Pte 21952 Charles Gilroy

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

21952 Private Charles Gilroy, 17^th Battalion KLR.

Charles Foster Gilroy was born in Liverpool in 1897, the 4^th child and 3^rd son of George Crofton Gilroy born in County Louth, Ireland and his wife Rose Bransfield Gilroy (nee White) who were married in 1882 at Holy Trinity, Warrington. 

The 1911 Census shows Charles now aged 14 and a shipowner's clerk, living with his elder brother George Herbert, his wife Edith and their three children; Kathleen, John and Constance. 

His mother was staying with her widowed aunt Julia White, aged 80, at 14 Dix's Field, Exeter. She stated that she was 52 years old and had been married for 28 years. She had 10 children of whom 6 had survived. The Aunt also had a cook and a servant. 

His father was living at 100 Newlands Place, Bradford. He was now aged 52 and an insurance agent, born in Ardee, Co. Louth. The only other occupant is his housekeeper Adelaide Clemence Townsend. 

His brother, Arthur, died aged 21, in the September quarter of 1913. 

On 05^th November 1914, aged 19 years and 10 months, Charles enlisted at Liverpool  giving his occupation as clerk and his next of kin as his father, George Crofton Gilroy, of 32 Haddon Road, Rock Ferry. He was described as being 5' 7" tall, weighing 132lbs, chest 37” with a dark complexion and brown hair and brown eyes. His religion was stated as Church of England.  

At first shown on 03^rd December 1914 as serving with the 20^th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, he was posted to the 17^th  Battalion on 18^th December 1914.

Following his transfer to the 17th Battalion he was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. In August 1915 at barracks in Grantham, Charles was confined to barracks for 3 days for returning late after furlough - a whole 5 hours late! They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He went to France on 07^th November 1915 and was killed in action with "C" Company his death recorded as between 1^st and on 2^nd July 1916. However, most of the men who were killed with the 17th Battalion on 01st July 1916 are officially listed as having died between the 01st and 02nd July 1916.

17^th Battalion Diary

3.30 am the Battalion in position in assembly trenches -Battalion frontage from Maricourt – Briqueterie Rd to 100 yards west of Maricourt – Montauban Rd – 1^st wave, 2 platoons of A Company on the right and 2 platoons of B company on the left. 2^nd wave remaining platoons of these companies. 3^rd wave C Company and 4^th wave D Company in parallel trenches at about 100 yards distance. 3^rd Battalion 153^rd French Infantry on our right and 20 KLR on our left. The Battalion’s objective was Dublin Trench from Dublin Redoubt exclusive to a point 400 yards west.

7.30 am – “Zero Hour”. The assault commenced, some shelling but very slight infantry resistance and little machine gun fire encountered, the work of our artillery having been very effective on the German trenches.

8.30 am – the objective was taken at 08.30 am the French on our right gaining their’s at the same hour. Lieutenant-Colonel B C Fairfax and Commandant Le Petit commanding 3^rd Battalion 153^rd Regiment arrived together in Dublin Trench. A and B Companies dug in almost 100 yards south of Dublin Trench which the Germans shelled intermittently all day hardly touching the new trench. Casualties up to 12 noon, Captain E C Torrey commanding C Company, Lt D H Scott commanding A Company and 2^nd Lieutenant P L Wright wounded 100 other ranks. Later in the day the 90^th Brigade took Montauban and the 20^th KLR captured the Briqueterie. Lt Scott died of wounds in a French hospital at Cerisy where Captain Mirascou commanding the left Company of the French also lay wounded. Perfect liaison existed between the French and ourselves the above two officers commanding respectively our right Company and the French left Company being in constant touch. Shortly after the attack commenced the Battalion Headquarters moved to a German dugout in Favieres Support under Briqueterie Road where Commandant Le Petit also established his H.Q. During the remainder of the day there was intermittent bombardment of Dublin and Casement and  Favieres Support trenches. Rations were brought up safely at night. Disposition of the Battalion – 2 Companies in Dublin and 2 in Casement.

His service record shows that he was buried “North-east of Maricourt, 4^1/4  miles north-east of Bray- sur- Somme, buried near Briquetiere Road, on left looking north in a large grave”. A map reference is provided but despite this information his body was never identified and he 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.”

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