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

Serjeant 57600 Charles William Gallagher

Age: 19
From: Dewsbury, Yorks
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
D.O.W Saturday 31st March 1917
Commemorated at: Etaples Mil Cem
Panel Ref: XXII.D.8

Charles Willie was born in Batley, just north of Dewsbury, in the June quarter of 1897, the youngest surviving child of Charles Gallagher and his wife Fanny Elizabeth (née Saville). His father was from Huddersfield, and his mother from Wakefield. They married in Dewsbury in June 1874 and had 13 children. His siblings were Richard and William who were born in 1874 but survived only a short time, Elizabeth 1876, Emma 1880, Sarah Jane 1882-1889, Sarah Ann 1884, Esther 1886, Joseph 1888, James 1891-1891, John Edward 1893 and Winifred 1895. Ten children are found on censuses.

Charles Willie was educated at St Patrick's School, Dewsbury.

Before Charles’ birth, in 1891 his parents, both working in a woollen mill, lived in Victoria Street, Batley, with seven children.

At the time of the 1901 census they are living at 93 Lidgate Lane, Dewsbury, with seven children at home, Charles is 3. His father is a machine cloth finisher, and Emma 21 is a machine minder woollens, Sarah A. 16 machine minder carpets, Esther 14 woollen mill burler, Joseph 12, John E. 7, Winifred 5. Their children were all born in Dewsbury.

In 1911 his mother Fanny, 54, married, is head of household at 19 Quarry Street, Track Road, Batley, with five children at home, all working in the mills. Esther, 24 is a cloth refiner, Joseph, 22, is a dyer’s labourer, Winnie, 15, is a hanker, Johnny, 17, is a woollen piecer, and Charles, although only 13, is also working as a woollen piecer. Five of the children have died. His father, 59, is found in a lodging house in Leeds Street in Dewsbury, employed as a cloth finisher.

Prior to enlistment Charles Willie was employed as a spinner at Messrs. Joseph Newsome and Sons mill, Batley Carr

Charles William enlisted in Dewsbury joining the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry as Private 2057. It appears that Charles was serving in a Territorial unit when war broke out, which would explain his attaining the rank of Acting Sergeant at the young age of 19.

He volunteered for overseas service on 13th September 1914, when he was 17 years old and was posted to the 18th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. His services were utilised at home by training troops at various camps until Christmas 1916. He left for France on 31st December 1916.

In late February the battalion relieved the 19th Manchesters in trenches at Agny in G2 sub-sector. The battalion War Diary records active patrolling nightly to keep a close watch on enemy who had been reported as retiring in their line further south. No indications were discovered of enemy withdrawal in this front. In trenches, patrolling continued. 1st to 4th of March, active patrolling carried out at night to watch enemy movements.

On 4th March the battalion was relieved and proceeded to billets at Achicourt. The 18th Battalion K.L.R. relieved the Manchesters.

On 5th March 1917 the enemy shelled at noon and hit one billet, causing 21 casualties. Among the wounded was Sgt C. W. Gallagher.

An officer wrote to say that Charles was wounded on March 5th by a shell which burst in his billet and he was a splendid soldier, very well liked by both officers and men.

The matron of the hospital where he had been taken wrote on the 17th:

“I am very sorry to tell you that your son’s condition is dangerous. He has been wounded in both knees and it has been necessary for him to have an operation. He is having every possible care and attention and he seems better during the last 24 hours.”

Later the matron wrote another letter:

“I am extremely sorry to tell you that your son died yesterday afternoon at 3.40 pm. He never recovered from the shock of the sudden haemorrhage he had in the morning and the consequent operation when it was found necessary to remove the leg. It was tragically sudden and we are terribly grieved about it and the shock to you must be terrible. He was expecting to see you every day and was often speaking of you. He did not suffer any pain at the last and really did not recover consciousness after the operation. The priest saw him every day, so I think he was quite happy. He will be buried in the English military cemetery at- ----and his few personal belongings including his watch will be forwarded to you in due course by the authorities.”

Charles died of his wounds on 31st March 1917, at No.11 General Hospital at Camiers.

He now rests at Etaples Military Cemetery in France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"ETERNAL REST GRANTED UNTO HIM LORD. FROM A LOVING MOTHER".

During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. In September 1919, ten months after the Armistice, three hospitals and the Q.M.A.A.C. convalescent depot remained.

The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified. It is the largest CWGC cemetery in France, and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His death was announced in the Leeds Mercury on 21st April 1917:

“Sergt. Charles Gallagher, son of Mr. C. Gallagher, King Street, Batley Carr, passed away following an amputation of his leg.”

His death was also reported in the Nottingham and Midland Catholic News on Saturday 28th April 1917:

“Sergeant Charles Gallagher aged 19, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gallagher, of No. 1, Court 2, King Street, Batley Carr, has died of wounds. He was a member of the Dewsbury Territorial Force before the war, and joined up in August, 1914. Transferred from the K.0.Y.L.I. to the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, his services were utilised for training recruits until last Christmas. An officer wrote a month ago that Sergeant Gallagher was wounded on March 5 by a shell which burst in his billet, and added: " He was a splendid soldier, and very well liked by both officers and men.” Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher have two more sons at the front.”

Charles earned the Territorial Force War Medal, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. The Territorial Force War Medal was a campaign medal awarded to members of the British Territorial Force who served overseas in World War I. It is the rarest of the five British Great War medals.

Awarded to members of the Territorial Force who volunteered for service overseas on or before 30 September 1914, and served overseas. They had to:

- have been serving with the Force on 4 August 1914; or
- have completed four years service with the Force before 4 August 1914 and rejoined on or before 30 September 1914.
-served overseas

An individual who was eligible to receive the 1914 Star or 1914/15 Star could not receive the Territorial War Medal.

His death was reported in the Freemans Journal on 28th April 1917

IRISH NAMES IN BRITISH REGIMENTS

Died of Wounds

King's Liverpool - Gallagher, 57600, Act-Sgt C.W., Batley Carr

His father died aged 63 on the 08th December 1917 and was buried at Dewsbury Cemetery.

Charles’ Army effects of £12-3s-10d and a War Gratuity of £15 went to his mother Fanny.

His pension documents were not received from the Paymaster until 23rd January 1918. The reason for the delay is not known. His mother, at 39 Woodhill, Batley Carr, Dewsbury, was awarded a pension of 9/6d a week from April 1918. Her address is later shown as 1 Court, King Street, Dewsbury, and 2 Porritt Yard.

His mother lived until June 1939 and died at the age of 81, before the outbreak of the Second World War and she still resided in Dewsbury.

Charles is commemorated on the following memorials -

Cawdor Parish Church

Batley Memorial

Dewsbury Memorial.

The CWGC records show Charles William serving with the 8th Battalion whereas the SDGW records show him serving with the 18th.

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

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