Name
Charles Henry Payne
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/11/1916
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5000
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 12 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Little Wymondley, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Charles was born in 1896, in Little Wymondley. The son of Arthur Childs (Charles) Payne and Harriet Payne (nee Hipgrave). The eldest of six children.
The 1901 census recorded Charles as aged 5, living in Little Wymondley with his parents. He attended Wymondley Infants and Junior school. In 1911 he was still living in Little Wymondley with his parents, 2 brothers Fredrick 3 and James 1. His occupation is given as a General Labourer.
His home was at Little Wymondley and he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Charles was allocated Regimental number 5000 and served in 4 Company. He was killed in action.
The 1st Herts were part of the 118th Brigade of the 39th Division in II Corps of the 5th Army at the time of his death. This was the Battle of the Ancre, an attempt by General Sir Hubert Gough to reduce the Beaumont Hamel Salient that had hitherto resisted all assaults. The Herts were on the right of the Brigade and assembled at the Schwaben Redoubt just north of Thiepval. Their first objectives were some enemy strongpoints about 200 yards in front of the Redoubt, the so-called Hansa Line of trenches and the final objective the junction of Mill Trench and the Hansa Line, a total advance of about 1,200 yards. Zero hour was 5.45am in thick mist. heavy going with the ground honeycombed with shell holes. He was in 4 Company which led the advance on the right of the Battalion and by 7.30am most of their objectives had been achieved.
The rest of the day was spent consolidating the position, constructing a redoubt at the junction of Mill Trench and the Hansa Line and beating off counter-attacks. A splendid achievement, but at a cost of over 150 men killed and wounded.
Charled has no known grave and is remembered on Pier/Face 12C of the great Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His mother Harriet received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £2 17s 5d.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
