Private 21956 Henry BYRON 

Service Details

The 11^th (Service) Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment was formed in September 1914 from the third contingent of volunteers called for by Lord Kitchener.

Initial training took place on Salisbury Plain and in early 1915, the Battalion became a “Pioneer” Battalion with the 30^th Division. It had been decided that each of the New Army divisions should have an extra battalion included in its establishment to carry out road-making and other semi-technical work frequently called for in the field. The 11^th Battalion was known as the “St Helens Pioneers” in honour of the fact that the majority of the men came from St Helens.

On the 30^th of July 1915, Henry Byron attested as Private 21956 into the 11^th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment at Prescot. He recorded that he lived at 20 Market Place, Prescot, was 25 years and 10 months old, unmarried and working as a Brick Maker. He stood 5 foot 4 and a half inches in height, weighed 148 pounds and had a 40 inch chest measurement. His physical development was “Good” and vaccination marks from infancy were noted, 4 on each arm. Eyesight was rated as 6 out of 6 in both eyes. Next of kin was noted as his father, John Green of the same address.

The Battalion finally left for France in November 1915, disembarking at Le Havre on the 7^th. The Battalion strength was 30 officers and 1,007 other ranks. Many of the men, including Private Byron, did not sail with this first detachment.

The battalion served for the remainder of 1915 in the Somme Valley, carrying out work in the trenches. They suffered a few casualties, mainly to German snipers, but otherwise their first few weeks in the field proved uneventful. 

In the Spring and early Summer of 1916, the Battalion were heavily involved in preparations for the forthcoming Somme offensive. As a Pioneer Battalion, this was an exceptionally busy time.  On 27^th March 1916, whilst still in the UK, Private Byron was reported for “Overstaying his leave from 6.45 a.m. on 27.3.16 to p.15 p.m. on 27/3/16”. For this offence, he was confined to barracks for seven days and forfeited one day’s pay. He subsequently embarked for France on 5^th April 1916, arriving there the following day.

Ultimately, in May 1917 the Battalion moved to Palace Camp, near Dickebusch in Flanders. They were now in the infamous Ypres Salient. Although their main tasks were the construction of roads and light railways, they were involved in the construction of fire trenches, and in fact were tasked with this on their first night in the line.

The battalion was based in a school to the east of Ypres in an area known to be “an unhealthy spot”. They stayed there until 13^th June when severe casualties were caused by salvoes of high explosives and gas shells. They moved on the 14^th to new dugouts on the railway embankment, but these were under fire just as much as the school.

In June, casualties were 2 officers and 17 other ranks killed, with 3 officers and 126 other ranks wounded. Almost all of the casualties were incurred whilst in their billets, which illustrates how dangerous it was, even out of the front line.

The next entry in his surviving records say that he died of wounds on 24^th June 1917. It is not clear exactly where or when Private Byron was wounded, but he  is shown to have “Died of Wounds” and is buried in Dickebusch Military Cemetery Extension. This cemetery was used extensively by ambulance units, suggesting that he was removed from the front line and transferred to the ambulance unit, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

On December 17^th, 1919, the army records office at Shrewsbury wrote to his mother, Mary Green. This was in response to Mrs. Green previously supplying the records office with a “next of kin” form on which her surname of “Green” was noted.

The records office wrote,

“Re: No 21956 H Byron, dec.

With reference to the attached form recently filled in by you. It is noted that you sign yourself Mary Green, mother of the above-deceased soldier. The solder’s name, as shown in my records, is H Byron. I shall be glad if you explain the difference in names please. An early reply will oblige.”

On December 21^st, Mrs. Green wrote back, signing herself “Mary Green, formerly Byron”.

She wrote,

“Sir

I beg to inform you that my son H. Byron was born before I was married to his father, J. Green. My name was Mary Byron.

Believe Me.

Truly

Mary Green”

 Second Lieutenant Henry BYRON

 
(c) Prescot Reporter

Service Details

Although the Battle of the Somme had commenced on 1^st July 1916, the battalion, part of 55^th Division, was only engaged with active patrolling and sniping. On 22^nd July, they received orders to move south and on the 25^th, they arrived at billets inn Ville-sous-Corbie.

On 8^th August, the battalion was ordered to capture the village of Guillemont, which had defied all previous attempts at capture and was a thorn in the side of the British forces. The attack commenced at 4.20 a.m. and initially all objectives were taken despite strong resistance. By the end of the day, the Railway Station and the front line trenches in front of the village were in allied hands. Orders were then received to be ready to continue the attack the following morning.

