Name
Frederick Charles Charge
6 November 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/10/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
18854
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WARLENCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
III. D. 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Leverstock Green Village Memorial, Leverstock Green Village School Memorial, We are not aware of any memorial in Pimlico
Pre War
Frederick Charles Charge was born on 6 November 1895 at High Wood Hall, Pimlico, near Leverstock Green, Herts, the son of Arthur and Lavenia Charge, and baptised there on 12 January 1896. He was one of three children, but also had two half siblings, one from his mother's first marriage and another from his father's first marriage.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Pimlico, High Wood Hall, where his father was working as a Shepherd on a Farm. They remained there on the 1911 Census and Frederick was working as a Stockman. His father was a Farm Labourer and brother William was a Ploughman with brother Harold working as a Poultryman. It is likely they were all working at nearby Highwood Hall Farm.
Wartime Service
Frederick volunteered for the army in January 1915 at Bedford and joined the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. He was sent for training before being sent to France on 30 September 1915 when he was posted to the 2nd Battalion. He was one of a draft of 250 men who arrived at billets at Les Quesnoy on 4 October as reinforcements after Battalion losses at the battle of Loos.
He saw action in 1916 in the Battle of Albert and the Battle of Delville Wood in July and in October he took part in the Battle of Le Transloy, the last offensive of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. The attacks were hampered by the atrocious weather, battlefield conditions were dreadful and coupled with fierce German resistance, the British suffered heavy casualties.
Frederick was amongst the 49 men from the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, killed in action on 12 October 1916 during the Battle of Le Transloy. He was 20 years old and is buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His father Arthur received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £8 12s 6d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, google.com/site/leverstockgreenwarmemorial, www.hemelatwar.org., www.dacorumheritage.org.uk., www.hemelheroes.com., www.bedfordregiment.org.uk
