Pte 23144 Arthur Poole

• Age: 26
• From: Northwich, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Arthur Poole was born in Northwich, Cheshire on 23rd August 1889, the son of Edgar Poole and his wife Elizabeth (née Mills) who were married on the 14th March 1882 at St Paul's Church, Dane Bridge, Northwich. He was baptised on 03rd October 1889 in Witton-cum-Twambrooks, Northwich.

On the 1891 Census the family is found at 5 Meadow Street, Northwich. His father is aged 30 and works as a cabinet maker, mother Elizabeth is 29. They have Samuel, aged 7, and Arthur, one year old. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 16 John Street, Northwich, Cheshire. Arthur's father, Edgar, is aged 50, born in Northwich in 1861, his occupation is listed as a stationary engine driver, whilst his mother, Elizabeth, is aged 50, born in Northwich in 1861, she has no occupation listed. They have been married for twenty nine years and have had eleven children of which four had died. Those children recorded on the Census as living at home are; Samuel aged 27, born 1884 is a ships carpenter, Arthur aged 21, is a grocer’s shop assistant, Adina aged 17, born 1894 is a domestic servant, William aged 15, born 1896 is an apprentice bricklayer, Catherine aged 12, born 1899 and Annie aged 11, born 1900 are at school and Edna is aged 7, born 1904.

He enlisted in Liverpool on 09th November 1914 joining the 20^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 23144. He gave his age as 25 years and 3 months, and his occupation as grocer. He is described as being 5’4 and a half inches, weighing 161 lbs, 39" chest with a fresh complexion, brown eyes, and light dark brown hair. He gives as next of kin his father Edgar, at 5 Church Walk, Northwich, and states his religion as C of E.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th 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 served in No.4 Company and shipped to France with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 07th November 1915. 

His service records show:

01/04/1916 attached to Divisional Anti-Gas School

14/04/1916 rejoined unit

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

30th July 1916

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 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. 

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.

His death was reported in the Crewe Chronicle on Saturday 26 August 1916: 

PTE. ARTHUR POOLE “GOES UNDER.” 

NORTHWICH FAMILY’S BEREAVEMENT.  

Unofficial intimation was received on Thursday week, together with a message of sympathy, from the King and Queen, that still another Northwich boy has given his life for his country, and still another respected Northwich family is bereaved. The soldier in question is Pte Arthur Poole, aged 26, son of Mr and Mrs Edgar Poole of 5 Church Walk, a member of the King’s Liverpool (“Pals”) Regiment. The first intimation that anything was wrong was received on Monday from Pte H. Billington, a comrade, who reported that Arthur was missing and that his officer was wounded alongside of him. Another comrade, Joe Fletcher, of Halton, had also been wounded and is now in hospital in Birmingham. Pte Poole is an old Witton National schoolboy, and his name figures on the school roll of honour. He took part in the school swimming competition for the Mid-Cheshire Shield, and was dearly liked by his fellow scholars. Later he entered the service of the Winnington Co-operative Society, and there, too, his honesty of purpose and dependability made him very popular amongst his colleagues. some three or four years ago he entered the service of the Ellesmere Port Co-operative Society, and was under-manager when the war broke out. The call of his country found a ready response in Pte Poole’s case, and he enlisted in the early stages of the war. He has been in the fighting line for nine months, and accepted the hardship of the campaign with splendid cheerfulness. His health will occasion widespread regret throughout the Northwich District, where he and his father are so well known. The young soldier's father is Mr Edgar Poole, an old employee of Messrs. Brunner Mond and Co., member of the committee of the works sick club, a veteran volunteer who holds the long service medal, an old Northwich fireman, a member of the Northwich Victoria F.C. committee. To him and to Mrs Poole and family the deepest sympathy is extended in their trial. Another son, Pte William Poole, a member of the Cheshire Regiment, has been fighting since February, 1915. Mr Poole has received the following letter from Mr A. Daniel's, hon. secretary of the Northwich Hospital Saturday Committee:- “On behalf of the above committee, and myself personally, we desire to tender to you, your wife and family, our most sincere sympathy in the loss you have all sustained by the death of your dear son, who lost his life in nobly fighting for his country in the cause of justice and righteousness. May the good God, in His loving kindness and great mercy help you to bear your heavy burden. It is indeed sad, but we can only say ‘Thy will be done.’ God bless all of you in your sadness and send his blessings on you.” 

Arthur’s name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Killed in Action published on 09th September 1916:

King’s (Liverpools) - Poole, 23144, A. (Northwich); .

His body was not recovered from the battlefield 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.”

He earned his three medals.

His Army pay  of £4 5s 4d and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to his father. His mother was awarded a gratuity in lieu of a pension in February 1917.

His parents suffered further tragedy when his younger brother William was killed in action on 13th May 1917 with the 5th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. William had joined the Territorials before the war and had been in France since 14th February 1915. Like Arthur, he has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing.

On the first anniversary of Arthur’s death his parents placed an In Memoriam notice in the Chester Chronicle and Nantwich Guardian: 

“In loving memory of our dear son, Private Arthur Poole, King’s L.R., killed in action July 30th, 1916, aged 26 years.

  Sleep on, thou mighty dead,

    In a grave unmarked but holy.

  The broad blue sky above thee spread,

    And warriors shout above thee.

Sadly missed by father, mother, brother, and sisters. Church Walk, Northwich.”

In 1919 his parents are still at 5 Church Walk, with Catherine 21, Anne 19, and Edna 16. Samuel, 34, lives in Liverpool, and Adina, 24, is in Langley House, Manchester (which was a hospital during the war).

His mother died in 1927, aged 65. 

Her death was reported in the Northwich Chronicle on Saturday 05 February 1927: 

DEATH OF MRS E. POOLE, NORTHWICH.  

—The death occurred, on Saturday, of Mrs, E. Poole, wife of Mr. Edgar Poole, of 5 Church-walk, Northwich. Mrs. Poole, who was 65, had been in failing health for some time, and her death caused much sorrow amongst a large circle of friends. Mrs. Poole was of a very likeable disposition, and was closely associated with Witton Church. Mr. Poole is one of the oldest employees of Messrs. Brunner Mond and Co., at Winnington, and has done excellent work for many years on the Northwich Workingmen Hospital Society Committee, of which he was at one time president. There are one son and four daughters. 

 His father died in 1930, aged 69.

Arthur and William are both remembered on the Northwich War Memorial and on the War Memorial at St Helen’s Church, Northwich. 

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