Name
Charles Waldock
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/01/1916
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
147732
Royal Engineers
253rd Tunnelling Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 4 & 5
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Stevenage Old Town memorials
Pre War
Official records show that Charles was born and living in Stevenage at the time of his death. However, his name is not included on the war memorial.
Wartime Service
The blowing of mines below enemy front line positions became a regular feature during the Great War. Infantry tactics were developed that would enable the rushing and capture of the crater formed by the explosions. These craters were often themselves a dominant ground feature, as the lip of earth thrown up was usually higher than the ground in the area, giving possible observation over the enemy. Crater fighting became a highly dangerous and unpleasant feature of many actions in 1915 and early 1916.
The 253rd Tunnelling Company was located in the St.Elie area where they were engaged in underground work. The Germans had also been busy preparing a mine shaft under the British positions and this was detonated early on the 28th January 1916, killing two British miners and a number of infantrymen. One of the miners was Charles Waldock.
He has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Additional Information
www.stevenageatwar.com
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson
