Military History

Charles was shot in the leg on 23rd April 1917 and had lain out in No Mans Land for three or four days before being recovered from the battlefield and taken to a nearby (unknown) Army Medical facility and then evacuated back to UK and the Highfield Military Hospital in Knotty Ash, Liverpool where he died on 21st May. Charles was then buried close to home in Knowle.

The 11th Battalion war diary entries for the 23rd & 24th of April detailing the events during which he was wounded are transcribed below.

North of Athies 23.4.17 – 8.30am: Battalion position of assembly in Laurel Trench in touch with 6^th Bedfords in Effie Trench. Bn HQ at junction of Laurel & Effie Trench.

Zero 4.45 +1.55: Orders received to move to Hurrum-Hussar Trench. Battn moved forward in artillery formation of platoons. Front line B Coy (Right), C Coy (left). Second line A Coy (right), D Coy (left). Very heavy enemy artillery barrage. Heavy shelling on the whole of the area covered by these operations continued throughout the day.

Zero + 2.45: Battalion in position as follows B & C Coys in Halcyon and part of Hawthorn from H.12.a.1.9 – H.6.c.5.5. B Coy on right, C on left. A Coy (right), D Coy (left) in Hurrum Tr occupying the whole trench. Battn in new trench at about H.5.c.8.6. Battn in touch with 6 Bedfords on the right. 63^rd Div were just south of Gavrelle. Two M.G’s held ? space.

1.30pm: 2^nd Lt Weller and two platoons of D Coy including 2 Lewis Guns were sent to report to 10 Royal Fusiliers at H.6.d.1.1 on their request.

3.50pm: Orders received for attack on Greenland Hill.

5.45pm: Battn formed up for attack on Black Line (Chili Trench) in H.12.b.9.2 to H.12.b.8.0 as follows: Front Line B Coy right & C Coy left. Support line A Coy right & D Coy left. In touch with 8^th E Lancs on right. On left 63^rd Bde appeared to by 400 yards in advance.

6pm: After half an hours artillery preparation (25 mins shrapnel, 5 mins HE) the Battn moved forward in artillery formation as above as far as 100 yards east of Gavrelle-Roeux Road and dug in on a line runnging through I.7.a.7.3 to I.7.a.&.0. Battn was unable to advance further owing to heavy M.G. fire from the Chemical Works on our right and also owing to the fact that the Division on the right was held up. Battalion consolidated this line.

Click to Enlarge
Red = Formation point; Green = Digging in point; Yellow = Chemical Works & Enemy Machine Guns; Blue = objective at Greenland Hill

In the evening Lieut Col F.S.M Savage-Armstrong was killed by a shell on his way back form visiting the front line, 2^nd Lieut W. Blundell being wounded at the same time. In addition the following casualties amongst the officers of the Battalion occurred during the advance in the morning. Capt Chambers; 2^nd Lt Knight (B Coy), 2^nd Lt Withers & 2^nd Lt Waley (A Coy) all wounded and S M Farrington of A Coy was killed.

South of Gavrelle 24.4.17: Battn in touch with with a Battn of Yorks & Lancs on the left and 8^th E Lancs on the right. Continued to hold above position until 3am night of 24/25^th when relieved by 6^th Bedfords. 2^nd Lt Bowen wounded.

Nothing else of importance occurred during this period.