405505, Sergeant, Charles CLOW
Age 28
Canadian Infantry, 38th Battalion
Killed in Action on Sunday 29th September 1918
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Born in Lakenheath on 4th February 1889 (Mildenhall Q1-1890 4A:772). The February 1889 date is from his Canadian Army records.
1891 census...Aged 1, he was living at High Street,Lakenheath with his widowed mother Alice CLOW (née MOYES ) [30] born Fornham All Saints; sister- Nellie [5]; sister- Bessie [4] and brother- John [2]. All the children were born in Lakenheath. His father died in Q3-1890. 1901 census... Neither Charles nor his brother John have been identified in this census. His mother was a maternity nurse-caretaker at 10 Pencester Street, Dover with his sister Bessie. Sister Nellie was in Norwich at Hospital School for training Girls (Anguish' Charity). His mother married John PARKER in Q4-1904 in Dover. 1911 census... Neither Charles nor his brother John have been identified in this census,possibly Charles is already in Canada. His mother and husband John PARKER [43] a railway clerk, born Northumberland, and sister Nellie were at 94 Savernake Road, Hampstead. Around the time of his death his widowed mother (Alice PARKER) was at c/o Mrs Herman McLeod, Box 80,Prince George, British Columbia, and later was at Rockaway, Morris Co., New Jersey, U.S.A. |
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He enlisted on 5th April 1915 in Toronto, Canada. [RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 1810 - 70] He gave as his next of kin his mother Mrs Alice PARKER of 94 Savernake Road, Hampstead, London and his occupation as labourer. Height 5'10" (177.8 cm) , chest 37 to 38 1/2 " (94 to 97.8 cm), blue eyes,light brown hair. He gave his date and place of birth as 4th February 1889 Norfolk, England. He was placed in the 35th Battalion. Embarked at Montreal on 15th October 1915, and per HMS Metagama, arrived Plymouth 25th October 1915. A course of instruction followed at West Sandling, he was promoted to Sergeant on 25th October 1916 and and he was transferred to the 4th Reserve Battalion on 4th January 1917. 29th June he was posted to 5th Division Witley and promoted to Company Sgt Major. On 16th October was taken on strength of 164 Battalion as Company Sgt Major. He was then posted to 38th Battalion. In France in April 1918 he suffered illness which entailed hospitalisation until August, then he joined his unit in the field on 4th September only to be killed on the 29th September. From his circumstances of death card at the Canadian Archives :- " Killed in Action:- Just as he went to cross the Douai-Cambrai road with his platoon, he was hit by a machine gun bullet, and died a few minutes later". Of the 53 of the 38th Canadian Battalion who were killed that day, all but 5 are buried in Bourlon Wood Cemetery and only one man has no known grave |
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