Charles (Charlie) Sells

Name

Charles (Charlie) Sells
1894

Conflict

First World War

Date of Death / Age

27/07/1917

Rank, Service Number & Service Details

Private
203465
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st/5th Bn.

Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards

British War and Victory medals

Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country

GAZA WAR CEMETERY
XXX. A. I.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)

Headstone Inscription

None

UK & Other Memorials

Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin

Pre War

Charles was known as Charlie and was born in 1894 in Hitchin, his parents were Charles and Susan Sells (née Catterill ) and they married in Ickleford in 1889. Susan was born in Pirton and was previously married to a James Catterill, they had children, so Charlie had several stepsiblings

In 1901 the family were living at 3 Maxwell Cottages, Bedford Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Charles (50) and Susan (42), with Charles and working as a domestic gardener. The children listed were Frank (11), Grace (9), Charles (7), Harry (5), Bernard (2), and also Annie Catterill (22), Herbert Catterill (15).

By 1911 the family were living at the same address. Present were both parents, Charles still a domestic gardener, they had been married for 22 years with 6 children, all living. The children still present were Grace, Charlie, now 17 and a grocer’s assistant, Harry W, Bernard, Stanley (8) and Herbert Catterill.

Before enlisting he was employed at the International Stores in Hitchin.

Officially Charlie was recorded as living in Hitchin, when he enlisted in Bedford.

Wartime Service

Several sources show Charlie as originally 2/1st E.A.D. R.E. 2516 Spr. Another suggests that he became 522437 in the Royal Engineers. He went with them to Egypt around April 1916 and was then transferred and was given Regimental Number 203465 in the 5th Battalion of the Bedfords. He was killed in action in Palestine. 

This was at the time of the second of two raids on the Turkish positions at Umbrella Hill in the Gaza area. About 300 men took part. The attack commenced in bright moonlight at 9.00pm and after a fierce fight the Bedfords withdrew in good order. They were praised by General Allenby for their efforts. 

After his death a friend, private Ernest Breed, wrote “I am very sorry that I have to write this sad news to inform you of your son's death which occurred while taking part in a night raid. He was one of my best chums, and I have been with him since we left England. He was a very straightforward fellow, and was liked very much by all his comrades. We were the best of pals, both in the R.E.’s and Bedfords. As far as I can tell you, he was on the way back to the trenches, when a stray bullet hit him in the chest.”

He was buried in Plot 30, Row A, Grave 1 in the Gaza War Cemetery in Israel. 

Additional Information

After his death £10 4s 2d(*1) pay owing was authorised to be paid on 8 July 1918, it was divided, £8 1s 2d to his sister Grace, and £1 1s 6d each to his brothers Bernard and Stanley. Later, a war gratuity of £9 was authorised to be paid to Grace on 15 January 1920. However there is a second record which records £5 14s 8d pay owing was authorised to be paid on 15 January 1920, it was divided, £2 12s 8d to his sister Grace and his mother, and £1 11s each to his brothers Bernard and Stanley. We don’t know if one was correction to the other.

*1 the amount do not add up to the total.

His pension cards record his mother, Susan, as his next of kin, living at 3 Maxwell Cottages, Bedford Road, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of a flat rate 5s a week from 6 November 1918.

One of his stepbrothers, Herbert Catterill, was killed in the war.

Charlie and his stepbrother Herbert are also commemorated on the family headstone in Hitchin Cemetery. Their inscription reads:

Acknowledgments

Jonty Wild
David C Baines, Jonty Wild