No.16667, Private, Charles William HUGHES
Aged 22
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Charles William Hughes was born in 1894 in Helions Bumpstead (Risbridge Q4-1894 4A:718), son of Alfred William and Emily Ann HUGHES (née TILBROOK).
1901 census...Aged 6, he was at Mill Road, Helions Bumpstead with his father Alfred HUGHES [33] farm labourer; hi smother Emily [33]; sister Emily [4]; brother Frederick [2] and widowed grandmother Hannah TILBROOK [62]. All were born in Helions Bumpstead. 1911 census...Aged 16, a milkman, he was "near the Chapel", Helions Bumpstead with his parents, sister Emily and brother Frederick. CWGC has them later at Camps Road, Helions Bumpstead. Brother Frederick was mobilised in May 1918 in the Essex Regiment and survived the war. |
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Charles enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds. He must have been in line with Arthur RAND as they have consecutive regimental numbers
The Battalion were bivouacked in Trones Wood, south of Longueval and sent to trenches NE of Gueudecourt. Battalion war diary:- Oct 14... Remained in trenches, Continuous shelling, another assembly trench dug. Oct 15... At 5:35 am A and D Coys attacked, C Coy was to form a defensive flank, B Coy was held in reserve. The first objective of the attack was a trench running from N.21 central to MILD TRENCH about N.21.d.4.6. The second objective was from a point in CLOUDY TRENCH N.21.d.7.7. to N.21.b.6.1. and back 100 yards to left to N.21.b.4.0. The 2/D.L.I. were attacking on our right. Our objectives were reached, but owing to the failure of the attack on the right the Germans bombed down the trench which was our first objective and our men in their second objective were surrounded and were not seen again. Our casualties were 3 officers killed, 2 missing and 4 wounded. O.R. killed 13, wounded 76, wounded and missing 13, missing 62. The Battn then consolidated the position then held and were relieved that night by 14/ D.L.I. On relief proceeded to bivouacs in TRONES WOOD. |
from the war diary references above
The trenches ran either side of where the Newfoundlanders memorial stands now
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details