Charlie Sells

Name

Charlie Sells

Conflict

First World War

Date of Death / Age

27/07/1917

Rank, Service Number & Service Details

Private
203465
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st/5th Bn.

Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards

Not Yet Researched

Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country

GAZA WAR CEMETERY
XXX. A. I.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)

Headstone Inscription

Not Researched

UK & Other Memorials

Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin

Pre War

His parents were Charles and Susan Sells. Susan was later recorded at 3, Maxwell Cottages, Union Path, Hitchin.

Before joining up he worked in London and before that had worked in Hitchin for the International Stores and for Messrs Halsey, grocers of Hitchin. He was resident in Hitchin, but enlisted in Bedford in 1915.

Wartime Service

Charlie was given the Service Number 522437 in the Royal Engineers. He went with them to Egypt and was then transferred and was given Regimental Number 203465 in the 5th Battalion of the Bedfords. He was killed in action in Palestine.

This was at the time of the second of two raids on the Turkish positions at Umbrella Hill in the Gaza area. About 300 men took part. The attack commenced in bright moonlight at 9.00pm and after a fierce fight the Bedfords withdrew in good order. They were praised by General Allenby for their efforts.

He was buried in Plot 30, Row A, Grave 1 in the Gaza War Cemetery in Israel.

Additional Information

Charlie and his brother Herbert are also commemorated on the family headstone in Hitchin Cemetery. Their inscription reads:

Acknowledgments

David C Baines, Jonty Wild