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13th Battalion, Kings Regiment (Liverpool)
13th (Service) Battalion, The King's Regiment (Liverpool) was raised at Seaforth in September 1914, part of Kitchoner's Third New Army, which assembled in the area around Salisbury. The 13th Kings Liverpool were initally attached as Army Troops to 25th Division. In February 1915 they transferred to 76th Brigade in same Division. They proceeded to France on the 27th of September 1915, landing at Le Havre and concentrating in the area of Nieppe. On the 15th of October 1915 the Battalion transferred with 76th Brigade to 3rd Division then on the 23rd the Battalion transferred to 8th Brigade, still in 3rd Division. On the 4th of April 1916 they transferred to 9th Brigade, 3rd Division. In 1916 they took part in The Actions of the Bluff and St Eloi Craters then moved to The Somme for The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin helping to capture Longueval, The Battle of Delville Wood and The Battle of the Ancre. In 1917 They were at Arras, seeing action at Battles of the Scarpe and The Battle of Arleux. They moved north to the Flanders and were in action during The Battle of the Menin Road and Battle of Polygon Wood during the Third Battle of Ypres. Then moved south and were in action at The Battle of Cambrai. In 1918 They were in action on The Somme, in the Battles of the Lys, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of the Selle. After the Armistice 3rd Division advanced into Germany as part of the Occupation Force.
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
26th October 1915 Football
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
9th February 1916 Call Ups
9th of March 1916 Orders 
22nd of April 1916 Gas
23rd of April 1916 Orders
24th of May 1916 Orders
27th of May 1916 Reliefs
11th June 1916 Reliefs
14th July 1916 Attack Made
14th July 1916 Attack Made
15th July 1916 Consolidation
16th July 1916 Trench Work
17th July 1916 New Emplacements
18th July 1916 Heavy Shelling
22nd of July 1916 Front Adjustment Completed
16th Aug 1916 Attack Made 13th Kings Liverpool made an attack on the village of Guillmont, attack failed with heavy casualties due to poor preparation. One of the casualties was CSM John Burns, killed whilst leading his men in to the attack.
14th November 1916 Reliefs
17th March 1917 Reliefs
1st May 1917 Orders Received
19th Sep 1917 On the March
27th September 1917 Orders
28th September 1917 Gas shells.
6th November 1917 Raid
20th November 1917 One of our aeroplanes brought down.
12th Dec 1917 Orders
25th March 1918 Reliefs
28th Mar 1918 Terrific Attack
18th April 1918 Orders cancelled
29th April 1918 Battalion continues digging new trench.
30th April 1918 Reliefs
12th May 1918 Reliefs
1st Aug 1918 Some Shelling
1st Aug 1918 Dispositions
2nd Aug 1918 Hostile Artillery Active
3rd Aug 1918 Quiet
4th Aug 1918 Orders Received
5th Aug 1918 Patrols
6th Aug 1918 Some Shelling
7th Aug 1918 HQ Moves
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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| Want to know more about 13th Battalion, Kings Regiment (Liverpool)? There are:5273 items tagged 13th Battalion, Kings Regiment (Liverpool) available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with13th Battalion, Kings Regiment (Liverpool) during the Great War 1914-1918. - Benson Richard. Pte. (d.15th Nov 1918)
- Blythe Stephen Edward. Pte. (d.2nd May 1917)
- Bulcock Fred. Pte (d.16th Aug 1916)
- Burns John. CSM. (d.16th Aug 1916)
- Burtmore Blenheim Edward. Pte.
- Carter Christopher. Pte. (d.28th Mar 1918)
- Covill Herbert. Pte. (d.8th October 1918)
- Donegan Patrick Joseph. Pte.
- Douglas DCM John. Sgt.
- Hawthornthwaite Wilfrid. Pte. (d.20th Nov 1917)
- Hibbert Charles Thomas. Pte. (d.14th July 1916)
- Hodson Joseph. Pte. (d.15th Oct 1916)
- Kay Thomas. Pte. (d.13th July 1916)
- Kay Thomas. Pte. (d.14th Jul 1916)
- Lyon Samuel Ignatius. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1916)
- Mattox Bertie. Pte. (d.23rd Sep 1917)
- McCarfrae Christopher William. Pte.
- Miller Leonard Lantaff. Pte. (d.30th September 1918)
- Mitchell MM & Bar. Charles Napier. L/Sgt. (d.21st Aug 1918)
- Moran James. Pte. (d.16th August 1916)
- Murphy Richard. Pte. (d.23rd March 1916)
- Petticrew George. Pte. (d.10th April 1918 )
- Rivers Thomas. Pte. (d.5th May 1917)
- Ryan Patrick. Pte.
