22427, Private Richard H Jaques 20th King's Liverpool Regiment.

Amanda T
Apr 25, 2021
7 min read

Identification

There was only one Richard H Jaques on the CWGC database and his parents' names matched those on a 1911 Liverpool census return. He had the unusual middle name of Harkness so his records are easy to identify.

Family information

Richard H Jaques was born on 14th July 1890 at the Lamb Inn, Derwent St, Workington, Cumberland. He was the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Jaques. His father died on the 11th June 1890, just one month before Richard was born.

At the time of the 1891 census Richard was the youngest of 6 children living with their widowed mother in Stanley Street, Harrington, Cumberland. Richard was 9 months old and his siblings were Eleanor aged 5, Isaac aged 7, Henry aged 9, William aged 9 and Sarah J aged 11.

By the time of the 1901 Elizabeth had moved to 77 Upper Hill street in Toxteth, Liverpool (near St James’ Church.) At home with her were Henry aged 19 and working as a gardener (not domestic), Isaac aged 17 an apprentice Marine Engineer Fitter, Eleanor aged 15 and Richard aged 10. Other census records show that daughter Sarah Jane was in the Isle of Man working as a milliner and William was probably at sea as records show he was a merchant sailor making frequent voyages between England and Australia from 1905 onwards.

Shortly after Elizabeth's death in 1910 her sons William and Henry emigrated to Australia.

The 1911 census shows Richard, aged 20 working as a grocer's assistant and living in Liverpool with his brother Isaac (a marine engineer fitter) his sister Eleanor and a cousin from his mother's side Annie Lancaster (manageress of a tobacconists) Their address was 77 Upper Hill Street, Liverpool which is in Toxteth.

Newspaper notices of his death show that he was known as Dick to family and friends.

Military Information

On 13th November 1914 in Liverpool Richard Harkness Jaques enlisted as a private in the 20th Service Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment for 3 years or the duration of the war. His regimental number was 22427. This battalion was also known as the 3rd City Battalion or the 3rd Liverpool Pals Battalion.

His medical form shows that Richard was 24 years old, 5 feet 5 and 1/4 inches tall and weighed 130lbs. His complexion was fresh, his hair dark brown and his eyes brown.

His physical development was 'good' and he gave his trade as Clerk and religion as Church of England.

It was noted that he had a scar on the inside of his right leg.

Richard's service record shows that he was at home for the period 13.11.14 - 6.11.15

(home meant in England, not literally at home, the Pals trained in Liverpool then Grantham and Salisbury Plain.)

He was in France from 7.11.15 - 30.7.16

The following notes have been made on his service record:

To Trench mortar course 23.2.16

Joined Trench mortar battery 23.2.16

Re-joined ex school of mortars & attached to 89 I.B. (89th infantry Brigade) as 894 T.M Battery (Trench Mortar Battery) 2.3.16

Attached 89/1 Trench Mortar Battery 14.4.16

Wounded in action 30.7.1916

Killed in action 30.7.1916

Richard's medal index card shows that he embarked for France on 7th November 1915 and was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal. It does not record a 1915 medal but the medal rolls show that he was awarded this medal – he was entitled to it because his date of qualification was before 31st December 1915.

Death and Commemoration

William was killed in action on 30th July 1916 at the Battle of Guillemont.

His next of kin was his sister Sarah Jane Jaques of 77 Upper Hill Street, Princes Park, Liverpool.

His family were listed as:

brothers (full blood)

William Jaques - age 37 - Adelaide, Australia

Henry Jaques - age 37 - Adelaide, Australia

Isaac Jaques - 35 - 77 Upper Hill Street, Liverpool

sisters (full blood)

Sarah Jane Jaques - 39 - 77 Upper Hill Street, Liverpool

Eleanor Jaques - 33 - 77 Upper Hill Street, Liverpool

The form with these details was countersigned by Fred W Lloyd, cleric of St James’ Church.

Richard's effects (letters, photographs and cards) were sent to Sarah Jane with a note advising that they were the joint property of all Richard's siblings. Sarah Jane and Eleanor later emigrated to New York, leaving Isaac as the only sibling left in Liverpool.

