Pte
Charles Francis Quarterman
Information about birth
|
Date of birth: 04/09/1898 |
|
Place of birth: Elcot, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
|
Profession: Labourer |
Army information
|
Country: England, United Kingdom |
|
Force: British Expeditionary Force |
|
Rank: Private |
|
Service number: 203846 |
|
Enlistment place: Newbury, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom |
|
Units: — Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment), 1/4th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
|
Place of death: St Julien, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
|
Age: 18 |
Memorial
|
Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 106A |
Distinctions and medals 2
|
British War Medal Medal — 15/10/1920 |
|
Victory Medal Medal — 15/10/1920 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Charles Francis Quarterman was born in 1898 and was the second son of Leonard and Elizabeth Quarterman, of Peasemore, Berkshire. Before the war, Charles worked as a labourer in Farnborough. He enlisted in Newbury, following his older brother Albert, who already served in the army. By the summer of 1917 Charles served as a Private in the 1/4th Batalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, part of the 145th Brigade, of the 48th (South Midland) Division.
The 48th Division’s first action in Flanders was the Battle of Langemarck, a stage in the Battle of Passchendaele. On 16 August 1917 it attacked near the village of Sint-Juliaan, with the 145th Brigade. The 1/4th Berkshires were in reserve and were designated to move to the final objective. When the assaulting Battalions moved towards the Langemarck road, the Companies of the 1/4th Berkshires followed them, supporting their attack wherever they could.
Overall the attack of the 48th Division was an utter failure. It faced a well defended network of three consecutive positions, protected by intermediate strongpoints. With almost no artillery support and the absence of tanks, the men made little headway. They could only make a dent in the German positions along the Langemarck road, around Springfield Farm, but were soon forced back. The Companies of the 1/4th Berkshires were in support of the assaulting Battalions and because the attack didn’t develop as planned, they did not need to advance to their objective. Remaining stationary for the most part of the attack, the Battalion was frequently shelled by the German artillery, suffering severe casualties.
Private Charles Francis Quarterman was killed in action on 16 August 1917 during the attack at Sint-Juliaan. He fell three weeks before his 19th birthday. Charles’ remains were never found or weren’t identified and he is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial.
The 48th Division’s first action in Flanders was the Battle of Langemarck, a stage in the Battle of Passchendaele. On 16 August 1917 it attacked near the village of Sint-Juliaan, with the 145th Brigade. The 1/4th Berkshires were in reserve and were designated to move to the final objective. When the assaulting Battalions moved towards the Langemarck road, the Companies of the 1/4th Berkshires followed them, supporting their attack wherever they could.
Overall the attack of the 48th Division was an utter failure. It faced a well defended network of three consecutive positions, protected by intermediate strongpoints. With almost no artillery support and the absence of tanks, the men made little headway. They could only make a dent in the German positions along the Langemarck road, around Springfield Farm, but were soon forced back. The Companies of the 1/4th Berkshires were in support of the assaulting Battalions and because the attack didn’t develop as planned, they did not need to advance to their objective. Remaining stationary for the most part of the attack, the Battalion was frequently shelled by the German artillery, suffering severe casualties.
Private Charles Francis Quarterman was killed in action on 16 August 1917 during the attack at Sint-Juliaan. He fell three weeks before his 19th birthday. Charles’ remains were never found or weren’t identified and he is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 3
|
145 Infantry Brigade: 1/4 Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte's), (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2762/4). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
|
Cruttwell C., The War Service of the 1/4 Royal Berkshire Regiment (T.F.), (Oxford, Basil Blackwell, 1922), pg. 120-126. Sources used |
|
McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 54-55. Sources used |
More information 3
|
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/830053 |
|
Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=1aeadf3f-ca8c-4a6e-8bf8-434ef8279eae |
|
Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3629634 |