- Shaw Hubert A. Pte (d.14th July 1916)
- Smith Joseph Elijah. Pte. (d.21st Aug 1918)
- Spencer Richard. Pte. (d.16th August 1916)
- Steward Thomas Watson. Pte. (d.31st August 1918)
- Stock Ivyston Stanley. CSM.
- Teasdale Thomas. Pte. (d.31st Aug 1918)
- Towey Thomas. Pte. (d.25th April 1916)
- Townsend Samuel. Pte (d.22nd Aug 1918)
- Triggs William B.. Pte. (d.9th Apr 1917)
- Turner Charles. Pte. (d.18th May 1916)
- Turner S. J.. Pte. (d.2nd Nove 1917)
- Young Cecil Bagnall. (d.13th April 1918)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 13th Battalion, Kings Regiment (Liverpool) from other sources.
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Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Pte. Patrick Ryan 13th Btn. Kings Liverpool Regiment Patrick Ryan was taken PoW captured on 28th of March 1918 near Arras.
He moved through three PoW Camps and returned to Hull in late 1918.
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Pte. Richard Spencer 13th Btn. Kings Regiment (Liverpool) (d.16th August 1916) Richard Spencer of Hardy Street, Garston, served with the 13th Battalion, King's Regiment (Liverpool) in WW1. He died of wounds 16th of August 1916, aged 29 and is buried Guillemont Road Cemetery, Guillemont in France.
He left a wife and 2 children.
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Pte. Christopher William McCarfrae 13th Battalion Kings Regiment (Liverpool) Christopher McCarfrae served with 13th Battalion, Kings Liverpool Regiment.
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Pte Hubert A Shaw 13th Btn King's Regiment (Liverpool) (d.14th July 1916) Private Hubert Shaw served with the 13th Battalion Liverpool Regiment in WW2. He died 14th of July 1916 and is buried Carnoy Military Cemetery G 40 France.
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Pte. Wilfrid Hawthornthwaite 13th Btn. Kings Regiment (Liverpool) (d.20th Nov 1917) Wilfrid Hawthornthwaite was married to Ethel Taylor and had two sons. John was born in 1911 and my grandfather, Roy, was born in 1915. The boys were brought up by Ethel and her father who was called Granpa Taylor.
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Pte. Thomas Rivers 13th Btn. Kings (Liverpool Regiment) (d.5th May 1917) Thomas Rivers is a member of my family, I have his medals.
Still trying to find out more about him.
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Pte. Thomas Kay 13th Btn. Kings Regiment (Liverpool) (d.13th July 1916) Thomas Kay was born in London around 1886. In 1901 he was living at Wheelock Wharf where he met Elizabeth Hodson and had a son called Thomas Hodson Kay born in 1908.
He worked as a canal boatman and prior to signing up to the Kings Liverpool, was living in Hulme Manchester and was unmarried.
He signed up in 1914 and left for France in 1915.
Thomas was killed in action on 14th of July 1916, his service and sacrifice are not forgotten.
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CSM. Ivyston Stanley Stock 13th Battalion Kings Regiment (Liverpool) Ivyston Stock served with the 13th Battalion, Kings Liverpool Regiment. I know very little about my grandfather's military career as I keep hitting brick walls with my researching.
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Pte. Leonard Lantaff Miller 13th Battalion Kings Regiment (Liverpool) (d.30th September 1918)  I never had the chance to know my grandfather. My father was just two years old when Leonard Miller was wounded. Around 27th September 1918 in the area of the Battle of the Hindenburg Line and particularly the Battle of the Canal du Nord, which is where it is thought he may have sustained his injuries. Although it could also have been in the big attack on Ribecourt.
Len was transported to Abbeville at the mouth of the River Somme to the Australian Tented Hospital where, sadly, he succumbed to his injuries and died on 30th September 1918. He was 30 years old. He is buried in the Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension. He left behind his widow, Kate, and his small son, Reginald, as well as his mother Louisa Miller, and six sisters and three brothers. His brother, Lance Sergeant Stanley Bertram Miller, 325687, served with the 1/1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment and he had been killed on 31st July 1917 near St. Julien, aged 27 years old. His remains were never found and his name is on the Menin Gate in Ypres.
Leonard and Stanley's father died in December 1917, and most likely the loss of Stanley was a factor in Harry Miller's death.
