Name
Charles Sidney Allcock (DCM)
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/12/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
6562
Royal Munster Fusiliers
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Distinguished Conduct Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 16 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Elstree Village Memorial
Pre War
No record of a Charles Sidney Allcock born in Elstree could be found, although the Soldiers Died in the Great War record states he was born there.
Charles married Florence Wildsmith in 1908 in Pancras District, London. There would be a daughter, Vera Florence, born In Chesterfield, Derbyshire on 28 Feb 1911 and a son, Dannie born in 1914. His widow later lived at 37, Wyndam Street, Marylebone, London.
Wartime Service
Charles enlisted in the 2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers as Private 6562. This serial number suggests that he may have joined sometime in 1900. His service record is not available so this cannot be confirmed.He was promoted to Lance Serjeant. The award of Distinguished Conduct Medal (an award second only to the Victoria Cross) shows that he was serving on the Somme in 1916. His death on 26 Dec 1916 occurred in the High Wood area when a shell burst at the dressing station near the Battalion Headquarters, also killed were Corporal Lewis RAMC and 9690 Private Sheehan (Ref. History of the Royal Munster Fusiliers). His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial on the Somme.
His citation for the Distinguished Conduct Medal reads: His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to this man for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty in the field. For conspicuous gallantry during a raid. He was the first man of his party into the enemy trench. Later he carried a wounded man through a fire-swept zone of 350 yards to our trench, and, returning, assisted back another. Finally he went out again to search for other wounded under heavy fire.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £7 10s and arrears of £26 0s 1d paid to his widow.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
