Pte 16613 Frederick Arthur Seanor

• Age: 28
• From: Bootle, 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.

16613 Private Frederick Arthur SEANOR, 18 Battalion KLR.

Frederick Arthur Seanor was born in Bootle on 01st July 1888,  the second of five sons and three daughters born to Frederick James, a firelighter manufacturer with his own business(Seanor's Matches), and his wife Sarah Ann (nee Croysdale) who were married in Pontefract in 1885.  

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 56 Hertford Road, Bootle. Arthur, listed as Frederick A. is 12 years of age and living with his parents and six siblings. His father is shown as a 37 year old fire light manufacturer - employer, born in Rothwell, Yorkshire, whilst his mother is 35 and was born in Whatley Bridge, Yorkshire. His siblings are shown as Reginald R. aged 14, Claude C. 10, Stanley R. 8, Margery aged 5, Winifred aged 3 and Leslie aged 1. There are also two other people in the household Kate Hughes aged 22 a housemaid and Elizabeth Spendlove aged 18 and a servant.

By 1911 the family have moved to 194 Wadham Road, Bootle. Arthur is now 22 years of age and is employed as a timber clerk. He is living with both parents, his father is now a 47 year old Prudential Insurance Agent, whilst his mother is 45 years of age. His parents have been married for 28 years and all of their eight children have survived. Arthur's seven siblings, still living at home are listed as; Reginald George Richard a 24 year old timber clerk, Claude Croysdale aged 20 and a clerk for a cake manufacturer, Stanley Rowland aged 18 and a seller of fire lights, Marjory May aged 15, Violet Winifred aged 13, Leslie Walter aged 11 and Beatrice Marian aged 9. 

Arthur was educated at Bootle Secondary School and at the time of the war was employed as a clerk in the timber trade. He attended Christ Church in Bootle and was a chorister in the church. He was also a keen sportsman being involved as a member of Bootle Cricket Club. He also played football for Orrell FC and was one of the side that visited Belgium in pre-war days.

Arthur enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16613. He gave his age as 26 years  and 2 months, giving his occupation as timber clerk (apprenticeship expired in 1907), and his next of kin as his father, 8 Oriel Road. He is described as being 5' 5" tall, weight 120lbs, 34” chest, with a dark complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England. 

He served in the Reserve Battalion until posted to 18^th Battalion on 19^th June 1915.

At his time the 18th Battalion was billeted at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He arrived in France on 07^th November 1915, disembarking at Boulogne. He earned his three medals. 

On 18^th April 1916 he was attached to 30^th Division Grenade School, resuming with his unit on 30^th April.

On 25^th June 1916, Arthur drafted a letter to his parents which was to be forwarded in the event of his death.

Sunday 25th June 1916

My own Darling Mother,

I am just on the eve of going into the greatest battle the world has ever known, so I am writing this letter and requesting that it should be posted on to you in the event of my being killed on the battlefield. 

I never realised how little I have done for you in return for all you have done for me, until I joined the Army. 

You have always been a dear kind mother to me and what a struggle you have had with us all. Oh that I could have lived to repay. Don't worry too much, will you mother, try to forget and just think that I am still away. I have had a hard trying time of it in the army, I have always done my best and stuck to everything that I had to do and I am proud to die a soldier. 

I ask God at early morning Communion this morning to forgive all my sins and I am sure he has done. 

Goodbye Mother, Goodbye Father, Reggie, Claud, Stanley, Madge, Winnie and Beatrice.

God Bless them all, I will meet everyone of them in heaven. 

Your Loving Son

Arthur     

On the same day he also wrote a long letter to his fiancee Florrie.

Arthur was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, his 28^th birthday. 

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 days 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.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as 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.”

A report in the Bootle Times in July 1916 concerning the death of Alf Kirkwood and Arthur Seanor, contained in a remarkable letter from John Kirkwood, Alf's brother and Arthur's friend:

Sergt J. Kirkwood whose brother Alfred was killed in the same action, has written to the Vicar of St. Paul’s Kirkdale, announcing the death of the two young soldiers who were fellow choristers at the church.

He say’s of Pte Seanor:

“As you are probably aware, he has been in my platoon since the commencement of the war, and I can safely say I could never hope to have a better soldier. Cheerful at all times, he was perfectly happy when I shook hands with him about three minutes before we passed on the top of the parapet, and he had not gone more than 200 yards (about the same distance as my brother Alf) when he was fatally wounded. I saw his body on the field the following day, and he, like Alf, lay with his face to the foe….

Liverpool has every reason to be proud of this battalion. They went forward as on the parade ground, not hesitating in the face of a hail of lead, and although our losses were heavy our object was attained to scheduled time. Both Alf and Arthur fell on the 1^st instant. We had partaken of Holy Communion on the previous Sunday.

