Lance Corporal CW Parker Cheshire Regiment

[Guest mike.adams]

I have recently started researching my great, great grandfather who served with the Cheshire Regiment 1st Batallion between 1914 and 1918 as a Lance Corporal.

He died of his wounds on 25/10/1918. I am eager to find out any information regarding himself and his regiment during this period.

Any assistance would be gratefully received.

[Stephen Barker]

Mike

Welcome to the Forum.

Please add as much information about this chap as possible and I am sure people will be able to help.

Stephen

[Anthony Bagshaw]

Mike

Welcome to the Forum.

Please add as much information about this chap as possible and I am sure people will be able to help.

Stephen

Stephen,

I think Mike already has.

Mike,

Is this him:

Name: PARKER, CHARLES WILLIAM

Initials: C W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lance Corporal

Regiment/Service: Cheshire Regiment

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 32

Date of Death: 25/10/1918

Service No: 51199

Additional information: Husband of Elsie Caroline Parker, of Budds Cottages, Meonstoke, Hants.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. D. 22.

Cemetery: AWOINGT BRITISH CEMETERY

Your first step would be to visit the Long Long Trail, click just above your name where it says logged in.

That will be a starter for you.

PS Welcome to the Forum!!

[Hambo]

Mike

Welcome

According to Soldiers Died in the Great War

He enlisted in Winchester Hampshire and was born in Warnford in the same county

He previously served as 5215 in the Army Service Corps

Hope this helps

Hambo

[John_Hartley]

Mike

Welcome to the Forum.

Charles' Cheshires service number is consistent with him joining them towards the end of 1916. The Awoingt cemetery was used by several field hospitals. Men did not normally remain there for very long - they were either moved on to more oermanent facilities or they died. It means his fatal wounds probably were recieved no more than 2 days before he died.

They were in action on the 23rd and this is, by far, the most likely time. The following is brief write-up onn the day which will be loaded to my website in due course (the men named are commemorate don war memorials in the Stockport area):-

"The final advance in the Picardy region of France had started on 17 October and, in the next step, the British 5th Division was tasked with the capture of the village of Beaurain, some 25 kilometres east of the town of Cambrai.

At 3.20am, the Cheshires and the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment started to advance, with the 1st Norfolks in reserve. The Germans immediately opened fire with a heavy artillery barrage and machine gun fire. The Regimental History notes that Captain Garstang Lockett, commanding “B” Company, quickly became a casualty. He was severely wounded by shrapnel and two machine gun bullets and died on 4 November. As the Cheshires crossed No Man’s Land, the Germans came out of their positions to meet the British with fixed bayonets.

The German machine guns were placed in a sunken road in front of their main positions and were overpowered by men under the command of Lieutenant Bland. 2nd Lieut Morris and three men from “B” Company attempted to rush another machine gun post, but all were wounded. Other platoons of the Cheshires pushed on to capture the final objective which they held until the Norfolks came up in support at about 9am. 35 men had been killed, including Simeon Brown and James Woodall. Fred Pickford was one of 172 wounded and died two days later.

The Cheshires’ Commanding Officer submitted a report on the attack which he concluded with “Experience proved that the enemy put up a good fight but it was not good enough and that when he broke, he cleared right out, having absolutely no “go” left.”