Military History

Charles is listed as being killed in action by shellfire on 21st October 1914. The 1st Battalion war diary entries for the 21st and 22nd October are transcribed below.

Near Nieuwemolen - 21 Oct 1914: Enemy’s attack recommenced at daylight and their line having now pushed up to within 100 x [yards] in some places of the trenches their artillery was able to range in these with extreme accuracy and many trenches were demolished by shells bursting  actually in the parapet – many casualties were caused in this manner.

At 9am the M Gun Section 2/R Warwickshire Regt was sent up to left of RWF line to replace the Regimental Machine Gun section both whose guns were out of action.

Fire was heavy all day and supports were very scarce and could only be got up to the ? ? when available. The supply of ammunition was also most difficult.

3.30pm a fresh message arrived urging necessity for holding the line intact at all costs. Most of the trenches were now untenable as the Enemy’s heavy artillery had blown them in and at about 6pm the line was broken in places.

Parties of B and D Coys were taken prisoner owing to their refusal to leave the trenches when those on their flanks were destroyed. A secondary line about 250 x in rear was taken up and all available troops organised for its defence.

The enemy did not press his advantage and when orders were received to withdraw to Ecksternest at 1.30am [22^nd] the movement was carried out without difficulty.

On arrival at Ecksternest the Battalion paraded as follows – 6 Officers and 206 NCO’s & men. The Bn was now in reserve.

Killed: 6 Officers [names not transcribed] and 37 men
Wounded: 3 Officers and 80 men
Missing: 6 Officers and 213 men.

Owing to records being lost in action these numbers are only approximate.

Ecksternest – 22 Oct 1914: At 9am the Bn moved forward to a farm at the R of Ecksternest where it remained until 4pm when it moved up to support the Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry who were holding a section of the new defensive line taken up after the withdrawal from the Zonnebeke line.

This line entrenched S along the stream 1200 x E of the Hannebeck River to about where the stream disappears, thence SE to the junction of 5 roads and finally S to Cheluvelt.

The 1^st/RWF was not engaged, the Yeomanry having been relieved and the Bn returned to its pn [position] in Reserve at 8pm.