Pte 48219 Charles Freestone

• Age: 38
• From: Dorking Surrey
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Charles Freestone was born in 1879 in Dorking, Surrey, the son of Charles and Rachel Freestone.

There is a possible death record for Rachel in the March quarter of 1885 with the death registered in Newmarket, Suffolk.

Charles had moved to Liverpool where he married Edith (nee Kevan) at St. Mary’s Church, Walton-on-the Hill, on 19th March 1904. Edith's birth is recorded on 24th June 1883, daughter of Peter and Hannah (nee McBryde) Kevan. Charles' address was 47 Barry Street and gave his father as Charles Freestone (deceased). Barry Street was redeveloped and cleared in the 1970's and no longer exists. It was a street next to Fountains Road, Walton

They were to have four children Elizabeth Maude, born 1904, Edith, born 1907, John Charles, who was born in 1910, but died aged one in  the March quarter of 1912 and Robert William born in the June quarter of 1915. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 19 Oldham Street, Liverpool.  Charles would appear to away at sea when the 1911 Census was taken. Edith is living at the address she has her three children Elizabeth, Edith and John with her. They are living with her mother and step-father at 19, Oldham Street, Liverpool. Her mother is Hannah Johnstone aged 46, born 1865 and married to John  aged 44, born 1867 and is a school caretaker, they have four children who are all at school, Mary aged 13, born 1898, Alice aged 11, born 1900, Helen Margaret aged 8, born 1903 and James Richard aged 6, born 1905.

Charles enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 48219 when he was killed in action on the 04th August, 1917 aged 38 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

Charles was one of those casualties referred to. 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.

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