Pte 44530 Charles Dickinson

• Age: 25
• From: Stockport, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Charles Dickinson was born on the 04th April 1883 in Stockport and was the son of Thomas Dickinson and Phoebe Barnett who were married in St Mary's Church, Heaton Reddish, Manchester in 1883. Charles was baptised in July 1883 in Christ Church, Heaton Norris, the record shows his father’s occupation at the time was lamplighter.

At the time of the 1901 census the family were living at Holly Vale, Mellor in Derbyshire where Thomas was working as a carder at a cotton mill, he was 37 years old and had been born in Stockport. His wife Phoebe was 36 and also born in Stockport, she was at home looking after the 8 year old Charles and his seven siblings – Mary aged 17, Maria 14, Thomas 12, Ernest 9, Phoebe 6, Fanny 3 and 7 month old Sarah.

The family were living at 12 Railway Street Heaton Norris, Stockport by 1911. The census records that Thomas and Phoebe have been married for 27 years and that Phoebe has borne 13 children one of which had died. The children born since the last census are all living at home; William aged 8, John aged 6, Frank aged 4 and 1 year old Fred. Charles, who is working in the hat manufacturing trade, is also living with his parents as are Ernest who is a grinder in a cotton mill card room, Phoebe, Fanny and Sarah.

Their mother Phoebe died in 1912 at the age of 47.

Charles married Alice Brown on the 23rd December 1916 at St Paul, Portwood, Stockport (Family tree). She was the daughter of Thomas and Martha Brown of 10 Hardman Street, Stockport.

Charles enlisted in Stockport and originally served as Private 40619 in the Welch Regiment and  following a transfer was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 44530 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 25 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18th Battalion was part of 21st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2nd Lieut. Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken. Not far away from this action, an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by

Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men were wounded. They were relieved on the 2nd August.

Charles' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres in 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.

He was reported wounded in the Weekly Casualty List 18th September 1917:

King's(Liverpool Regt.) - Dickenson(sic), 44530, C. (Heaton Norris); 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Alice, 10 Hardman Street, Stockport.

Alice remarried in 1922 to William Moore at St Thomas, Stockport.

His father died, aged 65, in the March quarter of 1929.

They appear on the 1939 register at 75 Bann St, Stockport. Alice was a cotton mill reeler, dob 14th Jan 1894.

Alice died, aged 63, on the 07th June 1957 at Stepping Hill Hospital (Family tree).

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