Name
Charles Cecil Littlechild
23 Nov 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/09/1918
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
654213
5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
IV. F. 23.
France
Headstone Inscription
IN LOVING MEMORY FROM FATHER, MOTHER AND BROTHER
UK & Other Memorials
Hoddesdon and Rye Park Town Memorial, Hoddesdon, St Catherine and St Paul’s Church Memorial, Hoddesdon, Not on the Potters Bar memorials
Pre War
Charles Cecil Littlechild was born on 23 Nov 1896 in Potter’s Bar, Middlesex son of William David Littlechild, a labourer, and Mary Jane (nee Claxton). On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Cecil and Frederick (born 1898) were living at Lodge, Northaw. Herts. On the 1911 Census the family were living at 12 Middle Road, East Barnet in 1911.
The whole family of parents, Cecil and Frederick emigrated by sailing from Southampton to Portland, Maine on 3 Apr 1913 on the Ascania and settled in Goderich, Ontario, Canada.
Wartime Service
Cecil attested on 31 Dec 1915 and passed his medical examination on 8 Jan 1916, both at Goderich, Ontario. He was posted to 161 (Huron) Battalion, based in London Ontario, as Private 654213. The Battalion and Cecil embarked form Halifax on 1 Nov 1916 arriving in Liverpool on 11 Nov 1916. He and his Battalion were absorbed into 4 Reserve Battalion at Bramshott on 23 Feb 1918. Cecil was posted to 23 Reserve Battalion on 23 Mar 1918 and posted to 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles on 28 Mar 1918 landing in France on 29 Mar 1918 he passed through the Canadian Base Depot on 2 Apr 1918 joining his unit in the field on 7 Apr 1918. 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles were an infantry Battalion on 8th Canadian Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division and had taken part in the Battles of the Somme 1916, Vimy, Arras and Passchendaele 1917.
Cecil was involved in the Battle of the Scarpe (26 – 30 Aug 1918) and while taking part with his battalion during attack on Monchy-le -Prieux on 26 Aug he was severely wounded in the abdomen by shrapnel from an enemy shell. His wounds were treated at No. 7 Casualty Clearing Station and evacuated to No. 1 South African General Hospital, Abbeville by Ambulance Train on 9 Sep 1918. Cecil died from his wounds at Abbeville on 27 Sep 1918.
Additional Information
Only possibility but no connection with Hoddesdon discovered.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Malcolm Lennox
