2nd Lt
Charles Wilfrid Guthrie
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1898 |
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Place of birth: King's Norton, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: University student |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Second Lieutenant |
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Units: — Royal Scots, 13th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 01/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Frost House, Frezenberg, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 19 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: IX Row: G Grave: 10 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Charles Wilfrid Guthrie was born in January 1898 in King’s Norton, Worcestershire. He enlisted in the British Army and served with the 13th Battalion Royal Scots (45th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division).
Charles was killed on 1 August 1917. The day before, on 31 July, the Battle of Passendale had begun. The objective of the 15th (Scottish) Division was to capture the Frezenberg ridge and subsequently Hill 35, a slope to the northeast of Frezenberg. During the attack, the 45th Brigade was to act as reserve for the 44th and 46th Brigade. The Germans did not remain idle and launched a counter-attack.
In response to the German counter-attack, the 13th Battalion was sent in the afternoon of 31 July towards Beck House, between Frezenberg and Hill 35, with the intention of consolidating the captured ground. They were to be relieved in the evening, but this did not take place. The following day the Germans launched a counter-attack here, and the battalion was almost completely surrounded around Beck House. The losses were severe. 368 men were killed, wounded or went missing. The 19-year-old Charles Wilfrid Guthrie was one of them. After the war his body was recovered near Frost House. His remains were reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Charles was killed on 1 August 1917. The day before, on 31 July, the Battle of Passendale had begun. The objective of the 15th (Scottish) Division was to capture the Frezenberg ridge and subsequently Hill 35, a slope to the northeast of Frezenberg. During the attack, the 45th Brigade was to act as reserve for the 44th and 46th Brigade. The Germans did not remain idle and launched a counter-attack.
In response to the German counter-attack, the 13th Battalion was sent in the afternoon of 31 July towards Beck House, between Frezenberg and Hill 35, with the intention of consolidating the captured ground. They were to be relieved in the evening, but this did not take place. The following day the Germans launched a counter-attack here, and the battalion was almost completely surrounded around Beck House. The losses were severe. 368 men were killed, wounded or went missing. The 19-year-old Charles Wilfrid Guthrie was one of them. After the war his body was recovered near Frost House. His remains were reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Sources 4
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45th Infantry Brigade (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), British Army war diaries 1914-1922, WO 95/1946/4). http://nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915. https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ Sources used |
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Scotland, World War I Rolls of Honour, 1914-1918. http://digital.nls.uk Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/462998 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1502781 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=f011f2d0-14b5-43e8-b19d-368a8e34f47b |