Pte 50031 Charles Robert Hope

• Age: 26
• From: Boxley, Kent
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 2nd August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Charles Robert Hope was born in 1890 in Boxley, Kent and resided in Maidstone. He was baptised on the 14^th September 1890 in Boxley. He was the son of William Robert Hope and his wife Rosa Ellen (nee Davis). His parents married in the December quarter of 1887, the marriage was registered in Hollingbourne. 

On the 1891 Census he is aged 8 months, born in Boxley, and living at 64 Boxley Street. His father, William R. is aged 29 and a brewers labourer born in Lenham, whilst his mother Rosa E. is aged 26 born in Hollingbourne. Also recorded are his brother William J. is aged 2 born in Boxley, and his mother's widowed father John Davis 78.

On the 1901 Census he is aged 10  and at school. The family are living at 64 Sandy Lane, St Pauls, Maidstone. His father William R.  is 39 and still a brewers labourer, whilst his mother Rosa E.  is 35, siblings William J. 12 at school, Kate A. 8 at school b.Maidstone, Ellen S. 6 at school b.Maidstone, Edith E. 3 b.Maidstone.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at Sandling Lane Maidstone Kent. His father William Robert is aged 49, born at Lenham, Kent in 1862 is a labourer in a brewery. His wife Rosa Ellen is aged 46, born in 1865 at Hollingbourne, Kent. They have been married for 23 years and have five children; William John aged 22, born 1889 and Charles Robert aged 20, are both labourers in a brewery and both born in Boxley, Kent, Kate Rose aged 18, born 1893 no occupation, Ellen Sarah aged 16, born 1895 no occupation and Edith Esther aged 13, born 1898 is at school.

The Maidstone Telegraph dated 28th October 1916 reports on exemption cases for service:-

C.R.Hope, 26, storeman, was refused 

Charles enlisted in Maidstone, Kent and was serving in the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50031 when he was killed in action on the 02nd August, 1917, aged 26, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 20th Battalion diary gives details of the circumstances that the Battalion found themselves in during the early phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). Having taken part in the initial fighting of 31st July 1917 there is a general write up in relation to the period 01st -08th August and specifics solely from the 03rd August. As such it is impossible to say exactly how each of the men who fell on 01st or 2nd August met their death.

20^th Battalion Diary 01^st August – 08^th August

The Battalion continued to hold the position taken up on the morning of 31^st July. After the first day the weather was very wet and the going very difficult, but the men’s spirits remained wonderfully good. From time to time there was very heavy enemy shelling and in addition to this machine guns and snipers were very active. The work of communication was extremely difficult and the wires to Companies and to Battalions on our flanks were repeatedly cut and were only kept going by most excellent work by our linesmen, who suffered very heavy casualties as also did the runners. 

Charles Robert has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Soldiers Effects to father William R., Pension to mother Ellen.

His mother died in the December quarter of 1923, aged 59.

His father died in the June quarter of 1936, aged 74.

We currently have no further information on Charles Robert Hope. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.