I grew up hearing stories of 'uncle Charlie' who was killed in the war. In later life when I came to research his story I found he was a 30 year old father of 3 who had enlisted in the East Surrey regiment in July 1902 for 3 years regular and 9 years reserve service. Luckily I was able to find his service papers which showed that his only overseas service was the 9 days between disembarking in France and his death during the battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914. I was able to visit his grave and show my gran a photo of the grave (marked 'buried near this spot' as it was in a cemetary created by the Germans so he was buried as an unknown British Soldier). I had not realised that his brother was also in the Regiment when they disembarked so can only imagine his feelings as they pulled away from Mons when he found that Charles was missing (the Regiment's War Diary at this early stage of the war showed Other Rank Missing casualties so he was named there). Later Research showed what must have happened to cause his death. Two platoons of the East Surreys were on the far side of the Mons Conde canal close to a railway embankment when the Battalion was ordered to retire. The two platoons did not receive this order so the Germans were able to cross over the embankment and cut them off from the canal meaning that when they tried to pull back the Germans were behind them. The cemetary in which Charles lies (Hautrage) contains the remains of those who died during this attempt I believe as amongst those buried alongside him are two Lieutenants and two Sergeants.

stephen Mason