Name
Charles Petts *1
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/10/1914
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7374
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 10 and 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St John’s Church Memorial, High Cross,
Thundridge War Memorial,
Not on the Much Hadham memorials,
Not on the Ware memorials
Pre War
Born in Hadham Cross, Herts. on 29 Aug 1881 (or some records say 1883 or 85) and baptised in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire on 9 Oct 1881, son of Joseph Petts and Elizabeth (nee Warner). Family members are know to be from Much Hadham. He was a boarder in Hertford in 1901 and working as a carter on a farm. He enlisted at Ware in about 1902 and at that time he was recorded as living in Ware.
He married Eliza Odell on 25 Dec 1909 in High Cross and lived in High Cross as an agricultural labourer with one son, also Charles, under 4 months in 1910. Later lived in Vine Cottages, Much Hadham, Herts. and had a daughter in 1912. In 1911 they were living at High Cross, with Charles was an agricultural labourer. A daughter was born in 1913.
Wartime Service
There is some discrepancy if information, so both versions are listed below: Enlisted before WW1 in Dec 1902 and was in the Reserves. Went to France on 26 Aug 1914 to join his battalion. Wounded during heavy shelling in La Bassée. The Battalion was forced to withdraw leaving Charles and other wounded for the care of the Germans.(*2) He died shortly afterwards. If this was the case then his body was subsequently 'lost' and he name appears on the Le Touret Memorial.
Charles is said to have enlisted at Ware, into the Bedfordshire Regt, probably on the outbreak of war, rather surprisingly as he was married.
Not to be confused with Charles H Petts (10028, Bedfordshires) or another Charles Petts born Standon. He was reported missing in 1914, but it was not until 22.07.1916 that it was reported in the local paper that it was confirmed that he was Killed in Action.
Additional Information
*1 Not to be confused with Charles H Petts (10028, Bedfordshires) or another Charles Petts born Standon.
*2 J Wild note: this probably means they were too badly injured to withdraw and others could not recover them. His body was subsequently lost so it is perhaps unlikely that he fell into the hands of the Germans.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Herts Mercury, Pat Bird, Luke King (Great grandson), Jim Petts and Charles Petts (son) who provided the photograph