My father took up researching his family and in particular his father in the 1960's with the help of his aunts and uncles, but this was before the records were published online, so much more difficult to find things out.
I started researching myself around 2004 with the help of a computer and the huge and ever increasing amount of records to try to find out as much as possible about my grandfather and my great uncle. In 2009 my husband and I, together with friends, made the trip over to Abbeville to visit my grandfather's grave. It was a very moving experience for me to stand in front of his headstone and to know that this was my grandfather's last resting place. The cemetery is beautifully kept and he lies close to fields with a lovely view. I left a tribute there and came away very glad that I had visited his grave because I think that I am the only family member to do so.
After that we travelled in a north easterly direction across France and into Belgium visiting many of the cemeteries on the way, including Thiepval and Tyne Cot, before arriving in Ypres to attend the wonderful nightly ceremony at the Menin Gate. We also visited the area near St. Quentin and saw the canal and tunnels.
My grandfather's records were amongst all those which were destroyed in bombing in WW2, including his brother Stanley's records, so it is very hard to be totally sure of exact details. Both Leonard Lantaff Miller and Stanley Bertram Miller are remembered in a Chapel within Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire. This Chapel contains a memorial to the Men of Cambridge who lost their lives in World War One and is in the form of a large book made of wood, where you turn the pages alphabetically to reveal the names in gold letters on the wooden pages. This is a very fitting memorial to all who lost their lives.
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Pte. Christopher Carter 13th Btn. Kings (Liverpool) Regiment (d.28th Mar 1918)  Christopher Carter's date of enlistment into the Kings Regiment is not known but he married Margaret Isabel Davies on 17th of June 1916, he was at that time already a soldier stationed at Park Hall Camp, Oswestry.
He was killed in action on the 28th of March 1918 serving with the 13th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment. He has no known grave and is commemorated by name on the Litherland War Memorial and also at the Arras Memorial. He is also listed on the Roll of Honour for Kings (Liverpool) Regiment located in the Museum of Liverpool City Soldiers Gallery.
Below is the transcript of the Battalion War Diary of the day, 28th of March 1918
"After a bombardment of great violence," state the official despatches, "three fresh German divisions advanced to the assault along the northern bank of the Scarpe River: they were supported by the two German divisions already in the line. The enemy's immediate objective was to gain the general line Vimy-Bailleul-St. Laurent-Blangy. On the following day three special assault divisions were to carry the Vimy Ridge.
Immediately south of the Scarpe four German divisions were engaged, to two of which were assigned the tasks of capturing Arras and the heights overlooking the town. This assault, the weight of which fell on the 3rd and 15th British Divisions, was supported by powerful attacks in which eleven hostile divisions were engaged along our whole front southwards to beyond Bucquoy.
In this great assault the methods adopted by the enemy on the 21st of March were employed once more. But the fog which had then blinded our artillery and machine gunners was now absent and, as a consequence, the advancing lines of the Germans were met everywhere along the whole front by a merciless fire which decimated their ranks and shattered their attack. Though in one place (north of the Scrape) the enemies infantry advanced in solid masses almost shoulder-to-shoulder and six lines deep, all that he accomplished was the capture in a few places of our outpost line; in no place did he enter our front line.
A second attack, north of the Scarpe, launched during the afternoon after another heavy bombardment, was also completely repulsed and, broken and disappointed, the enemy fell back to his original line.
The 1st King's were still in support in Englebelmer on the 28th. They were so weak in strength that they were temporarily joined to the 2nd South Stafford's under Major W.C.Smith, Colonel Murray-Lyon going to the transport lines for a rest. The 29th saw the battalion moving up to the front line in Aveluy Wood, which they took over after dark.
Thus the enemies great attack on the 28th March did not involve the 1st King's in active operations . The 13th King's however, were heavily engaged by the enemy's great attack on the 28th of March.
The 9th Brigade Narrative of Operations prefaces its description of the battle with the following words "The story of the battle which followed is one of desperate fighting, a soldier's battle in which the order of 'no retirement' was literally carried out until 5pm, both flanks being in the air and a serious attack on the Green Line that day being awaited, orders were issued for the remaining troops of the brigade to withdraw behind the Green Line."
The battalion story relates that at 4:30 am the enemy put down an intense barrage on the whole of our sector. The trench mortar barrage on the front line was more intense than anything previously experienced. The Reserve Line was barraged with field guns and heavies. Under cover of this barrage the enemy launched a terrific attack with masses of troops. In spite of the intensity of the bombardment the front line stood firm and poured a devastating fire into the enemy whose attack was beaten off with colossal casualties to the attackers.
