2nd Lieut Wilfred Alexander Heyworth

• Age: 20
• From: Buenos Aires
• Regiment: 5TH KINGS
• Died on Tuesday 23rd May 1916
• Commemorated at: Douchy Les Ayette
  Panel Ref: III.B.7

Wilfred was born in Buenos Aries on 24th March 1896 the only son of Harold Ormerod Heyworth and his wife Elise Grace (nee Massie). His father was born in Liverpool and his mother in Melbourne, Australia. His parents had married on 29^th November 1894 in St. Saviour’s Church, Liverpool. A week after their marriage, on the 06^th December 1894, the couple sailed from Liverpool for Buenos Aires, on board the ‘Liguria’. His father was listed as a merchant.

The family arrived back in Liverpool from Valparaiso, Chile, on 12^th June 1898 on board the ‘Orissa’.  Their child is listed as John, age 3. But as the 1911 census states only two children were born to the marriage, this could, in fact, be Wilfred.

At the time of the 1901 Census, Wilfred, aged 5, is living with his parents and newborn sister Helen at 19 Elgin Drive, Wallasey. His father is a 32 year old bank manager, his mother is 29 years of age. The family employ three servants; a housemaid, a cook and a nurse.

The 1911 Census shows his parents and sister are living at Bank House, Barnston, Cheshire, with two domestic servants. His father is a 42 year old insurance inspector, his mother is 39. His parents advise that they have been married for 16 years and have had two children. His sister Helen Eileen is 10 years of age.    

Wilfred cannot be found on the Census; he was then a pupil at Birkenhead School. He entered the school in 1910 and left in 1912. He was in the cricket XI and was a very promising player, as he afterwards showed as a member of Sefton Cricket Club. Before the war he was in business in Liverpool.

Wilfred enlisted in Liverpool on 31^st August 1914, as Private 15616,  joining the 17^th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He gives his age as 19 years and 160 days, and his occupation as clerk.  He is described as being five feet seven inches tall, weighing 126lbs, with grey eyes and red hair.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham.

He was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 06th July 1915 and was discharged on 30th July 1915 “for the purpose of re-enlisting in Inns of Court O.T.C.”.  He gave his parents as his next of kin, Harold Ormrod [sic] and Elise Grace, of 65 Silverdale, Sydenham, London, S.E.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 23^rd October 1915:

“Private Wilfred Alexander Heyworth, from the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps, to be Second Lieutenant. Dated 24th October, 1915.”

Wilfred was serving in France with the 5^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment when he was killed in action, near Arras, on 23^rd May 1916, aged 20.

His parents received a letter from the Adjutant of the Battalion who wrote:

“I cannot speak too highly of your son. He was splendid, imbued with a high sense of duty and doing that duty cheerfully and well. He endeared himself not only to his brother officers, but also to his men, and there was not a man in his platoon who would not have followed him anywhere.”

Wilfred was originally buried in Wailly Military Cemetery, Plot 1, Row B, Grave 2, but when graves were concentrated a few years after the war, his body was transferred to Douchy Les Ayette British Cemetery, where he now rests.

Douchy-les-Ayette was in German occupation from October, 1914 to the 21st March, 1917. In March, 1918, the enemy advanced as far as the Communal Cemetery, and held it for a few days. The village was never completely evacuated by the inhabitants. It contained a German Cemetery of 380 graves, now removed.

The British Cemetery was begun in August and September, 1918, by the 3rd Division Burial Officer; and the 81 graves then made are scattered among eight Rows in what are now Plots II and IV. It was enlarged after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields of Arras and the Ancre and from other burial grounds.

There are now over 700, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly one-third are unidentified and a special memorial is erected to an officer of the Lincolns believed to be buried among them.

Certain graves in Plot I, Row A and B, identified collectively but not individually, are marked by headstones bearing the additional words: "Buried near this spot...".

The Cemetery covers an area of 2,418 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.

His parents, then living at 1 Holland Park Mansions, Holland Park Gardens, London, had the following inscribed on his gravestone:

“ONLY SON OF HAROLD O. AND ELISE G. HEYWORTH”.

His death was announced in the Liverpool Echo on 26^th May 1916.

KILLED IN ACTION

HEYWORTH-May 23, killed in action, aged 20 years Wilfred Alex Heyworth, Second Lieut, King's Liverpool Regiment only son of Mr and Mrs Harold C Heyworth, Tudor Road, Upper Norwood, London.

His death was also recorded in the Fleetwood Chronicle on 02nd June 1916:

"Lieutenant W A Heyworth of the 5th King's Liverpool Regiment who made many friends in Blackpool whilst billetted here with his battalion last winter. Lieut. Heyworth, who was twenty years of age, was an only son. His parents live at Tudor-road, Upper Norwood, London. When the war broke out he was engaged in commerce in Liverpool, with an uncle. He joined the ranks of the 17th King's Liverpool Regiment when the Pals battalion was formed, and was in training at Knowsley during the winter of 1914, but later applied for a commission and was gazetted to the 5th King's Liverpool Regiment. He was killed by a shell on May 23rd".   

The Norwood News reported on 02nd June 1916:

Heyworth - Killed in action on the 23rd May, Wilfred Alex Heyworth, Second Lieut., King's Liverpool Regt., only son of Mr. & Mrs. Harold O. Heyworth, 4 Tudor Road, Upper Norwood, aged 20.  

Also in the Surrey Mirror, on 09^th June 1916:

“Burstow Preparatory School – The School has had to mourn the loss of one of its old boys, Wilfred Alex. Heyworth, who was killed in action on May 23^rd, aged 20 years. From Burstow he passed on to a public school, where he excelled in both cricket and football. An officer writes of him: ‘When the enemy began to shell he immediately sent all his men under cover and he himself was the last to seek refuge – quite rightly. Another shell then burst, striking him down and killing hm instantaneously. I cannot speak too highly of your son – he was splendid, imbued with a high sense of duty, and doing that duty cheerfully and well.’”

From De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour:

Wilfred was born in Buenos Aires, on 24th March 1896. He was educated at Burstow Preparatory School, Horley, Surrey, and Birkenhead School.  Wilfred enlisted at the beginning of September 1914 and obtained a commission on 24^th October 1915.  He was killed in action on 23^rd May 1916 when getting his men under cover near Arras.  From amongst the many letters of tribute from brother officers and men, his colonel wrote: “On my return from a brief leave I was shocked to hear of the death of your boy. To me it came as a peculiar personal blow, for I had the greatest regard and affection for him, looking upon him as one of the best and finest ‘types’ that I have ever had under me and, in addition, his own personal qualities endeared him to us all. The lot of a Commanding Officer in this stupendous ‘game’ is at best a laborious one, but with us it is lightened by our being (as far as lies in my power) all ‘part of a family’ and never have we had, or will have a finer member of the group.”  He was a keen sportsman, excelling in cricket and football.

His death was recorded in the Wisden Cricket Almanac:

2ND LIEUT. WILFRED ALEXANDER HEYWORTH (Liverpool Regiment), killed in action on May 23, aged 20, was in the Eleven at Birkenhead School.

Wilfred is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Birkenhead School 

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 51 left.

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