Sgt 32690 William Percy Golothan

• Age: 26
• From: Chester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 18th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

William Percy Golothan was born on the 11^th May, 1890 in Chester. He was the son of James Golothan and his wife Sarah Jane (nee Baker). His parents married at City Road, Presbyterian Church in 1887.

The 1891 Census shows William P. aged 10 months, living with his parents and elder brother James, aged 3 at 19 Wellington Street, Chester. His father, James, is 25 years of age and is a porter, who was born in Chester, his mother, Sarah J. is 22 years old and was also born in Chester.     

The 1901 Census shows the family are still living at 19 Wellington Street, Chester. His father James is aged 35 and is a general dealer. His mother Sarah Jane is now shown as aged 33. They have four children declared in the household; James T. aged 13, born 1888, William aged 10, Sarah L. is aged 8, born 1893 and Cecil E. aged 2, born 1899.

Percy was educated at Chester College School and entered the school on 04th October 1901.  He is also listed at Chester Grammar School for Boys in 1902.  
His father's occupation is shown as green grocer and Percy's occupation upon leaving the school is recorded as a Post Office clerk. 

William Percy Golothan featured in the London Gazette on both 24th May 1906 and 01st June 1906 under the header:

In pursuance of the provisions of Her late Majesty's Order in Council of the 29th November, 1898, the Civil Service Commissioners hereby announce the undermentioned Appointments, Promotions, etc. (including Assignments and Transfers of Second Division Clerks), for the month of May, 1906

The purpose was for his Registration as a Temporary Boy Clerk.

His name also featured in the Edinburgh Gazette on 05th June for the same purpose. 

He again featured in the London Gazette on 02nd September 1910 under the header:

In pursuance of the provisions of His late Majesty's Order in Council of the 10th January, 1910, the Civil Service Commissioners hereby announce the undermentioned Appointments, Promotions, etc. (including Assignments and Transfers of Second Division Clerks and Transfers of Assistant Clerks of the Abstractor Class), for the month of August, 1910.

The purpose for this notification was that he had achieved the position of male sorting clerk and telegraphist post. 

Again this appointment featured in the Edinburgh Gazette, a few days later, on 06th September 1910

William Golothan is found on the 1911 Census as a visitor to 45 Christ Church Street, Chelsea, London. He is described as 20 year old sorting clerk, born in Chester. He is visiting the house of the Crisp family.

His brother James T. married Lottie Cooper in the second quarter of 1915.   

He was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Acting Sergeant No 32690 when he was killed in action on the 18th October 1916 aged 26 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

18^th Bn Diary

18^th October 1916

Attacked German trenches commencing 3.40 am. Relieved by 19^th Manchester Regt. Took up position in support Bn trenches W. of Goose Alley.

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals gives an overview of the events of the day:

“At 3.40 am the whistles blew, and the Battalion left its assembly trenches, in three waves, approximately fifty yards apart, and began to cross No Man’s Land. Almost immediately, the German Barrage fell on the first wave and halted its advance, so that the second wave soon caught up with it. This was not a great problem at first, and the two combined waves were able to advance together for about 300 yards, whereupon they encountered the German Grid Trench system. On the right of the advance, it was found that the wire was largely intact, apart from a few gaps, and the Germans bombed and machine gunned these gaps, which prevented any further progress. Elsewhere along the trench, however, the wire was cut and there did not seem to be any serious opposition. Nevertheless, the men hesitated to jump down into the German trenches, and instead, began to filter back across to the safety of their own lines.

By this time the third wave had caught up, as had a fourth wave, which had been detailed to mop up any opposition once the trenches had fallen, and all four waves became intermingled which added to the confusion. No less than three attempts were made to try to get the men to go forward again, but each attempt became markedly less successful than its predecessor, and eventually the attack came to a standstill. Although the British assembly trenches had received the attention of the German guns, the attackers in No Mans Land had not come under any great intensity of fire up until this point.

However, once it became obvious to the Germans that the attack was disorganised and faltering, they began to fire into the massed men from the flanks. It was probably this that finally settled the issue and convinced the Pals that they could no longer gain the enemy trenches, and all four waves, now merged into one, began to retreat to their own lines. The whole attack had been an abysmal failure, and no ground had been gained at all”.               

