Military History

Theatre

Action/Battle/Other

Second Battle of the Somme

Place of Death

near Roisel

 

Medals

Medal Citation (if app)

~

Enlisted Date/Place

Gloucester

Other Information/Previous Regiments/Units

• Previously served as Private 203455 Royal Warwickshire Regiment
• Roisel Cemetery was captured by the Allies in April 1917 and then taken back by the Germans in March 1918
• There is some confusion over which MGC Battalion Charles served in:
  • The Red Cross record below from the German side lists his unit as 202 MGC which was absorbed into 66th Bn MGC in March 1918 just before the Spring Offensive began.
  • The Red Cross card below shows that his wife believed he was serving in the 66th Bn MGC.
  • There are a total of 16 men of the 66th Bn MGC also recorded at Pozieres as being killed on or about the same day as Charles.
  • The CWGC website gives his unit as 48 Bn MGC but their source records contain conflicting information with 48 MGC shown in one record (click here) and 66 MGC in another (click here). We will be writing to the CWGC to get them to clarify the record.

Circumstances Leading to Death - Red Cross & CWGC Records

We are currently unable to find the war diary for 66th Battalion Machine Gun Corps, as it was most likely destroyed but Red Cross records tell us that he that he died from gun shot wounds to both legs and was buried at Roisel Cemetery. Red Cross records also record his as being taken to a Feld lazaret (Field Hospital). The CWGC records which are used to compile the webpage also show that Charles' death was recorded as the 22nd April not 23rd as reported on his CWGC page and the Red Cross records so it is possible that he was thought to have died on the 22nd but in fact had been taken prisoner and then died in the field hospital on the 23rd.

Red Cross Cover Sheet	Very rough translation of Red Cross record  Gunshot wounds in both legs in the field Roisel Cemetery Grave

Courtesy of Red Cross