Pte 34357 Charles Denver Wilson

After their marriage in Plymouth the couple returned to Liverpool, where Violet Frances was born on 04th August 1896 in Seaforth.  At her baptism her parents’ residence was given as 78 Seaforth Road, and her father’s occupation as stage manager.   

By the time of Charles’ birth in 1897 his parents were back in Plymouth.  He was baptised in Babbcombe, Torquay, about 35 miles from Plymouth, on 16th August 1897, his parents of no fixed abode (“travelling”) and his father’s occupation listed as showman. (His father is listed as Charles Denver Wilson, but this may have been a stage name, as there are no births with this middle name).

There are no birth records for his younger sister Daisy, aged 8 on the 1911 census, born in Pontycymmer, Glamorgan.  Perhaps Daisy was a nickname; a Jessie Ellen Wilson, mother’s maiden name Mitchell, was born in Bridgend district (which includes Pontycymmer) in the spring of 1902, which would make her the right age.

At the time of the 1901 census Charles Wilson, aged 4, and his parents Charles and Frances, all born in England, are boarding at 44 Hallcraig Street in New Monkland, Lanarkshire (about 12 miles east of Glasgow).  His father is 27, an actor, and his mother is 24, a professional palmist.  Also Hannah Wilson, 9 (who appears to have died before 1911).

Elder sister Violet has remained in Liverpool and is with her maternal grandparents Henry (aged 81) and Susan (69) Mitchell in Radcliffe Street, Everton.  

By 1904 his parents are back in Liverpool, where Charles and Violet attended private school before enrolling in Lombard Street school in January 1904, their parents’ residence at the time 7 June Street, and their father’s occupation listed as actor.  They withdrew in December 1906 to attend Whitefield Road Wesleyan School.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 7 Flaxman Street, Edge-Hill, Liverpool. The head of the household is Charles Wilson aged 35, occupation photographer working on his own account. His wife Frances is aged 34, born 1877 in Liverpool as were their children. They have been married for sixteen years. Violet aged 14, born 1896 in Seaforth, Charles aged 13, born 1897 and Daisy aged 8, born 1903. Also at the address is Emily Wilson stepmother and widow aged 58, 1853. One of their four children has died.

Charles was educated at Lombard Street Council School.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 34357 and was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 19, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

Charles was initially reported Missing, his name appearing in the Liverpool Daily Post on 14th September 1916. His death was later officially accepted as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

Charles was initially reported Missing, his name appearing in the Liverpool Daily Post on 14th September 1916:

King’s (Liverpools) - Wilson, 34357, C.; 

His death was later officially accepted as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

Charles' body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

His Victory Medal and British War Medal were returned for adjustment.

His mother received his Army pay  of £2 7s 3d nd a War Gratuity of £3, and was awarded a pension of 7/6d a week from June 1917, her address shown at the time as 116 Pembroke Place, Liverpool, and later 193 Townsend Avenue ( her daughter Violet’s address). A notation on the pension card “c/o Woodlands, Perth, Australia” suggests that she emigrated, or perhaps spent some time with one of her daughters in Australia.

On the 1921 Census his father Charles, a 43 year old entertainer, is staying at a boarding house at 133 New Bridge Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

Mrs. F. L. Wilson, age 44, domestic, of 114 Pembroke Place, is found on a passenger list travelling alone, leaving Liverpool on 24th December 1921 to Fremantle, Australia.

It is not known what became of his parents or sisters. The date 1935 also appears on the pension card; it is not known if this records when his mother died.

C. D. Wilson (22nd Bn K.L.R., shown in error) is commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 32 Right.