No.20119, Private, Charles CHARLES
Aged 22
|
Charles Bertram Charles was born in Burwell (Newmarket Q4-1895 3B:499), son of John Dring and Annie Elizabeth CHARLES (née WALLIS).
1901 census...Aged 5, he was at Gravel Pit Farm, Heath Road, Burwell with his father John D CHARLES [62] farm bailiff born Stretham; his mother Annie E [44] born Landbeach, brothers Sidney H [13] born Stretham and Ernest V [3] born Burwell. 1911 census...Aged 15, he was still at Gravel Pit Farm, Burwell with his parents and brothers Sidney Harold and Ernest Victor. One of the six children had died. |
|
He enlisted in Newmarket, initially in the 9th Battalion.
Lt Col Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment" has: In April 1918 the 11th Suffolks (often referred to as the "Cambridgeshires") were at La Rolanderie with the 12th Suffolks nearby at Fleurbaix. On the 9th the Germans opened in intensive barrage south of the Lille railway but no attack developed along the 34th Division front. 101st Brigade ( of which 11th Suffolks were part) set off as Corps Reserves to the south of Bac St Maur. An hour later news came that the Germans had broken through the Portuguese front and were entering the 40th Division zone. With that, the 101st Brigade were ordered to cover the flank, but they found Bac St Maur occupied by the Germans and took up position facing west and south west near Fort Rompu and began fighting immediately. A strange occurrence, when the Corps Reserve were actually the first to engage the enemy. Terrific fighting followed and on the 10th the Suffolks formed a defensive flank, beating off attack after attack. Twice the Germans broke through and twice were thrown back. At 3:20 pm they were ordered to withdraw to behind the River Lys. The struggle continued until on the night of 17th/18th when they were relieved, moving back first into reserve trenches and three days later back to Boeschepe. These battles of the Lys cost the battalion nearly 500 casualties, CWGC figures give 116 dead. 64 of these were on the 9th April. The inscription on the family monument says he died of his wounds on 10th April. The Register of soldiers effects states 9th /10th missing, death presumed on or since 9/10th Amongst the other local men to die in the battalion were Sgt Walter Brasnett from Six Mile Bottom and Private Charles Setchell from Exning
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
