Name
David Leslie Child
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/09/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) *1
2nd (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BRONFAY FARM MILITARY CEMETERY, BRAY-SUR-SOMME
I. C. 37.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Sawbridgeworth Town Memorial, Great St Mary’s Church Memorial, Sawbridgeworth
Pre War
David was born in 1888, in Tottenham, Middlesex and was the son of Ernest Child a “Stock Jobber” at the London Stock Exchange and Ellen Child (née Carpenter).
He was one of six children. Analysis of the census information reveals that in 1891 David, then aged 3, was living with his parents, and 2 sisters in Tottenham, Middlesex – the rest of the family were living with a relative at 20 High Street, Herne Bay, Kent. David’s childhood was spent living at Newport near Saffron Waldon.
By 1901 he was living with his parents, 2 brothers and sister Mary at White Lodge, London Road, Newport, Saffron Walden, Essex and in 1911 the family had moved to Orchard House, 100 Station Road, Sawbridgeworth, Herts. David’s occupation was given as an Articled Clerk to a Solicitor.
Wartime Service
In 1914, David volunteered for service and was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) 3 February 1915. After training, he arrived in France in April 1916 to join his unit on the Somme front as a replacement.
On 1 July 1916, David’s unit was positioned opposite the German held Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt near Beaumont Hamel. This was to be the first day of the Battle of the Somme. At 0720, a huge mine was exploded beneath the German redoubt, forming a large crater.
The official report for this action shows that at 0725, David’s Battalion began to advance towards this crater, but under intense machine gun fire, only a few actually reached it, and none reached the German wire. By 1350, even those at the crater were forced to withdraw due to ‘trench mortar fire’. The official divisional casualties from this unsuccessful assault were 5,267 killed or wounded, of whom 209 were officers. David was one of those officers wounded. His wounds must have been severe as he is not evacuated back to England.
He was to die of his wounds on 11 September 1916. He was aged 28.
David Child is buried at Bronfay Farm Military Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
*1 More correctly London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).
His Will, gave his home address as Orchard House, Sawbridgeworth, Herts. David’s brother Bernard, an Engineering Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, died aboard his ship HMS Monmouth on the 1st November 1914. The ship was lost with all hands at the Battle of Coronel.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Stuart Osborne, Douglas Coe
