Name
Charles Thomas Fish
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/01/1917
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
36314
Royal Berkshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HIGH WYCH (ST. JAMES THE GREAT) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
High Wych Village Memorial
Pre War
Born in January 1888 and living at Friars Cottage, Friars Lane, High Wych, Charles Fish was an ‘Agricultural Worker’.
Wartime Service
In November 1915, Charles volunteered and enlisted initially with the 1/2nd Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment with the service number 5788. However, In June 1916, he was sent to France and transferred to the Royal Berkshire Regiment (1st or 2nd Battalion, records are unclear), and served in the area of the Somme.
Charles was unlucky. On 3 November 1916 a shell exploded 3 yards from him. Although he survived the explosion, it brought down a quantity of timber onto him, which caused massive spinal injuries, and were ultimately to prove fatal. Charles was shipped back to England and was treated at Exeter and Brompton (London) Hospitals. Sadly, they could do nothing to help, and Charles was sent home to die.
On 20 January 1917, just after his birthday, Charles Fish died from his wounds. He was aged 29.
Charles Fish was buried at St. James’ Church, High Wych with full military honours, and is named on the High Wych Memorial Plaque.
A newspaper article (source and date unrecorded) describes his funeral:
"The funeral took place at High Wych Churchyard on Saturday afternoon of Pte. Charles Thomas Fish, of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, whose death was reported in our last issue. It was conducted by the Vicar (the Rev. H. F. Rackham) and accorded military honours, there being present a firing party which fired three volleys and a bugler who sounded the Last Post. The immediate mourners were Mr and Mrs T. Fish (parents), Pte Frederick Fish, Royal Berkshire Regiment, and Mr A. H. G. Fish (brothers) and the Misses Elsie, Annie May, Edith, Eva Maud, and Rose Emily Fish (sisters), Messrs Geo. Fish and Wm. Springham (uncles), Mrs E. Springham (aunt), Mrs F. Ingram, Mrs M. Kempthorne, Miss Connie Springham, and Messrs Wm. Fish, H. Springham, R. Holden and R. Downham, while among the many others who assembled at the Church and at the graveside were Messrs J. Cleave, M. Cleave, -- {sic] Morley, J. George, and W. T. Greengrass.
The deceased, who was well known in the village, was a single man, 29 years of age, the son of highly respected parents, Mr and Mrs Thomas Fish, with whom he resided at Friars Cottage, High Wych. Employed as an agricultural labourer by Mr A. S. Bowlby, he was typical of that class of sturdy man recruited from the land whose stamina has proved such an invaluable quality in our New Armies. He enlisted in the Herts Regiment in November, 1915, and after training went to France in June 1916, where he was transferred with some 200 others into the Royal Berkshire Regiment.
It was while doing duty in the trenches in the early days of last November that a shell exploded within three yards of him, bringing down a quantity of timber, some of which fell on him and inflicted injuries to his spine and elsewhere. The injury to his back was followed by complications, and after being treated at hospitals at Exeter and Brompton he was sent home some three weeks before his death, which occurred on January 20th. Although the unfortunate man fully realised that for him there was no hope of recovery he endured terrible sufferings with great fortitude. Mr and Mrs Fish have also another son, Pte. Frederick Fish, of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, who as previously mentioned, was among those present at the funeral. He also last October was wounded in France but has now recovered and expects shortly to return to the front.
Mr and Mrs Thomas Fish and family, of Friars Cottage, High Wych, desire to return heartfelt thanks for the many kind expressions of sympathy shown them in their great bereavement. - [Advt.]"
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners
Jonty Wild, Douglas Coe
