Pte 21706 Francis John Parsons

• Age: 27
• From: Southwark, London
• 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.

Francis John Parsons was born in 1889 in Southwark, Surrey the son of Francis John Parsons and his wife Elizabeth (nee Munns). He was baptised in St. Andrew’s, Newington, on 07th April 1889, his parents at that time living at 41 Surrey Square, and his father’s occupation given as tailor’s assistant. His parents married in Southwark on the 7th April 1888 at St Andrew, New Kent Road. Francis was a 24 year old tailor of 82 Great Bland St, father James deceased, whilst Elizabeth was aged 22 of 54 Alice St, father Frederick a plasterer. Frank was the eldest of six children. He had brothers Harold, Arthur, and Frederick, and sisters Gertrude and Leonora. 

In 1891 the family are living at 198 Ford Road, Bermondsey. 

His father is aged 27, a tailor and canvasser, mother is aged 25.  They have two children; Francis is two years old, and Harold E. 1. 

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 7 Farnworth Street, West Derby, Liverpool.

Francis is 12 years of age and is living with his parents. His father Francis is shown as a Tailors Cutter born in Sidbury, Devon in 1864 whilst his mother Elizabeth was born in Bermondsey, Surrey in 1866. Also present are Francis John's siblings; Harold E. b 1891 in Southwark, Gertrude A. b. 1894 Sheffield, Arthur L. b.1896 Pontypool, Leonora b.1901 Birmingham. Also present is a boarder.

By 1911 the family are still at 7 Farnworth Street. Both parents are present in the household, father Francis is aged 47, a tailors cutter, mother Elizabeth is aged 45 and they have been married for 23 years,and have 6 children. Francis John is now 22 years of age and an Oil importer's Clerk. Also present are siblings; Harold Edward 20, Gertrude Alice 17, Arthur Leonard 15, Leonora Elizabeth 10 and Frederick Charles 4, b.1907 in Liverpool.   

Later in 1911 his father went into partnership (as Parsons & Wade), and the family lived above the business premises at 160 Kensington. 

His brother Arthur died at the age of 18 in October 1914.

He enlisted under the name Frank on the 14th November 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 21706. He gave his age as twenty five years and 180 days. He stated he had previously served in the 5th King's Liverpool Territorials. He was five feet four and a quarter inch tall, weighed 125lbs, with a sallow complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and gave his father as next of kin at 160 Kensington. 

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:

12.7.15: At Belton Park: Late for fatigues. Admonished and no pass for a week.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion from Folkestone. 

Frank was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 27, at the village of Guillemont, France, 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.  

Frank was initially declared Missing in Action. His parents appealed for information in the Liverpool Echo on 23rd August 1916:

“Private F.J. Parsons of the “Pals”, believed to have been wounded on July 31 [sic], is missing”

They appealed again on 06th October 1916. 

After a year of uncertainty and suffering his parents learned that his death was assumed, for official purposes, as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

Frank's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

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.”

In the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading ‘Lost At The Battle of Guillemont’ his family paid tribute to Frank on the first anniversary of his death:

“Reported missing July 30, 1916, now officially reported killed in action on that date, Private Frank J. Parsons, K.L.R., (Pals), eldest son of Francis and Elizabeth Parsons, 160, Kensington. – Deeply mourned and sadly missed by his Parents, Brothers, and Sisters.”

On the anniversary of his death in 1920 his family placed an In Memoriam notice:

“In loving memory of Frank Parsons, 21706, K.L.R., who was reported missing at Guillemont, July 30, 1916, afterwards presumed killed on that date.  Deeply mourned by his Parents and Brothers and Sisters.”

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to his father.  The pension card in the name of his mother does not specify the amount awarded.  His sister Leonora also applied for a pension, which was refused on the grounds of her having attained the age of 16 (i.e., not being a dependent).

His brother Harold was Commissioned in July 1917 as 2nd Lt. in the Machine Gun Corps.  He was awarded the Military Cross which was reported in October 1918:

“Second Lieutenant H. E. Parsons, M.G.C., has been awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during two days of intense fighting in command of four guns, which were under continuous gas shell and shell fire of very heavy calibres.  Two of his team were put out of action but he remained with the other two in position until he was practically surrounded and forced to retire.  He then took up fresh positions at company headquarters, and continued to inflict heavy losses on the enemy.  Finally he was wounded, but remained in command of his guns.  His fearlessness and coolness under most trying circumstances offered a splendid example to his men.  He joined the Army (K.L.R.) with his brother, who was lost in the Somme battle, and prior to that he lived with his parents at 160, Kensington, Liverpool.”

Frank is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Christ Church Parishioners, Kensington, Liverpool

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 52.

His parents later lived at 64 Saxony Road, where his father died at 65 in 1929, and was buried at Allerton Cemetery on the 21st February. His mother died in 1935 aged 70. 

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