Menu ☰
Liverpool Pals header
Search Pals

Search
Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916


CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916


Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916


Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916


Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft

L/Cpl 15424 Charles George Croxson


  • Age: 21
  • From: Bromborough, Cheshire
  • Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
  • K.I.A Wednesday 12th July 1916
  • Commemorated at: Bernafay Wood Brit Cem
    Panel Ref: H.52

Charles was born 1894 in Raby, Wirral, and was christened on the 4th October 1894 at Thornton Hough, Cheshire. He was the son of George Croxson and his wife Hannah Maria(nee Bishton) who had married in 1893 at Wirral Register Office.


The 1901 Census shows the family are living at Blakeley Road, Raby, Cheshire.

The father George aged 34 is a farm labourerwho was born in Whitchurch, Salop, and his wife Hannah Maria is aged 40 and was born in Trysull, Staffs. They have four children all born Raby, Charles G. 6, Ethel 4, Lizzie 2 and Hubert 5mths. Also Hannah's brother Charles W. Bishton 38 a farm labourer s living with them.

By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved to Church Institute Cottage, Bromborough.

The father George now aged 44 is employed as the verger and sexton, his wife Hannah Maria is 50, with no occupation listed. They have been married for 17 years and have four children. At the taking of the Census their children are all still living at home, Charles George 16 a clerk in a shipowners office, Ethel 14, Lizzie aged 12 and Hubert 10 are both at school.



Prior to enlistment Charles George was a clerk in a Shipowners office.

He enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15424. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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 7th November 1915. Charles will have been involved in the liberation of Montauban on 01st July 1916. The Pals next objective was clearing the heavily defended Trones Wood.

The murderous fighting that went on inside Trones Wood rendered it impossible to put specific dates on some of the casualties which is why many of the 17th Battalion losses have been bracketed as killed in action between 10th – 12th July 1916. The conditions are best described in the following passage from Everard Wyrall’s book The History of The King’s Regiment (Liverpool) Volume II. 

The remembrance of Trones Wood in July 1916 to those who passed through it is of a noisome, horrible place, of a tangled mass of trees and undergrowth which had been tossed and flung about in frightful confusion by the shells of both sides. Of the ghastly dead which lay about in all directions, and of DEATH, lurking in every hole and corner with greedy hands ready to snatch the lives of the unwary. The place was a Death trap, and although the attacks were made with great determination,   the presence of snipers who could not be detected and often fired into the backs of our men made the clearing of the wood impossible.

Charles was killed in action at Trones Wood, aged 21.He was buried close to where he fell, and after the war when graves were concentrated, his body was removed and reinterred in Bernafay Wood British Cemetery.

The cemetery was begun by a dressing station in August 1916 and used as a front-line cemetery until the following April. It contained at the Armistice 284 burials but was then increased when graves were brought in from Bernafay Wood North Cemetery and from the battlefields immediately east of the wood.  Bernafay Wood British Cemetery now contains 945 burials and commemorations of the First World War, 417 of which are unidentified.

Liverpool Echo 27th July 1916

CROXSON - July 12, killed in action, aged 21 years, Lance Corporal Charles George Croxson ("Pals"), the eldest dearly loved son of Mr and Mrs George Croxson, Church Institute, Bromborough.

The purpose, Lord, we cannot see,

But all is well that's done by Thee.

 

Birkenhead News 29th July 1916(surname incorrect)

Bromborough N.C.O. Lance-Corporal C. G. Croxon

Much sympathy is extended to Mr and Mrs George Croxon, of the Church Institute, in the loss they have sustained in the death in action of their eldest son, Lance-Corpl. Charles George Croxon. He was 21 years of age and joined the Pals when they were formed, and went out with them about 7 months ago. His father is well known as the caretaker of the Church Institute.

 

Liverpool Echo 31st July 1916

CONDOLENCE

Mr and Mrs George Croxson and family, Bromborough, desire to tender their sincere thanks to the many friends and relations for kind expressions of sympathy and letters received in the sad loss of their dearly loved son, George ("Pals").

 

He was remembered by the family on the occasion of his birthday in the Liverpool Echo on 04th Auugust 1917:

-- Roll of Honour - CROXON –

In sad but loving Birthday remembers of Lance Corporal C. G, Croxson (1st Pals) killed in action July 12 1916 in his 22nd year. The eldest son of Mr & Mrs G Croxon, Bromborough.

“And with the dawn those angels faces smile, which we have loved long since and lost awhile
".

Liverpool Echo 3rd August 1918

CROXSON - In loving birthday remembrance (August 4th) of CHARLES GEORGE CROXSON (Pals), killed in action, July 12, 1916.

In the lonely hours of thinking

Thoughts of you are ever dear.

- Institute, Bromborough.

 
He is also remembered on the Bromborough War Memorial and on the family headstone.

 

Soldiers Effects to father George, Pension to mother Hannah M.

 

The father George died in 1928 and the mother Hannah died in 1945.

Killed On This Day.

(108 Years this day)
Wednesday 29th March 1916.
Pte 17262 Herbert Edward Ankers
21 years old

(106 Years this day)
Friday 29th March 1918.
Pte 300239 John William Dunn
22 years old

(106 Years this day)
Friday 29th March 1918.
Pte 94251 William Fitton
19 years old

(106 Years this day)
Friday 29th March 1918.
L/Cpl 23131 George William Ollerenshaw
23 years old

(106 Years this day)
Friday 29th March 1918.
Lance Corporal 37652 Leigh Ward
21 years old