Name
Charles Gatward
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/08/1917
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
26243
King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BRANDHOEK NEW MILITARY CEMETERY NO.3
I. B. 35.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary the Virgin Church, Therfield, Non-conformist Chapel, Therfield
Pre War
Born on 13 Mar 1892 in Dane End, Therfield, Herts. son of Thomas and Julia Ann (Hagger) Gatward and christened on 7 Aug 1892 in Therfield.
1901 census details
The family was living in Dane End, Therfield and father Thomas ,55, an agricultural labourer was married to Julia, 49. They had Henry 15, Walter, 11 and Charles aged 9.
1911 census details
Henry, now 24 was a farm labourer and Charlie was a bricklayer’s labourer but Walter had left home.
Wartime Service
Formerly 1693 Hertfordshire TA and 5740 Notts and Derby Regiment. Enlisted in Hertford 31 Mar 1911 in the Hertfordshire Territorial Force. He was recorded as 5’2 ¾ inches in height and fit for the military. He was in training at Thetford and Worthing and when war broke out he was ‘embodied’ on August 5th.
He was discharged after four years service in England on 14 Mar 1916. He presumably re-enlisted and was sent to Flanders.
He didn’t go over to France until March 14th 1916, but as none of his service records relating to the Great War have survived we cannot tell his actions.
Certainly his division, the 14th was in action in August north east of Ypres, Belgium. This was the battle of Langemarcke. On the 18th they were in Inverness Copse, but were forced back by sustained machine gun fire. Then with the help of 2 tanks coming along the Menin Road they held on but sustained 3 German counter attacks during the afternoon of the 18th.
Charles sadly died on the 19th and is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery which only opened in that month so he was one of the early burials.
Additional Information
Brother of Walter Gatward who died 19 Apr 1916 and is also listed on this same memorial.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Jean Handley
