Geboortedatum: 11/07/1880

Geboorteplaats: Swanscombe, Kent, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Beroep: Assistent Portland cement molen

Land: Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Strijdmacht: British Expeditionary Force

Rang: Private

Service nummer: 202672

Dienstneming plaats: Gravesend, Kent, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Eenheden:  —  Royal Sussex Regiment, 13th Bn.  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Datum van overlijden: 31/07/1917

Plaats van overlijden: West of Sint-Juliaan (28.C.17.c.7.9.), België

Doodsoorzaak: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Leeftijd: 37

British War Medal Medaille

Victory Medal Medaille

Pte Charles William John Finch was part of the 13th battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, 116th Brigade, 39th Division. On the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele, 31 July 1917, his battalion, aided by two of the eight tanks used by the division, captured St Julien and took several prisoners. The next day due to heave counter attacks they were forced to withdraw from St Julien to the east bank of the Steenbeek. During this attack, Charles must have died between the first and second objective, between Mouse Trap Farm and Corner Cottage. His body was probably buried where he fell (28.C.17.c.7.9.) and was later reburied in New Irish Farm Cemetery where he found his last resting place.

13 Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2582/3) http://nationalarchives.gov.uk Gebruikte bronnen

McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: the Day-by-Day Account. (Londen: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018), p 26-27. Gebruikte bronnen

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/452306

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=58a0228d-1434-4213-94f4-72ec8cafb6ec

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1237385