Military History

Charles is listed as dying of wounds on 3 Sep 1916. Because he is buried at Corbie he will have died at either the 5th or 21st Casualty Clearing Station both of which were based at Corbie in September 1916.

The 16th Battalion war diary entry for 3 Sep 1916 is transcribed, in full, below:
Casement Trench Sept 3:

• 12.5am: Bttn moved to Casement Trench arriving at 2.45am
• 10.40am: Message received – Battn to be prepared to move out at moments notice
• 11.12am: Order to move to Malzhorn Trench received
• 11.40am: Btnn moved to Malzhorn Trench in following order A.B.C.D arriving at 12.15 midday
• 1.30pm: Battn ordered to move to trench south of Angle Wood, arrived there at 4pm

Angle Wood Sept 3:

• 4pm: Arrival reported to 13^th & 15^th Infantry Bde
• 1.30pm: I was asked to report to 13^th & 15^th Inf Bde on the way up
• 5.45pm: I gave orders to Capt Dingley to bring his Company to slot trench on reverse slope of hill immediately in front of Angle Wood
• 6.15pm: I issued operation orders to Capt Dingley OC B Coy to attack in conjunction with one Coy 1^st Cheshire Regt German front line trench from B.2.b.0.3 to B.2.d.4.7 ref Longueval trench map 57C 1/10,000 at 6.30pm
• 6.30pm: I ordered Capt J de R Phillip OC D coy to occupy trench vacated by B Coy
• 6.31pm: Intense enemy machine gun fire
• 6.42pm: O.C. 1^st Cheshire Regt reports that his Coy failed to reach their objective
• 6.50pm: Message received from 13^th Inf Bde that the Battn was in Div Reserve & not at disposal of 13^th Inf Bde and was to remain in present position
• 7.5pm: I replied that message was not received until 6.50pm the attack meanwhile having taken place as 1^st Cheshire had not sufficient men for the frontage allotted
• 6.55pm: Message from Capt Dingley to say attack had failed
• 7.5pm: Message sent to Capt Dingley ordering him to withdraw at 8.15pm to trench beside Bttn HQ
• 7.0pm: I sent situation report by pigeon to Div
• 9pm: I ordered 1^st Cheshire Regt to send out patrols to try and get in touch with the French and link up with defensive posts. Message sent to 15^th Inf Bde asking if they could make arrangements to remove wounded
• 10.30pm: B & D Coys return to trench running along southern edge of Angle Wood
• 10.35pm: 1^st Norfolk Regt & 1^st Cheshire Regt take over firing line right and left respectively. 2^nd KOSB, 15^th Warwicks & 14^th Warwicks relieved and withdrawn to Casement Trench. End
  

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