Name
Tom Charlish
14 December 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/03/1918
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
30911
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 28 and 29.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Bishop's Stortford Saxlingham Nethergate War Memorial, Norfolk Roll of Honour, St Mary's Church, Saxlingham, Norfolk St Mary’s Church Memorial Plaque, Newton Flotman, Norfolk
Pre War
Tom Charlish was born on 14 December 1891 in Saxlingham, Norfolk, to Joseph and Clara Charlish and baptised on 10 April 1892 at Newton-Flotman, Norfolk. (He was registered and baptised Tom not Thomas) He had three sisters, Cissy, Ruby and Maggie. He lived most of his life at the West End Public House, Saxlingham Thorpe. His father was a beer retailer but also ran a market garden next to the public house. On the 1911 Census he was living with his family at The West End, Saxlingham Thorpe, Norfolk and working as a gardener assisting his father with the market garden.
Wartime Service
He was living in Bishop's Stortford at 148 South Street, when he enlisted and served in the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. On 21 March the Germans began an offensive and the dry weather made the usually marshy valley of the River Oise easy for them to cross. The 7th Battatlion, Bedfordshire Regiment were involved in a lot of fighting on 22 March. Their aim was to prevent the Germans from taking the Montaigne bridge over the St Crozat Canal. The Germans eventually crossed the canal after some desperate fighting and came within 200 yards of Battalion HQ, resulting in officers destroying all documents and maps. However, a counter attack in which the 7th Btn took part drove them back across the canal by evening. Unfortunately there was another attack at 7 am on 23 March and the Germans managed to cross on the right and left flanks of the Brigade. Orders were given to withdraw to a ridge near Faillouel and later to the village of Caillouel when the position became untenable. By the end of the day the 7th Btn consisted of only 6 officers and about 200 men. Many having been killed by heavy artillery fire and mustard gas shells. Tom Charlish one of those killed that day, near St Quentin, in northern France. His body was never recovered/identified.
Additional Information
He left a will on which probate was granted in London on 8 May 1920 to Joseph Charlish, market gardener, and Clara Elizabeth Charlish with effects of £391 11s 2d. His address was given as Saxlingham Thorpe and 149 South Street, Bishop's Stortford. With the money left to them by Tom, his parents built a cottage next to the market garden to retire to and called it St Quinton Cottage after St Quentin, where he was killed. The cottage is still there today. His mother and father jointly received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £6 12s 2d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
