Sgt 22397 Charles Hatch

• Age: 31
• From: Southport, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 2nd August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Charles was born on 05th June 1886 in Southport the son of Thomas Stanton Hatch and his wife Elizabeth (nee Lyon). His parents married in 1871 at St Paul's Church, Southport. Charles was baptised in the same church on 04th July 1886. 

His sister Mary died aged 11 in the September quarter of 1884.

On the 1891 census Charles is aged 4 living at 38 Belmont Street, Southport. His father Thomas is aged 45  and a building contractor born in Liverpool, whilst his mother is 42 years of age and was born in Formby, his siblings all born Southport are listed as; George 16 joiners apprentice, Annie 14 scholar, Robert 12 scholar, Thomas 9 scholar, Gertrude 7 scholar, Herbert 1

His sister Annie died in the March quarter of 1894 aged 17.

On the 1901 Census, Charles is aged 14 a schoolboy still living at 38 Belmont Street. His father Thomas is aged 55 and employed as a joiner and building contractor, his mother is mother 52 years of age, George 26 joiner, Robert 22 water inspector, Thomas 19 joiners apprentice, Gertrude 17 mothers domestic, Herbert 11 schoolboy.

His brother Herbert died aged 17 in the June quarter of 1907.

On the 1911 Census, Charles is aged 24 a builders clerk living at 20 St Pauls Street, Southport. His father, Thomas, is aged 65 and a joiner and builder, his mother is 62. They advise that they have been married for 39 years and have had 8 children 5 of whom have survived. His siblings still resident in the property are listed as; Robert 32 water works inspector, and Gertrude 27. 

He enlisted in Liverpool on 05th November 1914 joining the 20th Battalion as Private 22397.His service records show that he gave his age as 28 years 124 days, his occupation as a contractor. He was described as being 5' 10 and a half inches tall, weight 146lbs with a 37" chest. He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. His next of kin was given as his father Thomas Stanton, 20 St Pauls St, Southport.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

25th Aug 1915 at Belton park he was appointed paid L/Cpl

07th November 1916 arrived in France

26th Feb 1916 - reprimanded for overstaying leave from tatoo (21 hours)

13th May 1916 - appointed A/Cpl

30th July 1916 - shrapnel wounds to buttocks and left abdomen

3rd Aug 1916 - returned on hospital ship to Newhaven

16th Feb 1917 - embarked Folkestone for Etaples

11th Apr 1917 - posted B Coy, 20th Btn

16th June 1917 - confirmed rank paid A/Sgt

He was wounded on 30/07/1916 at Guillemont and in a letter he wrote home to his sister he gave some detail about the events of the catastophic attack:

“No doubt you will have received by now my p.c. just to tell you that I have been slightly wounded. Well there is no need to worry. I shall soon be alright again. I got in the way of a bit of shrapnel as we were going over yesterday morning; rather a poor finishing to a very busy month. It caught me on the back in two places, made things very stiff and sore, but nothing very serious. At the time the shell burst behind me, and as luck would have it, I had strapped my entrenching tool on the back of my belt, instead of the side, and the piece cut through the leather of the case before I stopped, it bowled me over, and covered me with dirt; but I managed to get back to our lines, helping two or three of the boys along that were worse than me. Our boys caught it pretty hot going over. It was very foggy, so what with that and the smoke from the shells, we were soon all loosing direction. I have not yet heard whether we won through, but took a good number of prisoners. I helped to march some of them down; our slightly wounded men can bring a batch of Germans along, they are only too delighted to be taken prisoners.

We also made them help with the stretchers, as they usually have to pass the dressing station. I am only sorry that I was knocked over before being able to get any of the beggars :feels like a waste of energy carrying those bombs and ammunition and not being able to use it. “

A report from the Liverpool Echo dated 10th August 1916 gave the following update;

Private Charles Hatch K.L.R. of Southport is in hospital wounded.

It seems that he was underplaying the extent of his injuries to his sister as he was at home for months and only returned to overseas duty in February 1917.

His mother died in the September quarter of 1916, aged 67.

He had attained the rank of Serjeant when he was killed in action on 02nd August 1917, aged 31, during the 3rd Battle of Ypres more commonly known as Passchendaele.

The 20th Battalion diary gives details of the circumstances that the Battalion found themselves in during the early phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). Having taken part in the initial fighting of 31st July 1917 there is a general write up in relation to the period 01st -08th August and specifics solely from the 03rd August. As such it is impossible to say exactly how each of the men who fell on 01st or 2nd August met their death.

20^th Battalion Diary 01^st August – 08^th August

The Battalion continued to hold the position taken up on the morning of 31^st July. After the first day the weather was very wet and the going very difficult, but the men’s spirits remained wonderfully good. From time to time there was very heavy enemy shelling and in addition to this machine guns and snipers were very active. The work of communication was extremely difficult and the wires to Companies and to Battalions on our flanks were repeatedly cut and were only kept going by most excellent work by our linesmen, who suffered very heavy casualties as also did the runners. 

Following his death the Southport Visitor reported on 12th August, 1917. 

Sergeant Hatch who was 31 years of age, was the son of Mr. & Mrs. T. S. Hatch 20 St. Pauls Street Southport.

Previous to enlisting he was employed as a clerk and book-keeper with Messrs. Fairbridge and Hatch, builders and contractors, of Birkdale, of which firm his father was a partner. He was a all-round athlete, and in pre war days played for St Paul’s and Y. M. C. A Football clubs. He was educated at Christ Church Higher Grade School.

Sergeant Hatch enlisted in the Liverpool Pals on 5th November 1914, and after training, went out to France on 16th November 1915 and was promoted to Corporal. He was wounded in France on July 30th 1916. After being drafted back to hospital in England he was later discharged from there on September 29th 1916, and re-joined his Battalion at Pembroke, and resumed his military duties. On April 20th 1917 he was again sent out to France, where he had been up until his death. He was promoted to full Sergeant in June 1917. 

His death was also reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 27th August 1917:

Sergeant Charles Hatch K.L.R., who has been killed in action, was the son of Mr T. S. Hatch, St. Pauls Street, Southport, and before joining the Army was a clerk and bookkeeper to his father. As a prominent member of the National Reserve he was very popular.

Following his death on the afternoon of 02nd August 1917 a letter was received from one of his fellow sergeants which also featured in the Southport Visitor:

“It maybe consoling for you to know that death was instantaneous, for a fragment of shell penetrated his brain from the right temple. We buried him in a soldiers grave just behind the spot where he fell, and his grave is surmounted by a small wooden cross with a simple inscription. We had to bury him at night time owing to the dangerous nature of the spot. I would now, on behalf of his fellow N. C. O’S and men, like to pay a tribute to his memory. He was loved and liked by all, for he was always of the most cheery disposition and ever ready with a hearty word in the most trying circumstances, and his loss to us is great indeed, but we must rest content, knowing that he did his duty nobly and died a hero’s death fighting for King and Country".

His initial burial place referred to was either lost or subsequently destroyed as his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres in Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Charles is commemorated on the family headstone at Duke Street Cemetery in Southport and on the Southport Civic Memorial.

His father died in the March quarter of 1925, aged 79.