Pte 17415 Charles Paraviso Lindner

• Age: 26
• From: Daluth, Minnesota, USA
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Peronne Rd Cem Maricourt
  Panel Ref: I.A.6

17415 Private Charles Paraviso LINDNER, 19^th Battalion KLR.

Charles Paraviso Lindner was born in Duluth, Minnesota, USA on 10th September 1889. Charles was the younger of two sons born to Charles Paraviso Lindner and his wife Alice Louisa (nee Clark), who married in Chester in 1886. His mother was a native of Rhyl, Flintshire. The two boys were born in Minnesota, USA - Percival, the older, in 1887 and Charles in 1890 but both were British citizens. 

Formed on 7^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Charles was killed reportedly from shell fire on 1^st July 1916. His death is officially recorded as died of wounds but it is probable that he died in consequence of the wounds received on the same day. 

19^th Battalion Diary

Zero Hour 7.30am . First day of the attack. The Battalion used up entirely in “carrying parties” for the Brigade. Battalion H.Q. in the “Chateau”, Maricourt. Total casualties 01 -04/07/1916: 1 officer wounded, 12 other ranks killed, 53 wounded and 3 missing.

An article published on the 29^th July 1916 in the Birkenhead News following his death reports:

“Many friends in Little Sutton deeply sympathise with Mrs Flett of “The Poplars” in the heavy loss she has sustained by the death of her son Private Charles Paraviso Lindner of the 3^rd Pals. He was 26 years of age and educated at Arnold House School, Chester, under the Reverend Dr Fish. He served his articles as an architect in Liverpool and was an excellent draughtsman. Both he and his elder brother Percy were exceedingly popular in Little Sutton and its neighbourhood. Although possessed of ample means they both pursued a professional career and on the outbreak of war made a prompt reply to the call of duty. They joined the Pals and served together in the battle in which Charles was killed. He was in the machine gun section and was instantly killed by the explosion of a shrapnel shell. Charles was an accomplished musician and amongst his spare time hobbies were yachting and photography.”

Charles now rests at Peronne Road, Cemetery, Maricourt, France (Plot I, Row A, Grave 6). 

Maricourt was, at the beginning of the Battles of the Somme 1916, the point of junction of the British and French forces, and within a very short distance of the front line; it was lost in the German advance of March 1918, and recaptured at the end of the following August.

The Cemetery, originally known as Maricourt Military Cemetery No.3, was begun by fighting units and Field Ambulances in the Battles of the Somme 1916, and used until August 1917; a few graves were added later in the War, and at the Armistice it consisted of 175 graves which now form almost the whole of Plot I. It was completed after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields in the immediate neighbourhood and from certain smaller burial grounds.

There are now 1348, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 366 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 26 soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found.

The cemetery covers an area of 3,787 square metres and is enclosed on three sides by a low red brick wall.

His medals went to his mother as did his soldiers effects, via the family solicitor, but no pension record has been found. A small book was also returned. 

In a sworn declaration dated 18^th May 1919, his mother Alice declared Charles’s only surviving relatives as herself and his brother, Percival, aged 31 years, who lived with her. On 31^st May 1920, Mrs Flett wrote to Infantry Records to say that although she had received her son’s memorial scroll she had not yet received the bronze memorial plaque - she was assured that it would be dispatched by the Plaque Factory as soon as possible.

His brother, Percy, also enlisted in the 19^th Battalion on 04^th September 1914 in Liverpool, serving as Private 17643. He gave his age as 27 years 70 days and his occupation as farmer. He served in France from 07^th November 1915 and had a chequered disciplinary record, being sentenced to Field Punishment No. 1 on at least 4 occasions for being absent without leave and also causing a disturbance in his billet. Despite being wounded in the head in June 1918, Percy survived the war and retired with a gratuity of £106 because of an injury caused to his fingers by barbed wire. Percy also earned his three medals and eventually died on the Wirral in 1952.