Private. 7th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Service number: 81062.
Early Life:
Charles was born on or around January 31, 1899. His birth was registered in Keighley in the second quarter of the year and his parents were George Thomas Page and Ruth Page.
In 1901 he was aged two and living at 88, Lidget Hill in Oakworth with his parents. His father George was a mason’s labourer.
By 1911 he was twelve and living at 9, Smitherds Street in Keighley with his parents. By now George was a cable jointer. Charles was part time at school and part time working as a doffer for a worsted spinning company.
War service:
He enlisted at Keighley on March 2, 1916, aged 18 years and 30 days and at the time was working as a pawn broker’s apprentice. He was mobilized on April 13, 1917. He was medically examined at Halifax.and posted on April 15 to the 2nd Training Reserve Battalion with the service number TR 5/6182. From July 19 to July 25, 1917 he was in military hospital with boils at Cannock Chase, Rugeley Camp in Staffordshire, and again but with chicken pox, between August 12 to August 17, 1917. On October 13 he transferred to 258th Infantry Battalion as a Private and on March 31 1918, embarked at Folkestone, disembarking at Boulogne on April 1. He travelled to Etaples Infantry Base Depot where he transferred to 51st (Grad) Bn. Training reserve (Durham Light Infantry) then to the 1st/7th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry with the service number 80162 and joined them on April 5. Less than two weeks later he went missing in the field on April 13. Charles had served for 1 year and 1 day.
WO-95/2823/01. War diary, 1/7th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. April 1918:
April 7. In the field.
Battalion moved to ROBERMETZ (36A.L.19.a.) vide 0.0. no. 36.
April 8. In Billets ROBERMETZ.
April 9. An enemy offensive commenced this morning and MERKILLE and ESTAIRES were heavily bombarded. B Coy were engaged in clearing the debris from the roads in the former and C Coy in the latter.
April 10. A Coy proceeded this morning to reinforce the 6th D.L.I. in front of LESTREM, the remainder of the Battalion stood to arms.
April 11. C Coy were engaged this morning digging a line of posts on either side of the main NEUF BERQUIN – ESTAIRES ROAD and B Coy a line of posts in front of MERVILLE. As the day progressed the enemy pushed on his attack and all coys were in close contact with the enemy. Towards nightfall the line fell back N. W. of NEUF BERQUIN.
April 12. The 5th Division relieved the DIVISION this evening and the Battalion collected at LA MOTTE and occupied the outhouses of the CHATEAU.
April 13. About 5.0 am the CHATEAU was heavily shelled for quarter of an hour resulting in several NCO’s and men being killed and wounded. The Battalion were withdrawn to billets at J.1.D.5.1.
(We believe Charles was one of the men killed and wounded.)
Keighley News June 6th, 1918 page 3:
Private Charles Page, of the Durham Light Infantry, whose home is at 9, Smitherds Street, Keighley, is officially reported missing since April 13. He was called up when 18 about a year ago, and had only been in France two weeks. Any information concerning him will be gratefully received by his mother at the above address.
Post war:
Charles was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service. These were sent to his father in November 1920 and about six months later he also received a bronze war memorial plaque and memorial scroll inscribed with his name.
He was sent a payment of £9 12s 7d on 18th September 1919, which included a war gratuity payment of £5 10s 0d.
His mother Ruth applied for a Dependant’s pension and there are three cards giving details of the claim being made but no payments are mentioned, so we do not know if she was successful.
Locally he is remembered in Keighley’s Great War roll of honour book in Keighley Library and on Albert Street Baptist Chapel war memorial which is in the care of Cliffe Castle Museum. He is also named on the family grave in Oakworth Cemetery.
His parents were living at 18, Chelsea Street in Keighley after the war.
His father George Thomas Page, died on 7th July 1928, aged 57 and his mother Ruth died the next year, on 8th February 1929 aged 60.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
1901 England Census.
1911 England Census.
British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920.
WO-95/2823/01. War Diary for 1/7th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
National Archives.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers died in the Great War.
Oakworth cemetery – Page family grave.
Keighley News archives in Keighley Library.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923.
1921 England Census.
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995.
Ploogsteert Memorial and Oakworth Cemetery photographs – Andy Wade.
