McFEE, Charles Henry Marsden


No.155114, Corporal Charles Henry Marsden McFEE
Aged 33


18th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
formerly 90th Winnipeg Rifles
Died of his Wounds on Tuesday, 27th August 1918


Charles Henry Marsden McFEE was born on 13th February 1886 (Edmonton Q1-1886 3A:282), son of Capt. John Henry and Jane "Hilda" McFEE (née WALLACE). His parents married in New Brunswick Canada on 22nd December 1874.

1891 census...Aged 5, he was at 4 Grove Road, New Southgate, Edmonton with his widowed mother Hilda McFEE [41] living on her own means, born New Brunswick, Canada; brother William [9] born Mildmay Park , London and sister Josephine [2] born New Southgate. His father had died Q1-1890 in Edmonton

1901 census...Aged 15 , he was a pupil at the East Anglian School, Bury St Edmunds. His mother was still at 4 Grove Road with his brother William (mechanical engineer) and sister Josephine.

1911 census...His mother and sister Josephine were still at 4 Grove Road, New Southgate

The "East Anglian Record" in December 1918 reported his death, also that his brother William had served 3 years foreign service as a sub lieutenant in the Royal Navy Reserve.


Canadian Archives RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 6824 - 2
He enlisted in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 14th August 1915, giving his date of birth as 13th February 1886, a waiter born in London, living with his wife Louisa R.F. McFEE at 546 Rathgar Avenue, Winnipeg. He was 5 feet 9 inches (175.3 cm) tall, chest 36" to 39" (91.4 to 99.1 cm), brown eyes and hair, Presbyterian.

Provisionally promoted Lance Corporal on 23rd Nov 1915, he arrived in UK on 30th Nov. before proceeding to France on 9th March 1916. Promoted to Corporal on 24th April, he was wounded in the right arm and hip, at Ypres, on 30th April. He was admitted to 13 General Hospital in Boulogne later that day. Around 19th-20th May, he developed acute appendicitis and was operated on on the 21st. When his stitches were removed on 28th he was evacuated to Newhaven in UK, first to 3rd Western General Hospital in Sheffield, then to St George's, Doncaster on 2nd June. On 23rd June he passed through 3 G.H. Sheffield again on his way to Ranmore Hospital and eventually to Bushey Park on 27th June, and then to Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Epsom before returning to his unit on 5th July. He seems to have spent the rest of 1916 and 1917 at Bramshott.
In France on 18th July 1918 he had some ear problems which kept him in 59 C.C.S at Hesdin for 4 days before he returned to his unit. On 8th August 1918, he joined the 18th Battalion where he served until his death. During operations near Vis-en-Artois he was hit in the head by a machine gun bullet and died instantly.

From "Canada's 100 Days" by J.F.B. Livesay:- "The 2nd. Canadian Division (of which 18th Battalion were part) pushed doggedly forward through the old German trench system, where very stiff hand-to-hand fighting took place, and crossed the Sensee river, after capturing the villages of Cherisy and Vis-en-Artois. The 3rd. Canadian Division encountered very heavy opposition, but succeeded in capturing Bois du Vert, Bois du Sart, and reaching the western outskirts of Haucourt, Remy, Boiry-Notre-Dame and Pelves. The enemy throughout the day pushed a large number of reinforcements forward, bringing up Machine-gun Units in motor lorries in the face of our accurate Field and Artillery Fire. Hostile Field Batteries in the open, firing over open sights, showed remarkable tenacity, several remaining in action until the personnel had been destroyed by our machine-gun fire. Our casualties were heavy, especially on the 2nd. Canadian Division front, and after discussing the situation with the G. O. C., 2nd. Canadian Division, and taking into consideration the uncertainty of the right flank of this Division, the operations were, after 5.45 p.m., restricted to the consolidation of the line then reached east of the Sensee river. North of the Scarpe, the 51st. (Highland) Division had pushed forward and gained a footing on Greenland Hill, but were forced to withdraw slightly by a heavy German counter attack."


Canadian Army circumstances of death card





photo: Rodney Gibson



Charles McFee is buried in Wancourt British Cemetery, grave 2:B:4

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details




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