The value of this steadfastness against tremendous odds cannot be estimated; it gave the enemy his first check at a point where he was to be subsequently checked throughout the day. The enemy came back again in a second attack with even greater numbers. The Battalion on our right were pressed back and the enemy poured in behind "C and "D" Companies from the right flank. What happened on the left flank is not known. All that is known is that these two companies, attacked on all sides, mounted the parapet and fought to the finish on the ground on which they stood.
Under cover of the barrage the enemy came on up the hill to the reserve lines. Owing to the nature of the ground, he could not be observed along most of the battalion front until nearly on our wire. The barrage lifted and in dense waves the Germans swept onto our lines, it was the beginning of a fierce battle which lasted until 2pm.
The coolness, courage and endurance of the garrison were beyond praise. Every rifle and Lewis Gun brought a tremendous volume of fire to bear on the approaching masses. In spite of his losses the enemy continued to push on until the thin line, wavering could go no further and turned down the slope again. Our men mounted the parapet to keep him under fire as long as they could keep him in sight.
The first attack on the first line had been beaten off and our line was everywhere intact.
The 13th King's were in touch on the right with the with the 7th Shropshires, and on the left with the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers.
The enemy now resumed his barrage on our position by firing green lights. An intense barrage came down for 10 or 15 minutes. As soon as it lifted the enemy immediately came on to another attack, this also was repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy. Our flank and our left flank was becoming exposed. Twice again the enemy fell back, each time bringing down the barrage on our position with green lights and pushing on his attack as soon as it lifted. About midday the enemy's fourth attack penetrated on our right. A block was immediately made and maintained about 150 yards from the Road on the southern side approximately N.25.d.7.4. A defensive flank was put out and a few men lined the banks of the of of Neuville Vitasse Road to guard our rear as far as was possible.
During the morning one company of the 4th Btn Royal Fusiliers had come up to reinforce and was distributed with two platoons on the SW side of the Menin Road, and two platoons, and two platoons near the St. Martin-sur-cojeul Road in N.25.a.
From midday onwards only about five or six hundred yards of the reserve line remained in our hands, the troops on both flanks having fallen back some hundreds of yards. It was evident that when the next hostile attack came the position would inevitably be surrounded and would hold out no longer. However it was decided to hold on, though the Brigade message informed us that no reinforcements were available. At 2pm a message from Brigade instructed us to rendezvous in N.24. central (about seven hundred yards east of Wancourt) if withdrawal became necessary. Withdrawal to support of the 4th Royal Fusiliers in the Green Line was then decided upon and orders were issued for an immediate withdrawal. It commenced at 3.30 pm, the movement from the front line being covered by small posts and blocks and the defensive flank on the right remaining in position until all the garrison of the reserve Line had moved off to the SW of Neuville Vitasse Road By The Sugar Factory. The enemy moving forward for another attack severely harassed the withdrawal, and it was only by great gallantry and initiative by individuals that the enemy was warded off until the line was clear. By 5pm all troops had passed through the Green Line with all wounded evacuated and without anyone being cut off. The Battalion re-organised under cover of the ridge in N.24.Central and at dusk moved back into Brigade Reserve and occupied trenches in M.22.C (about 1,200yards north West of Mercatel).
On the 29th the 13th King's remained in brigade reserve, the situation then being quiet. At 11pm the battalion was relieved by Canadian troops and marched back to Monchiet.
Thus, south of Scarpe, the enemy had made a very small advance, but it was valueless for his purpose and not at all worth the huge casualties he had suffered.
So far as the enemy was concerned the First Battle of Arras, 1918, was a complete failure, disastrous to him in every way.
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Pte. Thomas Towey 13th Btn. King's Liverpool Regiment (d.25th April 1916) My great grandfather, Thomas Towey, was killed in the First World War, probably at the time of the St Eloi craters. The story in the family was that he died of bayonet wounds. He left a wife and six children. He was the only person of the name Towey who came from Liverpool who was killed in WWI. He was born in 1871 in Liverpool and served in the King's Liverpool Regiment for around 17 years. He also served in the Boer War from 1900 to 1903.
On his grave headstone it has his age at the time of his death as 54. This is wrong, it should be 45 years old. His son, Michael Towey, was killed in WWII - again, the only person with the name of Towey killed from Liverpool.
