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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

W Liptrot


nicko576

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I have come across this soldier, whilst looking for someone else and it has caught my attention because of the fact he was 16.

Could someone look him up for me on the SDGW please

Many Thanks

Nick

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Hi Nick,

SDGW has no W Liptrot. I tried 'Liptrot' on its own and got 9 matches. No KOLR though.

Ian

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His surname is spelt Liptrott in Soldiers Died.

He is simply listed as enlisting in Bolton and his NoK was Mrs. Emily Liptrot, of 32, Angle St., Tonge Moor, Bolton, Lancs. He was 16.

He was a transferred to the 1st/4th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment from the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (previous Service No. 5208) - probably either the 1st/4th or 1st/5th Bn. as they were part of 55th (West Lancashire) Division too.

He was killed in the abortive assault on Guillemont on 8th August, 1916, and because he was not renumbered in early 1917, he must have been identified as being killed during the battle rather than posted as missing.

I have the 1st/4th King's Own description of the battle if you are interested.

Best wishes.

Andy.

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The Battle of the Somme: Guillemont.

Extract from “The Fourth Battalion The King’s Own and The Great War,†by Lieutenant Colonel F. H. A. Wadham and Captain J. Crossley.

On the night of the 4th [August] we were relieved by the 5th Liverpools, of the 165th Brigade, and proceeded to bivouacs south of Carnoy and west of Bronfay Farm. The weather was very hot and the next three days were spent quietly with bayonet fighting, physical drill and bathing parades. At 6 p.m. on the 7th sudden orders were received, and at 8.15 p.m. the Battalion left bivouacs and proceeded to trenches near Arrow Head Copse, in sector south of Trones Wood and Guillemont Road. There was an awful congestion of troops in the Sunken Road, but, fortunately, no shelling, and the Battalion did not have a single casualty during the relief, which was completed by 1 a.m., when preparations were made for the attack on Guillemont.

The order of battle from right to left was “D,†“A,†“B†and “C†Companies. At 3.45 a.m. on 8th August the first line, consisting of two platoons of each Company, crept out in front of the advanced trench, at the same time the remainder of the Battalion occupied the advanced trench. At 4.10 the first line advanced a short way and waited four minutes. Second line left the trench and took up a position twenty yards in rear of the first line. The second line was closely followed by two platoons of the 4th Loyals as carrying party. At 4.15 the enemy placed a very violent barrage of artillery fire (shrapnel) on the fire trench. The first and second lines crept forward closer to our own barrage to escape enemy fire. At 4.20 the Battalion went forward again and the first line immediately came under heavy bomb fire. This was absolutely unexpected, caused heavy casualties, and the attack was arrested. The enemy then opened very heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, which caught the second line as it came up to reinforce the first line.

Further advance being impossible, owing to uncut wire, the Battalion retired out of bombing distance from the German trench and started to dig in, fifty yards in front of our original trench. These operations occupied twenty minutes. The enemy maintained a very heavy barrage of Shrapnel on the Sunken Road during the whole of this time. The only means of communication during this time, with the exception of one Company, to which the telephone wire was intact, was by runner. Communication with the Battalion on the left was completely lost. It was ascertained that this Battalion was reported to be in the village of Guillemont, and it was intended to make an attempt to get in touch with their right. Stokes Mortars were brought up and were ordered to destroy the barricade on the Sunken Road leading to Guillemont, with the idea of attacking and taking this point and which would have enabled an advance on the left to be covered. There was a great deal of delay in bringing up the Stokes Mortar ammunition, the difficulties of communication were great, and it made it extremely hard for orders to reach their destination. This delay gave the enemy a long period of rest, which was unfavourable to the success of any further enterprise.

The Stokes Mortars bombarded the barricade, but were not successful in damaging it. It was intended that a bombing party should assault at 12 noon, but the situation was seen to be quite hopeless for the success of such an enterprise.

Our artillery, in the meantime, kept up an intermittent bombardment for a long period. They were firing very short and our front line had to be cleared. It was with the greatest difficulty that the artillery were informed of this, which caused some casualties to the Battalion. It was decided that any further attack was impracticable and efforts were concentrated on improving the present position as far as possible and to render it easily defensible in the event of any hostile offensive. The Battalion was by this time greatly reduced in numbers and was also fatigued by the strain of the heavy fighting. There was a shortage of Officers. It was not known what had happened to the Battalion on the left, and although all effort was made to ascertain their position no information was obtainable. It was impossible to obtain accurate information, which made the situation worse. The remainder of the night was spent in trying to collect wounded, improve our original position, and clear the battlefield. At 3.55 a.m. on the 9th we were relieved by the 10th Liverpool Scottish and proceeded, sorely stricken and almost unmanned by the terrific strain of the recent fighting and the shambles around us, to bivouac south-west of Carnoy.

The casualties suffered by the Battalion in this action were eight officers killed including the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel J. L. Swainson D.S.O., and nine wounded, and 254 other ranks including 48 killed and 206 wounded and missing.

Arrow Head Copse is at about 7 o'clock - the attack was from there to the Sunken Road which can be seen just the right of the 'd' of 'Head'.

post-754-1193401600.jpg

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