Pte 17247 Charles James Littlewood

• Age: 27
• From: Gravesend, Kent
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

17247 Private Charles James LITTLEWOOD, 18^th Battalion KLR. 

Charles James Littlewood was born in Gravesend in February 1889 and baptised 21st April 1889 at St Bottolph, Northfleet, Kent.  He was the only son born to Harry Lewis Littlewood, and his wife Emma Elizabeth (nee Ware) who married in 1887.

On the 1891 Census the family are living at 80 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith, London.

Harry’s father George Orlando, a widower aged 67, a retired draper born in Gravesend, is he head of the family. Father Harry is aged 38, a tailor’s assistant born in Gravesend, mother Emma is aged 33 also born in Gravesend, and their two young children, Charles James aged 2 born in Northfleet, and Lily aged 7mths born in North Fleet, Kent. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 5 & 6, The Hill, Northfleet, Strood, Kent.

Charles is aged 12 and is living with his parents and two sisters. His father, Harry, is aged 49, born in Gravesend in 1852 and recorded as a draper - employer, whilst his mother, Emma Elizabeth is aged 45, born 1856 in Northfleet, Kent and has no occupation listed. His sisters are shown as; Lillie aged 10 born 1891 in New Cross, Kent and Christine aged 7, born 1894 in Northfleet. Also recorded are two servants; Amy Parsons aged 21 and Edith Bennett aged 20.  

His father died aged 49 on the 10th March 1903. 

Probate:- 

LITTLEWOOD Harry Lewis of the “Hill”, North Fleet Kent died 10 March 1903 at New Brompton Kent Probate London 17 July to Emma Elizabeth Littlewood widow. Effects £870 2s 10d. 

In 1911 his mother is a boarding house keeper at 8 Norton Road (15 rooms) in Hove, Sussex, with Lily, 20, and Christine, 17, who have no occupation. She has six boarders and employs a waiter.

Charles J. (surname transcribed as Lintewood, birthplace Northfleet, Kent) is boarding with Mary Towndrow, boarding house keeper, at 18 St. Brides Road, Egremont. He is 22, single, employed as a drapery salesman for a hosier.

Prior to enlisting Charles had been living at 56 Bernard Street, Seacombe

He enlisted at St. George's Hall in Liverpool on 31st August 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17247. He gave his age as 25 years 6 months, and his occupation as a hosiery salesman and states that he served a three years apprenticeship in London with the firm James Shoolbred and Company (draper and later a department store, located on Tottenham Court Road, London) and that he had previously served with the Queen’s Westminster 16th County of London Regiment. He was described as being six feet tall, weighed 150lbs, 37” chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. he stated his religion as Church of England. He gives as next of kin his mother at 8 Norton Road, Hove, Sussex. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He embarked for France with his Battalion on the 07th November 1915 on board the SS Invicta.

Charles was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916. 

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the day’s action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.   

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.   

Charles' body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

In October 1916 his mother, now living at 43 Sackville Rd, Hove, received Charles' personal effects: 1 Photo, 1 Disc. 

Charles left estate valued at £117 12s which based on average earnings in 2016 was worth about £32,000.  

£117 in 1916 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £12,550.28 today 

His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 5/- a week from February 1917.

In 1919 his mother provided information on Charles’ living relatives:  she was living at 43 Sackville Road, Hove, with daughters Lily, 30, and Christine, 26.

His mother died in Sussex in the March quarter of 1920, aged 63.

Charles is commemorated on the following memorials-

Hove War Memorial, Sussex

All Saints Church, Hove

Sussex Roll of Honour

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