Percy was initially declared as Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on Wednesday 29th November 1916: 

Missing. 

King’s Liverpool Regiment - Broady, 17046, W. T. (Egremont); Cadwell, 29492 J. J. (Southport); Cromwell, 16706, Corpl. T. L.; Fitzroy, 32741, F; Golothan, 32690, Corpl. W. P. (Chester); Griffiths, 32795, J. W.; Hilditch, 17057, A. J.; Leadsom, 39054, S.; Leighton, 16975, H. N. (Seaforth); Narracott, 17080, F. V.; Orrett, 16984, Sergt. J. S. (Prescot); Poole, 33265, F. (Shrewsbury); Powell, 23167, J.; Rench, 16992, T. F.; Ronson, 16054, G. R.; Speed, 26587, R.; Taylor, 23841, A. 

Upon receipt of confirmation of his death his family placed the following notice in the local press:

IN MEMORIAM

GOLOTHAN - In loving and sacred memory Corporal Percy Golothan, King's Liverpool Regt (Pals), dearly loved son of Mr and Mrs Golothan, Whipcord Lane, who was reported missing on October 18th 1916 and is now officially presumed killed.

Sleep on beloved, sleep and take thy rest,

Lay down thy head upon thy Saviour's breast,

We love thee well, but Jesus loves thee best,

Good night! Good night! Good night!

Until made beautiful by Lord divine,

Thou in the likeness of thy Lord will shine,

And he shall bring that golden crown of thine,

Good Night!

Only "Good night" beloved - not farewell

"Till the day breaks and the shadows flee away"       

Percy's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. 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.”

Percy earned two medals, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal which suggests that he did not serve overseas until 1916. 

His will was made as follows:

This is the last Will and Testament of me William Percy Golothan of number 9 Whipcord Lane, Chester in the County of Cheshire made on this 27th day of December in the year of our lord one thousand nine hundred and fifteen. I hereby revoke all Wills made by me any time. Heretofore , I appoint my mother, Mrs S.J. Golothan 9 Whipcord Lane, Chester to be my Executive and direct that all my debts and funeral expenses shall be paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease. I give and bequeath all my estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever both real and personal to which I may be entitled or which I may have power to dispose of at my decease unto and to the use of my mother Mrs S.J. Golothan, 9 Whipcord Lane, Chester

William Percy Golothan 

Signed by the Testator  William Percy Golothan in the presence of us at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each then have subscribed our names as witnesses.

Jas Golothan Deynebout, Vicar's Cross, Chester, Post Office Official, Chester

Cedric Hunt The Croft, Sneyd Green, Stoke on Trent, Private in RAMC  

Probate was granted to his mother, as sole executive, on 10th June 1925. 

Probate 1925 

Golothan William Percy of 9 Whipcord Lane, Chester, died on or since 18 October 1916 in France. Probate Chester 10 June to Sarah Jane Golothan (wife of James Golothan). Effects £112 13s 10d. 

Percy was remembered by his family in the Chester Chronicle on 24th October 1931: 

GOLOTHAN— In loving and sacred memory of Acting-Sergt Percy Golothan, King’s Liverpool (Pals), dearly loved second son of Mr and Mrs Golothan, 37 Halkyn-road, who was reported missing October 18, 1916, and presumed killed on that day. 

And there shall be no night there. 

For the Lord God giveth them light,  

and they shall reign for ever and ever.  

He is commemorated on the family headstone at Overleigh New Cemetery, Chester where the inscription reads:

“Also W. PERCY,
Dearly Loved Son Of The Above
Killed On The Somme Oct. 18th 1916,
(18th Kings Liverpool Regt.) Aged 26 Years. "I Thank My God, Upon Every Remembrance Of You."

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Royal Mail War Memorial at Chester Delivery Office

Post Office, St John Street, Chester

Chester Citizens Memorial situated in Chester Town Hall

His father died on the 15th March 1935, aged 70.

His mother died in 1959, aged 90.  

In an obituary for his mother in the Chester Chronicle on 17th January 1959, details of Percy's surviving brothers and sisters are recorded as: James T. a former Head Postmaster, Cecil E. sub editor on the Chester Chronicle, Lilian Golothan a former secretary to the general manager of the Co-operative Society and Ivy Golothan of the GPO Telephone Department in Chester.  

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