Name
Charles Frederick Wilson
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Crois de Guerre
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
NA
Pre War
Charles Frederick Wilson (Charlie) bn 29 May 1887, baptised 5 March 1889 and was one of 7 children, son of David and Sarah Wilson.
He was the brother of Private 27066 James David Wilson and Private 10176 George Wilson, both of whom died and are on the Rickmansworth memorial, and Frederick Wilson who also survived.
In 1891 the family were living at 4 Calving Terrace, Norfolk Road and David, his father was working at a paper mill as a labourer.
In 1901 he is an Industrial School Boy at the Essex Industrial School and he has yet to be found in 1911. He may have been in the army as his entry in the National Roll says he was already serving when war broke out.
Wartime Service
There seems to be no surviving military records for Charlie, but according to the National Roll, he was sent to France immediately with the Bedfordshire Regiment when war was declared, he fought in the retreat from Mons and many other engagements including those at Ypres, Kemmel Hill, the Somme and Arras. From the info on the Beds Regiment site, he was almost certainly in the 1st or 2nd Battalion, and from the battles mentioned there, he was probably 2nd Battalion.
He was wounded 5 times, and gassed, and was awarded the Crois de Guerre 'for an act of distinguished gallantry'. He also received the Mons Star, General Service & Victory Medals.
While still in France, Charlie wrote a letter, suggesting a public memorial should be built at Rickmansworth. This is the letter, taken from an article at Three Rivers Museum:
"On the 30th November a letter appeared in the West Herts Post and Watford Observer written by Pte C. F. Wilson, Bedford Regiment from France, suggesting a public memorial for those who have fallen during the war, and the site. He wrote: ‘I have been waiting for this opportunity, and now peace is so near at hand may I suggest that something should be done in remembrance of the dear men of Rickmansworth and district who have so nobly given their lives for England and the cause of humanity. I feel, as we all must, that a fitting and suitable memorial should be erected to perpetuate their willing and wonderful sacrifice. There is a most suitable piece of ground in the churchyard for this, and it would be a fitting site for a statue with a base where all the names of those who have give their lives could be inscribed and where friends could on anniversaries lay their tributes or tokens of remembrance and gratitude. I feel sure the ladies of Rickmansworth would collect the necessary funds to carry out something worthy of the cause….’"
He was demobilised in February 1919 and returned to England and his given address was 114 Norfolk Road, Rickmansworth.
Acknowledgments
Deborah Scott
