Pte 22260 Harry Reginald Soden

• Age: 20
• From: Garston, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: XIV.B.3

Harry Reginald Soden was born in Garston, Liverpool, on 07th September 1895, the son of Henry Soden and his wife Emma (nee Lane). He was baptised in St. Margaret’s, Toxteth Park, on 12th October 1895, his parents were living at 19 York Street, Garston, his father’s occupation dock foreman. His parents married in Grantham, Lincolnshire in 1889 and had four children. Harry had an older sister Hilda Mary, and younger siblings John William and Florence May. 

Shortly after their marriage his parents moved to Liverpool and are living at 19 Salt Works Cottages, Garston. Father Henry is a dock labourer. 

At the time of the 1901 census the family is living at 24 Carrington Street, Toxteth Park, with three children. His father is aged 36, a church verger, born Leamington, mother Emma is aged 36, born Harlaxton, near Grantham, children Hilda M. aged 8, born Garston, Harry is aged 6, born Garston, and John aged 2, born Wavertree. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 4 Carter Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. Harry's father, Henry, is aged 45, born 1866 in Leamington, Warwickshire, his occupation is shown as verger at St Margaret’s Church, whilst his mother, Emma, is aged 47, born 1864 in Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, has no occupation listed. They advise that have been married for 21 years and have had four children. Three children are declared in the household; Henry Reginald aged 15, is an office boy for an advertising agency, John William aged 12, born 1899 and Florence May aged 10, born 1901 are still at school. They also have three boarders living them, Joseph Gleave aged 61, born 1850 an advertising agent, George Roderick Stevenson aged 10, born 1901 a schoolboy and Thomas Ashton Martin aged 4, born 1907. Their daughter Hilda born 1893 was listed as a visitor at Cemetery Lodge, Brunswick Street, Leamington, she was visiting her aunt and uncle, who was a cemetery custodian.

Harry enlisted on the 05th November 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 22260. He gave his age as 19 years and thirty six days and his occupation as a clerk. He was five feet ten inches tall, weighed 122lbs, 35” chest, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and gave his next of kin as his father Henry, of 4 Carter Street, Princes Road. 

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 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. 

On 07th November 1015 he embarked for France with his battalion.

Harry was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 20, 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.

Harry was buried close to where he fell and in 1920 when graves were being concentrated, his body was removed and reinterred in Guillemont Road Cemetery, where he now rests.

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.

His death was announced in the Liverpool Echo on 18th August 1916:

“Private Harry Reginald Soden, “Pals”, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Soden, 4, Carter Street, Liverpool.  Employed by Messrs. Smith and Sons, advertising agents, Lord Street.”

His parents placed an In Memoriam notice on the first anniversary of his death:

“In affectionate memory of Private Harry Reginald (Lal), eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Soden, 4, Carter Street, who fell in action, July 30, 1916. - Fondly remembered by Father, Mother, Sisters, and Brother (now with the colors).

  Gone, but not forgotten;

    Nor will you ever be.

  As long as life and memory lasts,

    We will remember thee.”

Also in 1918:  

“In loving memory of Private H. R. Soden (Lal), who fell in action, July 30, 1916. - (Sadly missed by Father, Mother, Sisters, and Brother, in France.

  There is a link death cannot sever;

  Love and remembrance last forever.”

Harry earned his three medals.

His parents had been notified in November 1916 that there were no personal effects of Harry’s to be forwarded, but they received his identity disc in August 1918.

His Army pay  of £1 16s 10d and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to his father, who also received the Memorial Plaque and Scroll.  His mother was awarded a gratuity in February 1917.

In 1919 Florence, 19, is at home with her parents at 4 Carter Street.  John, 20, serving as Private 54361 in the 1st/10th (Scottish) K.L.R, is in Antwerp with the Army of Occupation. His sister Hilda, 26, is in Canada. She had married Sapper Arthur William Farmer of the Canadian Engineers in October 1918 and went to Canada in July 1919.

His parents are still in Carter Street in 1939.  His father is 73, still working as a verger, and his mother is 75.  Also in the household is daughter Hilda Farmer and two children. They later moved to Pitville Avenue in Mossley Hill.

His father died in 1946 aged 80 and his mother in 1951 at the age of 86.

Sadly, Harry has not been found on any local memorials.  

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