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Pte. Patrick Joseph Donegan 13th Btn. King's Regiment (Liverpool) Patrick Donegan, my grandfather, served with the 13th King's Regiment (Liverpool) in France during the First World War and was wounded three times with bullet wounds to his left and right arms and left thigh.
He was born in Drogheda, Ireland in 1878. He married in 1901 in Pendleton, Lancashire and fathered nine children, six of whom survived to old age. Patrick Donegan survived the war and died at the age of 79 in 1957.
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Pte. George Petticrew 13th Btn. King's Liverpool Regiment (d.10th April 1918 ) George Petticrew was my great uncle. We know nothing of his service except that he was killed on 10th April 1918 and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial.
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L/Sgt. Charles Napier Mitchell MM & Bar. 13th Btn. Kings (Liverpool Regiment) (d.21st Aug 1918) Charles Mitchell was my great uncle - my grandmother's brother. His father was Thomas Mitchell, and he lived at 36 Caradoc Road, Liverpool before the War, and worked as an employee of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. He joined the 13th Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment on November 12th 1914 and went to France with them in November 1915. My Uncle, Jack Knowles, remembers that he was a machine gunner. According to the Merseyside Roll of Honour, he was wounded 3 times and was killed in action on 21st of August 1918. He is buried in a small cemetery called Warry Le Copse, near Arras - and I understand from other sources that he was posthumously awarded the Military Medal and Bar. There is a second headstone in Liverpool, which serves as the final resting place for 3 of his younger brothers, William Henry, Robert Christian and Frederick Mitchell, who died of the Spanish Flu in October 1918 and January 1919.
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Pte. Joseph Hodson 13th Btn. Kings (Liverpool Regiment) (d.15th Oct 1916) Joseph Hodson enlisted with the North Staffordshire Regiment, Service No. 25927
He was killed in action on the 15th of October 1916, aged 32
and is buried in Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, Somme, France. He was married with 3 children and was the son of William and Alice Helena (née Taylor) Hodson of Elmhurst, Staffordshire.
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Pte. S. J. Turner 13th Btn. King's Regiment (Liverpool) (d.2nd Nove 1917) S. J. Turner was married to my maternal grandmother, nee Terry.
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Pte. Samuel Ignatius Lyon 10th (Scottish) Btn. King's Liverpool Regiment (d.20th Aug 1916)  I have long had in my possession the brass plaque recognising the death of my great uncle, Private Samuel Ignatius Lyon who enrolled 15th February 1916, aged 36yrs, to the 10th (Scottish) Battalion, Kings Liverpool Regiment. In one place his war records show his birthplace as Scotland rather than Preston but we are unlikely to ever unravel the reason for that.
After a period of training Samuel Ignatius travelled, on 14th July 1916 Folkestone to Boulougne, is transferred to, and proceeded to, 13th Kings on 26th July and is said to have served in 'France and Flanders'. 25 days later he is dead.
As part of 'The Big Push' started July 1st, various King's Liverpool battalions were involved in 5 separate attacks on Guillemont, just east of the Somme river, that eventually resulted in capturing the position at Guillemont on September 3rd.
Records for the 13th Battalion show that, on the 16th Aug 1916, they made an attack on the village of Guillemont. The attack failed with heavy casualties due to poor preparation. One of the casualties was CSM John Burns, killed whilst leading his men in to the attack.
On August 16th Samuel is recorded as wounded in action at what probably is a Field Dressing Station.
He reaches 5th Casualty Clearing Station at Corbie on 17th, then on to the 5th General Hospital at Rouen by 18th August shown with 'Wound Skull (Fracture)' and he dies on 20th August aged 37.
I have a photograph of his grave at St Sever Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Rouen, France, where more than 11,000
graves exist. At its base is an epitaph:
'In loving memory of our Sam from his mother, sisters and brothers'.
My Dad wanted to name me Paul Ignatius Lyon in respect of Sam but the initials put him off the idea.
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Pte. Joseph Elijah Smith 13th Btn. King's Regiment (Liverpool) (d.21st Aug 1918) Joesph Smith was the son of Mr and Mrs William Smith of 65 Nesfield Street, Anfield, Liverpool. He was killed in action aged 18, and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.
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Pte. Richard Benson 13th Btn King's Liverpool Regiment (d.15th Nov 1918) Pte. Richard Benson was born in Dublin and enlisted in Liverpool.
He was killed in action in Flanders in November 1918.
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CSM. John Burns 13th Kings Liverpool (d.16th Aug 1916) CSM John Burns was killed whilst leading his men in to the attack on the village of Guillmont, the attack failed with heavy casualties due to poor preparation.
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