Charles John Thompsom

 

Born: 2nd February 1894

Died 13th April 1917

Regiment: Rifle Brigade, 11th Battalion.

Service number: S/1419

Enlisted: 6th September 1914

Sailed to France 21st July 1915

Appointed “Acting Corporal” 5th April 1916

However, he did not get his pay rise until 28th July 1916.

Reported “wounded and missing” on the 17th February 1917.

 

From the regimental diary around the time he was wounded and captured.

12th February: resting in Carnoy

13th February: move up to Guillemont, Somme valley.

14th February: Relieve 12 KRRC (12th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps) in front line trenches. Partly delayed due to enemy machine gun and trench mortar fire.

15th/16th/17th February: under heavy fire from enemy positions.

17th February: due to be relieved by 10th Bn Rifle brigade, but delayed due to enemy action.

19th February am: relieve complete.

Record of the 19th February, then gives a summary of this tour of the front line.

“Battalion moves back to Carnoy. Casualties for this tour 70 OR (Ordinary Ranks, i.e. none offices) of which 17 are missing. It is believed that two stretcher parties wondered into German lines in the fog.”

He was admitted to hospital 6th March 1917 at the Hasenheide POW camp.

Died on the 13th April 1917 as a Prisoner of War at Hasenheide POW camp from wounds received at in the front line near Guillemont

 

In 1922-23 it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died all over Germany should be brought together into four permanent cemeteries. Berlin South-Western was one of those chosen and in 1924-25, graves were brought into the cemetery from 146 burial grounds in eastern Germany.

HASENHEIDE GARRISON CEMETERY, on the South side of the city of Berlin, contained the graves of 369 Russian, 125 French, and 58 Belgian, American, Italian, Rumanian, Portuguese or Serbian soldiers; 63 sailors, soldiers and Marines from the United Kingdom; and one Indian soldier.

From the CWGC, 21 men from the 11th rifle battalion were killed in action between the 14th and 17th February 1917. Only 3 have known graves, the rest are remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

gail perrins