BAIRD, Carol
Captain, Charles Edward BAIRD
Aged 21
|
Born in London on 14th October 1894, [St George, Hanover Sq 1a:427] son of Brigadier General Edward William David BAIRD, CBE (1864-1956) and Millicent
Bessie BAIRD (née CLARKE) (1871-1936) of Upper Belgrave Street, London (baptised 12 November 1894 in St Peter's Church, Pimlico, London). The family had houses,
amongst others, at Kelloe, Edrom, Berwickshire, and Forse, Caithness and Exning House. 1901 census...at Exning House were Charles Edward [6] with parents and sisters Rosemary F [5],born London.... Millicent I [3], born Exning.... and Vida J [1], born Exning 1911 census...Charles was presumably at Eton College. At Exning House were his parents, sisters Millicent Irene and Vida Jane, brothers William Stanley [7], born Exning....David Everard [4] , born Exning. His father had a number of houses throughout Scotland and more than one in England. Charles seems to be commemorated in all four quarters of Scotland as a result. His father had applied for his 1914 star but shown by his medal index card, he arrived in France 1 day too late. He was wounded by a bullet in his upper right arm on 13th October 1914 at Fletre, 10 kilometres north-east of Hazebrouck, on the Belgian/French border. The Seaforths suffered 18 killed, 66 wounded and 1 missing that day. He was evacuated home and from 20th October spent some time in Lady Mountgarret's Hospital for Officers, 18 Cadogan Gardens, Sloane Square, SW3. Returning to the front he was again wounded by shrapnel in his right leg at St Julien, Belgium on 27th April 1915. The battalion was in trenches at Wieltje, northeast of Ypres, participating in the 2nd battle of Ypres. French attacked about 12.30pm on their right. Enemy responded with heavy shelling and the Seaforths had 12 wounded. This time he was sent to the 5th Northern General Hospital in Leicester. Of this particular occurrence the Newmarket Journal of 8th May 1915 stated:- MR.C.BAIRD WOUNDED:- "We regret to hear that Mr. Carol Baird (son of Col.E.W.D.Baird) who is an officer in a Highland Regiment now at the Front, has again been wounded, being struck in the leg. He has been sent home, and is now in a hospital in the South of England." After a spell of light duties with the 3rd Battalion, he again returned to the front in August. Almost a year later he was killed in action near Beaumont Hamel on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. The Bury Free Press of 22nd July 1916 :- EXNING OFFICER'S DEATH FOR HIS COUNTRY - CAPT.BAIRD KILLED IN ACTION Deep sorrow is felt in Exning at the death of Capt.C.E.Baird, Seaforth Highlanders, who was killed in action the week before last. He was the eldest son of Brigader General and Mrs. Baird, and was born at Exning House in 1894, at which place his parents resided from the time of their marriage until four years ago, at which time the Exning Estate was bought by Lord St Davids. The deceased spent all his earlier days at Exning House........... |
|
The 2nd battalion moved forward at 9 am, following the 1st East Lancashires and 1st Hampshires into action on Redan Ridge. They were subjected to heavy
machine gun fire from the front and from Beaumont Hamel. They passed the German front line and pushed on and reached the third line before withdrawing with
heavy casualties. His battalion alone lost 17 officers and 60 men, but the British probably lost nearly 60,000 in that one day, about 20,000 died. click here to go to an extract from the war diary |
photo: Simon Knott www.suffolkchurches.co.uk
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details