I remain absolutely unscathed although in the front line, where our losses were heavy”.     

A sad footnote is that John Kirkwood the author of the letter was killed in action a week later on 08th July 1916. He like, his brother Alf and his friend Arthur has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo dated 11th July 1916 -

KILLED IN ACTION

SEANOR— July 1, (his 28th birthday), Private Arthur Seanor (2nd Pals), beloved second son of Fred and S.A. Seanor , 3 Oriel-road, Bootle. (Sadly missed)

On the 14^th July 1916 the following message appeared in the Liverpool Echo:

“SEANOR – 1 July, on his 28^th birthday, Private Arthur Seanor, ”Pals”. “They will be done Deeply mourned by his sorrowing fiancée Florrie.

His death was also reported in the Liverpool Evening Express on 20th July 1916

"Private F. A. Seanor, son of Mr. and Mrs.  F. Seanor, of 8, Oriel-road, Bootle, also of the Pals, who was killed on July 1st-his 28th birthday. Private Seanor was a member of the Bootle Cricket Club, and was also a skilful footballer. In the latter direction he played with the Orrell Club, and he was one of the side that visited Belgium in pre-war days. In a letter written before the action in which he met his death, and which he left to be posted in the event of his falling, he said he was 'proud to die a soldier,' and he asked his parents not to 'worry too much.' 'Try to forget me,' he added, 'and just think i am still away.' Private Seanor was an old Bootle Secondary School boy". 

He was remembered by his family in the Liverpool Echo on the 03rd July 1917: 

LOST AT THE SOMME BATTLE: 

SEANOR - In memory of our dear Arthur, who was killed in action, July 1, 1916. - Stanley and Jessie.  

SEANOR - ln sad and loving memory of dear Arthur who was killed his 28th birthday. (Deeply mourned by his Father, Mother, Sisters and Brothers, at 14, Morningside-road, Bootle.) 

He left estate in the sum of £108 6s 6d it is recorded in the probate records as follows:

SEANOR - Frederick Arthur of 8 Oriel Road, Bootle Lancashire timber clerk, Private 18th Kings Liverpool Regiment died 1 July 1916 in France. Administration Liverpool 12 October to Frederick James Seanor medical board clerk. 

He was also remembered in the Liverpool Echo on the 01st July 1918 

SEANOR - ln sad and loving memory of dear Arthur who was killed his 28th birthday, July 1, 1916, K.L.R. - From All at 14, Morningside-road, Bootle; Also Leslie, prisoner in Germany. 

Arthur is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Bootle Civic Memorial, Stanley Road, Bootle

Bedford Road School now preserved in Bedford County Primary school, Quarry Road, Bootle

Bootle secondary School for Boys war memorial (now in Bootle High School, Browns Lane),

Orrell FC war memorial as F. Arthur Seanor, Orrell Lane, Victoria Park, Sefton

Christ Church, Breeze Hill, Bootle

Bootle Cricket Club, Wadham Road, Bootle. 

Grateful thanks are extended to Arthur's nephew Peter Massen for his permission to use the family archive of material in order to pay tribute to Arthur. 

Arthur became something of an Everyman for the Liverpool Pals during the Centenary commemorations of the Great War. His story featured prominently in the documentary Liverpool's Giant War, when the actress Sue Johnston read his last letter home in front of the Thiepval Memorial where his name is among those listed. Also on ITV News coverage of the centenary of the Battle of the Somme on 01st July 2016 and also his last letter home to his parents was the focal point in the Scarlet Raven interactive painting "The First and the Last".   

Two of his brothers, Stanley born in 1893 and Claud Croysdale Seanor, born 15^th August 1890, served during the Great War. Stanley enlisted in the 10^th (Liverpool Scottish) Battalion on 28^th May 1916 and was discharged on 11^th February 1918 but did not serve abroad. Claud joined 12th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, serving in France from 15^th March 1916 to 13^th June 1917 and was discharged on medical grounds after he had injured his right wrist and arm at Pembroke Dock when he slipped on the guy rope of a tent. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Sarah Ann, 14 Morningside Rd, Bootle. Pension card states she was “wholly impaired”. His personal effects were returned:- 1 identity disc. 

His mother died, aged 59, in 1924. 

His father, Frederick, date of birth 10th March 1864, appears on the 1939 with son Reginald still at 14 Morningside Road.

He died, aged 79, on the 23rd March 1943.  

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on the 24th March 1943: 

SEANOR—March 23, aged 79 years, FREDERICK JAMES, beloved husband the late Sarah Ann Seanor (late of Morningside Road, Bootle). Interment Bootle Cemetery, on Friday next, at 12 o’clock.—43 Birchdale Road, Waterloo. 

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