Pte 18474 Charles Bibb Nesbit

• Age: 27
• From: Gourock, Renfrewshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 8th November 1918
• Commemorated at: Dourlers Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: II.C.14

Charles Bibb Nisbet was born in Gourock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, in November 1890, the son of Richard Nisbet and his wife Elizabeth (Hunter). Richard, born in Larbert, Falkirk, Scotland in about 1854, and Elizabeth, born in Portsmouth in about 1855. They married in 1872 at Blythswood, Glasgow and had nine children. Unfortunately, Scotland records are difficult to access, so the birth details are not known. Tragically, eight of their children died. The only other children found on censuses are William, born about 1874, and Agnes in 1880, both born in Glasgow.  His father was a baker. His parents’ ages are inconsistent on censuses.

On the 1881 census the family are living at 15 Nicholas Street, Glasgow. Father Richard 27 a baker b.Falkirk, mother Elizabeth 26 b.England, children William 7 a scholar b.Glasgow, Agnes 15 months b.Glasgow.

It appears that William Hunter Nisbet died, aged 17, in 1890.

In 1891 the family, with two children, is living at 159 Gardner Street, Glasgow. His father is a journeyman baker, his mother is 34, daughter Agnes is 11, and Charles is 4 months old.

There is a crew record in 1899 for father Richard, a steward on the White Star liner RMS "Majestic", age 43 born Falkirk, and living at 52 Hunter Street, Liverpool. The ship  was on military runs to South Africa, the Captain was Edward Smith who later went on to Captain the "Titanic". 

By 1901 the family are living at 83 Troughton Street, Edge Hill.  His father is 40, a ship steward, his mother is 39, Charles is 10.

By 1911 Charles (listed with middle name Bibs) is head of household at 30 Squires Street, Edge Hill. He is 20, single, working as a furniture porter. His mother Elizabeth is 56, married 39 years; his father appears to be away at sea.  The census shows they have had nine children, eight of whom have died.

Charles enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 04th September 1914 in the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment (Depot) as Private 18474, giving his age as 23 years and 300 days, and his occupation as groom. He is described as being 5’ 5 and 3/4” tall, weighing 130 lbs, with a sallow complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. He gives his father Richard, at 71 Troughton Street, Liverpool, as his next of kin, and his religion as C of E.

There is no suitable death for father Richard in civil records after 1914, perhaps he died at sea. 

The day after he enlisted, on 05th September 1914, Charles married Ethel Sheridan, 21, in St. James' Church, Walton on the Hill.  He gives his occupation as groom, address 54 Upper Stanhope Street.  There are no records of children born to the marriage. 

Charles was posted to the 14th Bn K.L.R. on 13th September.  The battalion trained at Eastbourne and Seaford.  Whilst at Seaford, on 24/4/1915, he was confined to barracks for eight days for direct disobedience of orders and insolence to an N.C.O.  

He was admitted to Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, from 15th-25th June 1915 for prepatellar bursitis (inflammation of the knee), cause unknown, and again for the same reason on 07th August. An operation was performed, he made a complete recovery, and was discharged on 24th August.

Whilst at Aldershot, he was 10 days confined to barracks and deprived of 5 days’ pay for being absent without leave for five days from 25th to 30th July.

Charles shipped to France with his battalion on 4th September 1915, disembarking at Boulogne, where they entrained for Marseilles and from there embarked in October for Salonika. Charles was admitted to 5th Canadian Hospital in Salonika on 26/10/1916 and rejoined his unit in the field on 10/12/1916.

The battalion fought in the Battles of Horseshoe Hill and Machukovo in 1916, and at Doiran in 1917.  He suffered another period of sickness from 26/5/1918 to 12/6/1918.  They moved to the Western Front in June 1918, via Itea in Greece and Taranto, Italy.  He was granted leave to the UK from 2nd-17th July.  He overstayed his UK leave by one day and forfeited two days’ pay.  The 14th Bn was absorbed by the 18th Bn K.L.R. in August, becoming the 18th (Lancashire Hussars), The King’s (Liverpool Regiment).  On 3/9/1918 Charles was awarded three days Field Punishment No.1 for making an improper remark to an N.C.O.  On 16/9/1918 he was admitted to Field Ambulance with malaria, and rejoined his unit on 27/10/1918.

The 100 Days Offensive, the Allied push that would eventually bring the war to an end, had begun in August, and by early October the 18th Bn arrives at the Hindenburg Line in the region of Bony. The Allies pursue the retreating German Army and on 8th November 1918, in what would be their last engagement of the war, the 18th Bn attacks the Germans near Marbaix.

At the time of his death, warfare had become mobile, with the British Army harrying the Germans, who would retreat to a position, fight, then retreat once more. The day before he was killed the Battalion had just marched from Mariollers to Marbaix in France, when it was ordered to take a position in the line near Marbaix, from the 1/5th Gloucestershire Regiment. On the following day, 8th November an attack was commenced at 07.30am supported by the 100th Battalion Machine Gun Corps and artillery fire. Despite their support, the advancing troops encountered fierce rifle and machine gun fire from the German position’s. Although the attack was eventually successful, two more officers and thirty six other ranks were to be wounded, and fourteen other ranks Killed, only three days before the Armistice.

Charles was one of those referred to as killed in action on 08th November 1918 just three days before the Armistice.

He was buried near to where he fell and after the war, when graves were concentrated, his body was removed and reburied in Dourlers Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France, where he now rests.

Dourlers village was in German hands during almost the whole of the First World War. It was taken on 07th November 1918, after heavy fighting, by the 6th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 1st K.O.Y.L.I. The communal cemetery was used by the Germans during the war, but in November 1918, a small extension was made by Commonwealth troops at the west end. After the Armistice, the German graves from the communal cemetery and others from the battlefields, together with Commonwealth graves from isolated positions and small cemeteries, were brought into the extension which contains 161 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 14 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known or believed to be buried among them. The extension also contains 108 German burials, 62 of which are unidentified.

His personal belongings, 1 photograph, 1 pocket case, 1 watch in case (broken), were sent to Ethel, living at 54 Upper Stanhope Street.  She also received his effects of £26-3s-7d, a War gratuity of £24-10s and a pension of 13/9d a week.

Charles is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance inside Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 63. 

In 1919 Ethel provided information on Charles’ relatives. She indicated none were still living. 

Charles earned his three medals, which Ethel signed for in 1920 and 1922. She had remarried to John Pearson Wilson, a ships officer, there were 9 registered births between 1922-1935.  

Ethel died in the December quarter of 1957 aged 64. 

We currently have no further information on Charles Bibb Nesbit, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.