30th July 1916

The 1st July 1916 is infamous as the first day of the Battle of the Somme and in many people’s minds it is synonymous with the decimation of the Pals Battalions. For the Liverpool Pals however the 1st July was a fairly successful day, they had some losses but few compared to other battalions and they were in fact congratulated on their successes in the attack.

Their good luck was not to continue though, after 7 days of rest the 89th Brigade (the Liverpool Pals) were prepared for the Battle of Guillemont.

Guillemont was a French town which had been captured and fortified by the Germans. It was a well chosen site that the Germans had had two years to fortify to devastating effect. The town was at such a strategic site that the Allies had to capture it before they could move on.

The attack was planned for the 23rd July, it failed, perhaps because the tactics used were to have the men walk over a mile of open ground towards a well prepared enemy who had higher ground and plenty of machine guns. The second attempt was planned for the 30th July. The night of the 29th July the Germans shelled the area using high explosive shells and gas shells as the Pals were getting into position. Some of the 20th Battalion were affected by gas before the attack even began.

The attack was planned for 4:45 am and was to follow the same plan as the attack on the 23rd, to make matters even worse there was thick fog which would hamper the attackers far more than the defenders.

The following is a transcript of the 20th Battalion’s War Diary for 30th July 1916:

All companies were reported present and relief complete was reported to Brigade at 2:30am.

At 4:45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately a think mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly but it was still hazy and impossible to tell what was happening 100 yards away this being so it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection, the first message received was from O.C. No1 company LIEUT R E MELLY shortly after 6am stating that his company had passed German MALTZ HORN TRENCH that there were some four Frenchmen with them thought to be a party of bombers the next information timed 6:30am was received from 2nd LT C P MOORE stating that he had 450 men 4 stokes guns with 2 Lewis guns and no officers but himself. He had lost connection in the fog and both his flanks were in the air. His position was about 200yards east of the first Sunken Road. A later message from 2 LT MOORE timed 9:10am stated that he had 75 men, 4 vickers guns, 4 stokes guns and 2 lewis guns. Two patrols had been sent out in front but had not returned. Both his flanks were still in the air. Later however he established communication with the French on his right.

The only other reports received were from 2nd LIEUT J W MUSKER he stated in his first message that he had just over a company under his company and both his flanks were in the air an that the Germans were enfilading his left flank with machine gun fire this message was untimed and received shortly after 10am. The second message was received at 11:30 am and was to the same effect. The machine gun on his left flank had caused about 30 casualties. All efforts to get in touch with this party proved futile, all runners sent form Battalion HQ were either killed or missing and no further messages were received from this party until 2nd LT WORSLEY brought back what was left of it to Battalion HQ at 9:30pm. They had held the ground all day and this had permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the MALTZ HORN RIDGE with little interference from the enemy.

Headquarters and two companies of the 2nd Bedfordshire regiment arrived at 11am the captured German trench running north south cutting Malts Horn Farm was occupied as follows “” company 2n Beds occupied the trench S of the farm. LT SUTTON with a party of HQ personell20th KLR the trench north of the farm. During the afternoon “C” company 2nd Beds dug a tunnel from LT SUTTONs left to ARROW HEAD COPSE. 2nd LT MOORE and his party were withdrawn to reinforce LT SUTTON. A little later “A” company 2nd Beds connected up their “” company with the French and the position joined on the right was well held and consolidated.

Communication with the 153r FRENCH REGT was well maintained throughout the day.

Relief was ordered to arrive at 11pm but had not arrived at 12 midnight.

Casualties during operations on July 30 until relief at 5:20am July 31

Officers killed 7, wounded 4, missing 5

Other ranks killed- 59, wounded- 179, missing- 119.

At the end of this day of fighting the Liverpool Pals had lost (killed, wounded or missing) over 1000 men, a quarter of their strength, and they had not achieved their objectives. Guillemont was not captured and the fighting continued until the 3rd September when it was final taken.

For the hundreds of men who fell in no mans land, there was no chance to recover them and most of the bodies were left to decay or be destroyed by shelling, few of the men are buried in named graves and the majority of them have only their name on a memorial. Private Richard Harkness Jaques is one of the latter, he has no known grave and his name is inscribed on the Thiepval memorial.