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: 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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Service number: - |
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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 King's Norton in January 1898. He was a student at the catholic Loretto Higschool and was later admitted to Balliol College in Oxford, before obtaining a commission with the 13th Battalion, Royal Scots. The battalion belonged to the 45 Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. Charles arrived in France on 1 June 1917. On 31 July, the Battle of Passchendaele began and the division's objective was the capture of the ridge at Frezenberg and then the capture of Hill 35, a slope north-east of Frezenberg. Charles' battalion was held in reserve. However, the Germans did not sit idly by and they launched a counterattack.
In the afternoon of 31 July, because of this counterattack, the 13th Battalion was sent to Beck House, between Frezenberg and Hill 35 with the intention of consolidating the captured terrain. They were to be relieved in the evening, but this did not materialise. The next day, the Germans launched a counterattack here and the battalion was almost completely surrounded around Beck House. The losses were heavy. 368 soldiers died, were wounded or went missing. Charles' company, was surrounded at Frost House. He sustained three wounds and was eventually shot through the head. Charles Wilfred Guthrie currently rests in Tyne Cot Cemetery.
In the afternoon of 31 July, because of this counterattack, the 13th Battalion was sent to Beck House, between Frezenberg and Hill 35 with the intention of consolidating the captured terrain. They were to be relieved in the evening, but this did not materialise. The next day, the Germans launched a counterattack here and the battalion was almost completely surrounded around Beck House. The losses were heavy. 368 soldiers died, were wounded or went missing. Charles' company, was surrounded at Frost House. He sustained three wounds and was eventually shot through the head. Charles Wilfred Guthrie currently rests in Tyne Cot Cemetery.
Sources 5
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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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45th Infantry Brigade (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), British Army war diaries 1914-1922, WO 95/1946/4. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915, General Register Office. https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ Sources used |
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Medal Card Charles Wilfrid Guthrie (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War, WO 372/14/212114). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour; Reference: R.35.b. http://digital.nls.uk Sources used |
More information 3
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CWGC 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 |