 1926 at 8 Marlborough Grove Probate Liverpool 26 July to Mary J. Malley widow. Effects £7256 9s 7d. 

His mother, Mary, date of birth 04th February 1871, appears on the 1939 register at 72 Glenavon Road, Birkenhead with her children Mary E. and John P.

She died, aged 83, in 1954. 

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