Name
Charles William Ross
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/07/1916
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
4564
London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles)
1st/16th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 13 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Northchurch Village Memorial, St Mary’s Church Window, Northchurch, Memorial plaque, St Mary, Northchurch
Pre War
Charles William was born in 1888 in Fiji to John Kenneth Murray Ross, Colonial Administrator (Fiji) and Christian (nee Stenhouse). He had one older brother, John Stenhouse Ross and two younger brothers, Frank Stenhouse and Kenneth Mackinson Ross.
In 1901 the Brothers were living in Hampstead, London with their maternal grandmother and her daughters. By 1911 Charles and Kenneth were living in Northchurch with their aunts.
Wartime Service
Charles joined the London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) as Rifleman 4564 giving his address as Forest Hill, London. His serial indicates that he joined in Oct 1915 and he went to France on 5 May 1916.
The 1/16 Westminster Rifles took part in the attack on the Gommecourt Salient on 1 Jul 1916 as part of the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. Charles was reported killed in action and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £3 and arrears of £3 0s 3d paid to Mother also £277 5s from his will. John Stenhouse Ross became a District Officer in Nigeria. Frank S Ross served in Middlesex regt as Private G/54030 Kennneth MacKinson Ross as medical student enrolled in Aug 1914 for RAMC
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk/first-world-war-database