Zero hour was again at 4.20 a.m. and the initial assault was met with withering machine gun fire from the German defenders, resulting in the troops falling back to their starting points. This also resulted in the companies being heavily mixed up and it was noon before reorganisation was complete. After this, the battalion remained near Trones Wood until the 10^th, clearing the dead of the previous two days of battle and consolidating the ground won at such a heavy cost. On the evening of the 10^th, they were withdrawn to bivouac and then on the 12^th returned to the line at Maltz Horn Farm.

On the 13^th, “D” Company of the battalion worked in partnership with French units to clear German forces from an area known as Cochrane Alley, specifically to take an isolated German trench. Unfortunately, the French failed to take their objectives and the British attack came under withering German machine gun fire, which drove the men back. The battalion was withdrawn on the 15^th, this time to billets at Meulte. In three days of fighting they had lost 3 officers and 80 other ranks – slight losses in comparison to other units at that time.

They remained out of the line until 5^th September when they were sent to occupy support trenches in front of Delville Wood. This was a notoriously “unhealthy” place to be at that time and the battalion was kept busy digging strong points and communications trenches, usually under heavy enemy artillery fire.

Harry Byron died on 8^th September of wounds received in one of the earlier actions. He rests in Dartmoor Cemetery.

The Battalion War Diary for the period in which he died is reproduced below.

Corporal 18714 Henry BYRON

 Research ongoing

 Private 82384 George BYRON

Service Details

George Byron attested for military service on 28^th April 1917 in Warrington, initially being assigned to the Depot battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment for training. At the time he was aged 17 years and 7 months and lived at The Holt, Warrington Road, Rainhill. He noted that he worked as a Miner and that he had previously served for 17 days with the 11^th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment.

At his medical examination, it was noted that he stood 5 foot 3 inches tall and weighed 116 pounds. He had a 34 ½ inch chest measurement, expandable by 3 inches. It was recorded that his next of kin was his father was John Byron of the same address. As a result of this examination, he was classed as fur for military service and was assigned to the 52^nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Manchester Regiment.

George Byron was transferred to the Durham Light Infantry on 5^th April 1918, being posted to the 20^th Battalion.

In late December 1918, the records office wrote to his father asking for details of any pay allocation made by Pte George Byron. He replied to say that payments were made to himself at 6, Parrs Cottages, Rainhill, although the amount cannot be discerned from the poor quality records.

The records office then wrote again to his father asking for details of all living relatives in order the Memorial Scroll and Plaque should be correctly delivered. His father replied on 14^th October 1919 stating that Private Byron had been single and had no children, that his parents were John and Mary Byron and that the only sibling was Private Byron’s sister, 23 year old Edith Birchall, nee Byron, who lived at The Holt, Rainhill.

George Byron’s inscription on the Tyne Cot memorial

 Corporal 14695 James BYRON

Regiment	12th Bn., King's (LIverpool) Regiment
Date of Death	15/02/1919		Age at Death		33
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Prescot Churchyard, plot unknown
Census Details	1901 Census - James lived with his grandmother, Ann Byron, at 15, Bond Street, Prescot. He was 16 years old and employed as a Labourer in a Glass Works
Research Ref. No.	P036
Notes	James Byron was the brother of Pte Harry Byron (above), of 20, Market Street, Prescot   James is not commemorated by CWGC, although I have made a submission to thave him commemorated due to the fact that he died of Gas Poisoning., probably due to the effects of his military service.

Service Record

James Byron served as Private 14695 with the 12th Bn., King’s (Liverpool) Regiment.  He went to France on 24th July 1915.  This tallies with the information in the regimental history, which reports that the 12th Bn landed at Bolougne on 24th and 25th of the month.

His service papers have not survived but his Medal Index Card shows he also served as Corporal 570676 with the Labour Corps.

His medal entitlement was to the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
 

Records held by the museum of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment show that James Byron was ultimately discharged on 1st February 1919.
 

James’ died on 15th February 1919 at his home address of 20, Market Place, Prescot. death certificate states that he was male, aged 33, "Of No Occupation, ex Corporal 12th Kings Liverpool Regiment”

The cause of death is stated as (1) Gas Poisoning (2) Pneumonia. The informant was his mother, M. Green, of the same address, noting that she was “present at death”.

James was buried in Prescot Churchyard on 20th February 1919 and this was entered in the parish burial register which is now held at Lancashire Records Office, reference PR3404/1/59

His name is recorded on the Prescot civic war memorial.

(James brother, Pte 21956 Harry Byron of the South Lancashire Regiment, died of wounds received on 24/06/1917 and is buried at Dickebusch Military cemetery Extension)

James Byron's Medal Index Card

James Byron's Death Certificate, showing that he died of Gas Poisoning.