L/Cpl 26540 Joseph Patrick Quinn

• Age: 31
• From: Liverpool
• 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.

Joseph married Rose Ellen Fagan on 07^th January 1913, at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Walton. Tragically, Rose died two years later, in January 1915, aged 28. She was buried on the 02nd February at Anfield Cemetery, her address is given as 59 Chatsworth Avenue, Aintree (her father John’s address). There is no record of any children. 

Joseph enlisted in Liverpool on 09th April 1915 joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 26540.

He had reached the rank of Lance Corporal when he was killed in action on 30th July 1916 at Guillemont: 

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.

The Liverpool Echo of 23rd August 1916 showed that Joseph had been reported as killed in action: 

REPORTED KILLED

Lance Corporal Joseph Quinn, "Pals" has been reported unofficially as killed. His relatives have received word from the War Office that he was reported wounded on July 30. Any information concerning him would be gratefully welcomed by his relatives at 2 Alexandra-road, Waterloo. Lance Corporal Quinn was in the employ of the Education Department of the Liverpool Corporation and was a member of his battalion's concert party.    

Confusion abounded following the Guillemont losses and Joe was also listed as wounded and subsequently as Missing; as such his name appeared in the list of wounded on 12^th September 1916, and  on thein the Liverpool Daily Post 09^th November 1916: 

Inquiries made from his Battalion in France, at length, elicited the following account of his death from Corporal G. E. Hemingway (though, officially, he was posted as “Wounded and Missing” by the Army Authorities, who did not issue official notification of his death until May 11^th 1917) :-

“Joe was in command of the section adjoining mine, and we were together the whole of the previous night, going “over the top” together in the morning. There was a heavy mist in which it was practically impossible to distinguish individuals at a distance, and I, busy keeping the men extended, was unable to keep Joe in sight. About half way across No Mans Land, whilst waiting in a shell hole for one of our barrages to lift, I became aware of the fact that Joe was in the next hole to mine, and we smiled encouragement to each other. Enemy machine guns were sweeping the whole place with explosive bullets, and there was a fearful noise, and speech was impossible. The streams of death whistled over our shell holes, coming from the left flank, and Joe’s hole being to the left of mine, he received a bullet in his side. He slipped away quietly – just a yearning glance, a feeble clutching at space, and then a gentle sinking into oblivion, with his head on his arm.

This was the grand and heroic finale to the earthly career of the coolest soldier and one of the best men that I have been happy to call friend. He is a great loss to the Platoon, as his simple Christianity and quiet, good-humoured ways, were a fine example to all who came under their influence. The Corporal adds:- “Lance Corporal Quinn was an ardent Roman Catholic” 

Another Soldier (Private Kehoe) wrote of him:-

“The loss of Joe Quinn has been very keenly felt throughout the whole Battalion, as he was very well liked and respected by all ranks. No doubt much of his popularity was due to the fact that, whenever opportunity occurred, he took his place amongst the members of our Concert Party, where his clever Elocution and dry Humour were very much appreciated”  

Both of the men who took time to write letters to Joe 's family were both killed during the Great War:

Sergeant 21822 Gerald Ernest Hemingway died of wounds on 26th September 1918 having transferred from the 20th Battalion KLR to the 6th Battalion of the same Regiment on 06th September 1918. Gerald now rests at Houchin British Cemetery.  

Private 21547 Peter Kehoe died of wounds on 04th June 1918, aged 23. Peter now rests at Hautmont Communal Cemetery. 

Both men are featured with biographies on this website.

His father Thomas died, in January 1917, aged 93.

His family did not hear definite news until nine months after the battle, placing a notice in the Liverpool Echo on the 01^st May 1917:  

“July 30, 1916, previously reported wounded and missing, now officially reported killed in action, Lance-corporal Joseph Quinn, K.L.R., youngest son of the late Thomas and Anne Quinn, of 2, Alexandra Road, Waterloo.  R.I.P.”

Joe'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.”

His father, Thomas, died, in January 1917, aged 93, and was buried on the 15th January at Ford Cemetery. 

His sister Annie, living at 2 Alexandra Road, received his pension, and his effects of £3 18s 3d and £5 War Gratuity went to his brother James.

His sister wrote these lines to express her grief at her brother’s death (from Graham Maddocks’ “Liverpool Pals”, p.134): -

                            In Memoriam

My Darling Brother, Lance-Corporal Joseph Quinn

     (Killed in Action, France 30 July 1916) RIP.

Dear Soul, dost thou live in Eternal Light,

While thy corpse lies cold ‘neath the sod?

Brave Spirit, passed from the mire-stained trench,

To the Great White Throne of God!

Great Heart, so spent in the stubborn fight!

Hast thou ceased to beat for aye?

O tender eyes with the old lovelight!

Thou wilt sometimes glance our way?

Dear one, thou must know of our loneliness,

And pity the tears we shed,

We note no beauty in earth or sky,

Since through whom we loved are dead!

Yet brave, true Heart, thou dost bid us hope,

That, when Life’s grim fight is done,

We shall meet at the muster of Christ’s array,

When the final Victory’s won!  

Alice.  2 Alexander Road, Waterloo, near Liverpool.  30 August 1916

As Graham Maddocks wrote, “There would be over five hundred other families consumed by similar grief that August after the Battle of Guillemont, and many more men from the Pals would tread the slow and painful road to recovery from their wounds.” 

Joseph earned two medals; British War Medal and Victory Medal. 

Joseph is also commemorated on the following memorials: 

Waterloo with Seaforth Civic Memorial,

St. Francis Xavier R.C. School, Everton

Liverpool Education Offices

We were contacted by Gerard Burgess who is a relative of Joseph Quinn. He advised that the family had a privately printed book of Joseph's letters home. This was published in 1918. 

Click here to read the book.

Grateful thanks are extended to Gerard Burgess for allowing us permission to use the information contained in the book on this site

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