SD/561. Lance Corporal Charles Fossey West

“C” Company, 11th. (Service) (1st. Southdown) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, “Lowther’s Lambs”, British Expeditionary Force, 39th. Division. Previously served in the 4th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment for 3 years, and a National Reservist. Born 1882 in Worthing, Sussex. Enlisted in Worthing, Sussex on 16th. September 1914. Married and a Bricklayer by Trade, living at 22 Prospect Place, Worthing, Sussex. Employed by Patching & Co. of Worthing. Appointed Lance Corporal (paid) on 20.1.15. Gained Class I Musketry 20.1.16. Embarked 4 MAR 1916. Reported Missing In the Field 3 SEP 1916. Cancel report of missing, now Reported Killed in Action 3.9.16. Killed in Action on Sunday 3rd. September 1916, aged 34, during The Battle of The Somme at Becourt. Lost Without Trace. No Known Grave. Known unto God. Commemorated on Pier and Face 7C of The Thiepval Memorial to The Missing, Somme, France. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward West of 34 Orme Road, Worthing, Sussex. Husband of Mabel West (nee Burden). Married in East Preston 18.4.1908. Lived in 22 Paragon Cottages, Worthing, Sussex, and later 18 Ludwick Road, New Cross, London, S.E. Mabel was awarded a Pension of 18s. 9d. per annum for herself and her daughter, Ida Blanche West. Charles was entitled to the Memorial Plaque and Scroll, British War Medal and Victory Medal all of which were sent to Mabel together with four small photos. Commemorated on Worthing War Memorial outside the Town Hall in Chapel Road, also on West Tarring Church Memorial and Durrington Church Memorial. A staggering total of 103 of Charles’s Comrades from the Battalion also Fell on this day, together with 5 Officers.

Barry Jenkins