Pte 17749 Charles Richard Wilcock

• Age: 31
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Charles Richard Wilcock was born on the 5th June 1886 in Anfield, Liverpool and was the son of Roger and Harriet(nee Regan) Wilcock of 60 Saxon Street Liverpool who were married on 6^th July 1885 in St Michael’s Church, West Derby Road, Liverpool. He was baptised on the 27th June 1886 also at St Michael's.

Prior to the war he was employed by MacIver’s West African Merchants who were based at 401 Royal Liver Buildings, Liverpool since 1902.  

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 60 Saxon Street, Liverpool. Father Roger is aged 35, his occupation is traveller in stoneware, mother Harriet is aged 31 and son Charles W. is aged 4, everybody born Liverpool.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 60 Saxon Street, Liverpool.

Father Roger is aged 46 born 1855 and his occupation is Traveller in Pottery. His wife Harriet (nee Regan) is aged 41 born 1860. They were married on 6^th July 1885 in St Michael’s Church, West Derby Road, Liverpool, they have three son’s all of school age, Charles aged 14 born 1887, Roger aged 9 born 1892 and William P aged 4 born 1897. All the family were born in Liverpool.

The 1911 Census shows the family still living at 60 Saxon Street, Liverpool.

Father Roger now aged 54 is a Commercial Traveller. His wife Harriet aged 50 is a Housekeeper at Home. Charles and Roger aged 24 and respectively are both Clerks. Percy aged 14 is at school.  

Charles Service records show he enlisted on the 11^th September 1914, in Liverpool and was aged 28 years and 88 days and gave his occupation as a clerk. He was 5 feet and eight and half inches tall, weighed 147lbs, had a fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair and gave his religion was Roman Catholic.

30/07/16: He was wounded and sent to Field Ambulance and admitted with a gunshot wound to the right thigh.

02/08/16: He was sent back to England from Dieppe.

22/02/17: Overstaying draft leave from Tattoo until 11pm 24/02/17 (49 hours) on 26/02/17 - 7 days confined to barracks.

30/05/17: To Etaples, France.

31/05/17: posted to 11^th Battalion K.L.R.

16/06/17: Posted to 18^th Battalion.

He was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 17749 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 31 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

18^th Battalion

He was killed in action on 31st July 1917 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, 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.

Reported killed in the Weekly Casualty List 18th September 1917

King's (Liverpool Regiment) - Wilcock 17749 C. (Liverpool);

His company wrote the following about Charles:

Private Charles R. Wilcock 32 (MacIver's Liver Building), King's Liverpool Regiment, who enlisted in September 1914, and came home wounded soon after beginning his fighting in France, has now made what is so finely called the supreme sacrifice, in the same front. This sad event dates back to July last, having been tardily communicated to "Progress." Private Wilcock had been with our Associated Company since August, 1902, and is mourned by itsDirectors and Staff as ""a faithful loyal servant." To his father his officer has written:-  “Your son’s bravery is a byword in his company. No greater valour or devotion to duty has ever been seen.” This is another example of character instinctive to, and strengthened by, the sporting spirit. He was a popular athlete, and a member of the Old Xaverian’s Football Club.

Liverpool Echo 31st July 1918

WILCOCK - Private CHARLES WILCOCK K.L.R., beloved son of Roger and Harriet Wilcock, killed in action July 31, 1917.

[There was a dedication to another Charles Wilcock, Rifleman 242786 6/KLR also KIA 31st July 1917, not to be confused]

He is also commemorated on the War Memorial at St Francis Xavier’s RC School, Everton.

Soldiers Effects to father Roger, Pension to mother Harriet.

Father Roger died aged 74 in 1928 and mother Harriet died aged 78 in 1938.

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