Sapper 7126 John PRICE

Service Details

John Price was buried in St Helens Cemetery on 19^th October 1916.

  Private 21879 Albert PYE

Private 67501 Henry PYE

Service Details

After nearly four years of war, the German Army was far from defeated and, on 21 March, launched a massive assault of the British lines driving them back nearly 40 miles, over several days. The 9th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment had been in almost constant action since that day and was exhausted. It was withdrawn completely from the battle area and moved to a quiet sector where the troops could get a complete rest and the many new replacements could be properly trained. The rest was not to last long as, in a further surprise, the Germans picked exactly this quiet sector to implement the next stage of their attack.

Over the night of 28/29 May, the Battalion was rushed by bus towards the front line. During the 30th, it marched towards a reserve position where it was held in readiness to cover a withdrawal of other units. The expected attack came about 1pm and the troops retired, now leaving the Cheshires in the front line, on high ground north west of the village of Sarcy, some 25 kilometres south west of Reims.  During the evening, they were also able to retire to a position to the south of the village.

The Regimental History records "Attack was certain, but it was most difficult to select, organise and dig a defensive position owing to the standing corn. About midday, German artillery and machine guns opened on the Battalion. They had excellent observation of our positions from the high ground immediately south of Sarcy and west of the Sarcy-Chambrecy road.......Their fire grew in intensity until mid-afternoon, when the left of our front in the valley was a perfect inferno of high explosive and machine gun fire, against which our hastily improvised cover was useless. Most of the officers were killed or wounded."

At 3.15pm, the position became untenable and Colonel Cunningham withdrew the remnants of his Battalion so they could be re-organised. Once this was done, he led them forward again to capture the German positions on the high ground west of the road.

There had been so many casualties, including 42 dead, that the Battalion had insufficient strength to hold the section of the front line allotted to it. It was forced to retreat to nearby positions on the Mont be Bligny

Henry Pye was one of those killed. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Soissons Memorial.

Henry Pye's Medal Index Card

Private 10632 Kenneth PYE

Service Details

Kenneth Pye was a pre-war regular soldier with the LNLR. At the time of the outbreak of war, the 1^st Battalion was based in Tournay Barracks in Aldershot. On 12^th August 1914 the battalion left in two sections, for Farnborough Station. They entrained for Southampton, arriving there in the late afternoon and here they boarded the s.s. “Agapenor”.

They sailed at midnight, arriving at Le Havre just after midday on the 13^th. The battalion marched out of town and camped overnight about 6 miles away. On 14^th, they left at about 6.45 p.m. for the railway station and entrained for Le Nouvion, via Rouen, Paris, Amiens, Arras and Cambrai. They spent just 24 hours here before marching on to billets at Eequheries.

They reached Givry on 23 August. The British Expeditionary Force was now in retreat (the Retreat from Mons) , and falling back, the Battalion would arrive at Bernay on 5 September. But it was now time to advance and moving forward again, the Marne was crossed at Nogent on 9 September, The very next day, they engaged with the German Army for the first time in a skirmish which resulted in 3 of the battalion being killed and 24 wounded

They were now ordered forwards, to seize the Aisne and secure all crossings, also to secure the high ground on the north bank of the river. They crossed the Aisne on the 10^th then remained in billets until 13^th, when they moved to Vendresse.

Next day, 14 September the Loyals went into action at Troyon, where heavy fighting was going on at a factory. "The position was reached", notes the Battalion records, "the factory was carried and held; but the enemy was in great strength and counter-attacked heavily...." With ammunition beginning to run out, the Loyals were forced to withdraw. Their casualties numbered fourteen officers and more than five hundred other ranks, killed, wounded and missing.

Private Pye was one of those who fell in this fighting. His body was recovered from the battlefield and buried, then after the war he was brought into the new Vendresse British Cemetery.

 Private Pye’s Medal Index Card   

  Private 21710 Michael QUALTER

(c) Prescot Reporter

Service Details

Michael’s attested initially to the 11^th Battalion of the South Lancashire regiment at Prescot on 26^th May 1915, the day after his 28^th birthday. His address was 45, High Street Prescot and he worked as a Collier. He was assigned to the 13^th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment.

On 25^th March 1916, he went absent for 2 days and when he returned to barracks he was sentenced to 7 days “Confined to Barracks” and fined 3 days pay. Then on 3^rd July,  he again went absent, this time for three days and was deducted 5 days pay.

He was immediately assigned to the Class W Army Reserve, and went home to await the call to service.

On 14^th June 1917, Michael was still working in Prescot and wrote to the War Office asking them “on what footing I now stand”. He stated that he was a married man with 4 children and that he felt that it was “my duty as a patriot to return to the army”. By this time, the Qualter family were living in Oldfield Road, St Helens, and Michael stated that he was now assigned to the 13^th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment.

The depot adjutant replied to him on 7^th July 1917, advising him to travel to the Orford Barracks for service.

Michael was charged on 19^th September 1917 with overstaying his pass for 24 hours whilst based at Barrow, for which he was sentenced to 10 days Confined to Barracks.

It isn’t clear when Michael was assigned to the 6^th Battalion. They were in Mesopotamia and remained in the area of Sheikh Saad throughout most of 1916 and were still engaged with the Turks at Kut around the beginning of 1917. The 6th Battalion struggles with the Turks continued on and off in a series of engagements throughout 1917, ending the year in the Jabal Hamrin hills.

Clearly Michael Qualter had joined the Battalion at Wellington Barracks in India by the middle of 1918, because on 16^th July 1918, he was charged with “Not complying with an order” and “Being out of bounds of Range Camp”. Being found guilty, he was sentenced to 14 days detention.

As with other men at the base, Michael made a will. In this, he left all his personal effects and belongings to his wife, Mrs Mary Qualter of 75, Oldfield Street, St Helens. In the event that she had died, then they were to go to his mother, also Mrs Mary Qualter, of 2, Moss Street, Prescot.

Sandfly fever, dysentery and malaria were rampant and it seems likely that this was the fate of Private Qualter, who is recorded as having died on 15th October 1918. His record of death notes that he died in the hospital at Wellington Barracks of “Enteritic Fever”. He is buried in Wellington Garrison Cemetery.

He was buried in Grave No 9, Plot A, at Wellington on 16^th October with the service being conducted by the Garrison Chaplain.

After the war was over, the Parish Magazine reported on 27th November 1918, “The following names to be added to the list of honour” and included “Pte. Michael Qualter , 33, of the S. Lancs. Died in India in hospital on 17th September 1918, of 9, Hill Street. He leaves a widow and four children.”

I cannot account for the discrepancy between the official date of death and that reported in the Parish Magazine – I assume that there was some accidental misinformation provided to the church by the Qualter family. Neither can I explain why the parish magazine records the address as 9, Hill Street.

In September 1919, the Records Office returned his effects to his wife, listing them as “Key of Heaven Prayer Book, Sacred Heart Badge in Case, 1 Bundle of Letters, Photographs & Greetings Cards, 1 set of Rosary Beads, 2 identification discs”.