Pte 17933 George Turner O'Keeffe

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: VI.A.5

George Turner O’Keeffe was born on 16th January 1893 in Liverpool, the son of John O'Keeffe and his wife Emma (née Turner). He was baptised on 12th February 1893 in St. Peter’s Church, Liverpool, his parents’ residence given as Clare Street, and his father’s occupation as die sinker (someone who engraves dies for stamping coins, medals, etc.). His parents married in 1873; George was the youngest of nine children, of whom eight were boys:  John Edward, Henry (who died at age 5), Francis Turner, William (died before his first birthday), Jennie Charlotte, Robert Turner, Stephen, and Thomas Arthur (who died at the age of 8). 

The family had lived in Clare Street since at least 1891 (when the only daughter Jennie was living with her grandmother, Jane Turner, in Morpeth Street).

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 11 Clare Street, Liverpool.

George's father, John is aged 50, born in Liverpool in 1851 and occupation die sinker., whilst his mother, Emma is aged 47, born 1854 in Liverpool. They have four sons. Francis aged 22, born 1879, who like his father is also a die sinker, Robert aged 15, born 1886 is an apprentice die sinker, Stephen aged 12, born 1889 and George aged 8, born 1893. The children were born in Liverpool except for Robert who was born in Egremont, Cheshire. Jennie, 17, is still with her grandmother in Morpeth Street. 

The 1911 Census shows George living at 67 Alderson Road Wavertree Liverpool.

The household consists of Jane Turner who is aged 79, born in Liverpool in 1832. Also at the address is Florence Mayall aged 28, born 1883 and Jennie MacGee (possibly his sister) aged 27, born 1884 both granddaughters, George her grandson aged 17, born 1894 and occupation Scenic Artist and Sybil Mayall aged 6, born 1905 her great grandaughter. 

His parents are still living at 11 Clare Street, Liverpool with his four brothers; John E.  aged 35 who was not shown at the family home during the 1901 Census. He was born in 1876 and is a postman, Frank 27, Robert 24 and Samuel Stephen, 21 (probably recorded as Stephen on 1901 Census) all three are employed as die sinkers.  

George enlisted in Liverpool on 02nd September 1914 as Private 17933, 3rd City Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment (19th Bn).  He gives his age as 22 years and 228 days, and his occupation as scenic artist. He states he has completed a three-year apprenticeship with Fred Wilkins, of Duke Street. He is described as being 5’7” tall, weighing 120 lbs, 36” chest, with good physical development, a sallow complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He states he lives with his grandmother in Alderson Road, Wavertree, and gives as next of kin his father at 9 Carter Street.  He gives his religion as Unitarian.  

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.

Whilst at Knowsley on 23rd January 1915, he was admonished for being absent from 7:15 a.m. parade.

He was three days confined to barracks for two days’ absence from 14th to 16th March 1915. 

On 09th October 1915 at Larkhill, he was again confined to barracks for three days for being absent from evening stables.

George shipped to France with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 07th November 1915.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916 aged 22 during the attack on the village of Guillemont which was part of the ongoing 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.     

According to his service record George was initially reported as Missing in Action on 18th October 1916.  However, his name was among those listed in John Bull magazine on 30th September 1916 in the Missing Men column, “news welcomed”.  His CWGC record gives date of death as 30th July 1916. This discrepancy cannot be explained.  It wasn’t until August 1917 that the War Office declared him, for official purposes, as having died on or since 18th October 1916.

George was buried close to where he fell and after the war, when graves were concentrated, his body was removed and reinterred. George now rests at Guillemont Road Cemetery, France. 

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries, including:-

HARDECOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY. The village of Hardecourt-au-Bois was captured by French troops on the 8th July 1916, and again by the 58th (London) and 12th (Eastern) Divisions on 28 August 1918. Five British Artillerymen were buried by their unit in the French Military Cemetery, in the middle of the village, in September 1916; and in 1918 the 12th Division buried in the same cemetery 14 men of the 9th Royal Fusiliers and two of the 7th Royal Sussex.

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

George earned his three medals.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £9 went to his father (Soldiers’ Effects also gives his date of death presumed on or since 18/10/1916).

No pension card has been found.

George was remembered on his birthday in 1918:

“O’Keeffe - In loving birthday remembrance of George, killed in action July 30, 1916, K.L.R.  Fondly remembered by Jennie.”

His father died in 1925, aged 74,  

Liverpool Daily Post - Wednesday 30 December 1925 

O’KEEFFE - At his residence, 9 Carter Street, Princes Road, in his 75th year, JOHN, late principal of John O'Keefe and Son of Thomas Street and Claire Street. Interment at Smithtown Road Cemetery, today (Wednesday) at 10 a.m. 

His mother died on the 19th July 1939 at the age of 85, she was living with son Stephen. 

Liverpool Daily Post - Saturday 22 July 1939 

O'KEEFFE—JuIy 19, at 42 Borella Road, EMMA, beloved wife of the late John O’Keeffe. Interment at Smithdown Road Cemetery, to-day (Saturday), 10 a.m. (No flowers, by her own request.) 

George is commemorated on his grandmother’s headstone in Toxteth Park Cemetery:- 

ALSO 

Private George O'Keefe of the 3rd K.L.R. Pals, 

Grandson of the above,  

Who was K.I.A in July 1916,  

At Guillemont, France. 

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