One who came home for a while!

[kingsman64]

Dear Forum

I was asked today what is the fake flower for? The question came from a young, well a lot younger than me, a German colleague.

I have been asked this question several times over the last few years as I travel frequently to Cologne with my job and if it is late October early November I am always wearing a poppy. I explain that the poppy is a symbol of rememberance of service personnel who lost their lives initially in WW1 then WW2 and now embracing all conflicts since, I say it is similar to Volkstrauertag and that usually suffices.

But this evening at home I am researching a humble WW1 pair to a survivor.........well not really. Which got me thinking, wondering about those who made it home the impact on their lives and their deaths and how we should remember all who served and continue to serve to protect our freedom.

A young man who was every inch a victim of the "war to end all wars", as any man whose name appears on the Menin Gate or who is commemorated on one of the thousands of CWGC headstones scattered around the world. Charles Benjamin Gaucheron Sear came home from his war this is his story.



Charles was born in November 1898 in Islington London the son of William and Jane Annie Sear his fathers occupation is given as a coachman/groom. By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved to 68 Marlborough Road Holloway and the 12 year old Charles is shown as a scholar one of 10 surviving sear children 13 having been born. His father William has clearly embraced new technology and is now a Motor Van Driver

Our next sight of Charles is on his 1916 Attestation document when he enlists just 10 days before his 18th Birthday. He becomes private Sear of the 51st Graduated Training Reserve Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment a period of home service commences and then fate played her cards. On the 1st of January 1918 Charles is transferred to the 7th Battlion Royal West Kent Regiment and is shipped to France on the 29th of January. His record states "joined Battalion in the field 3rd February".

The 7th (Service) Battalion, The Royal West Kent Regiment was raised at Maidstone on the 5th of September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. after initial training near home, they moved to Colchester in April 1915 and then to Salisbury Plain in May for final training. They proceeded to France on the 27th of July 1915 landing at Le Havre the Division concentrating near Flesselles. In 1916 they were in action on The Somme in The Battle of Albert capturing their objectives near Montauban, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge including the capture of Trones Wood, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Thiepval Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights playing a part in the capture of the Schwaben Redoubt and Regina Trench and The Battle of the Ancre.

In 1917 they took part in the Operations on the Ancre including Miraumont and the capture of Irles, the fought during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and in The Third Battle of the Scarpe before moving to Flanders. They were in action in The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of Langemarck and The First and Second Battle of Passchendaele.

In February 1918 they transferred to 53rd Brigade still with 18th (Eastern) Division. They saw action during The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of the Avre, The actions of Villers-Brettoneux, The Battle of Amiens and The Battle of Albert where the Division captured the Tara and Usna hills near La Boisselle and once again captured Trones Wood. They fought in The Second Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Epehy, The Battle of the St Quentin Canal, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of the Sambre. At the Armistice the Division was in XIII Corps Reserve near Le Cateau and demobilisation began on the 10th of December 1918.

Charles next entry in his service record records him as missing in action 21/03/1918 he had been in france just 8 weeks when he and his battalion faced the onslaught known as the Michael Offensive launched on the 21st March 1918

The 18th Division held the line between a point just north of Travecy and north of Moÿ de l'Aisne (which is about 10.5km, or 6.5 miles, southeast of St-Quentin). For the most part the Division's front followed the road and railway between Vendeuil and Moÿ, with the the Canal de la Sambre et l'Oise just in front of it . There were no major defensible features of ground until the Crozat Canal some way behind the Division's "Battle Zone".

The Division was faced by German Eighteenth Army's 13th Landwehr and 223rd Divisions. Major-General Lee had deployed 55th and 53rd Brigades into the Forward and Battle Zones. The very front of the 4.5 mile line held by the Division was occupied only by three battalions: the 7th Buffs, 7th Royal West Kents and 8th Royal Berkshires. The front line posts were held by the 2/2nd London Regiment, with the 2/4th London Regiment behind them in the "Battle Zone".

•7.15am: Germans capture canal lock north of Travecy, but a party of 7th Buffs nearby hold on until 5.30pm. A platoon west of the lock fights on despite being completely encircled, only being overcome by close-range artillery at 8pm on 22 March.
•9am: enemy enters north side of Vendeuil and begins to push through village. A British garrison in the old French fort west of the village also holds out until evening of 22 March.
•9am: German infantry is cut down as it attempted to enter Moÿ de l'Aisne, having failed to see barbed wire defences. But they pressed on and by 10.30pm were across the La Fère/St Quentin road, a mile to the west. The British troops in the forward defences in this area are mainly overwhelmed and killed or captured.
•9am: enemy has broken through gaps on 8th Royal Berkshires front and posts are being taken from rear, although a strongpoint at a farm south east of Cérizy holds out until about 4.30pm.
•Much of the division's field artillery is over-run and captured as the enemy advances: 82 Brigade RFA loses 9 guns, while 83 Brigade RFA loses all but two (and they fire a total of 1900 rounds on this day alone).
•4.30pm: 7th Royal West Kents battalion HQ is captured.
By day's end the Division had been ordered to withdraw to hold the line of the Crozat Canal at Liez, Mennesis and Jussy. The villages of Ly-Fontaine, Gibercourt and Remigny have fallen into enemy hands.



Charles was captured on day one of the offensive but his POW status is not confirmed until the Red Cross issue list 579 in November 1918 which contains his name. Repatriated in January 1919 Charles is discharged in October 1919, his war is over or maybe not. He married one Dorothy M Berry in 1928 but theirs was not to be a long marriage as Charles died in 1930 he was just 31 years old. Indeed his service record contains a letter from his young widow asking if a pension is availabe due to his life being cut short by the effects of his service.

So for Charles Benjamin Gaucheron Sear no last post, no memorial, no CWGC headstone and no plaque and scroll just a humble pair of medals and a printed letter with a facsimilie signature welcoming him home from captivity.



So while we remember the fallen in the next few weeks spare a thought for those who returned whose lives be they short or long also paid a heavy price.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Best regards

Paul

KINGSMAN64

[Auseklis]

I try to explain the poppy to as many people over here as possible. The question comes up from time to time, when Jeremy Clarkson is wearing one (he's extremly popular over here too, even if I would bet nearly nobody get's his Battle of Britain" movie quotes).

Next summer, I will show my (then 7 year old) son the fields of the Somme with the poppys abloom. I hope he will never forget what they stand for. If you stand somewere near Thiepval and look over the fields and try to understand that the huge amount of poppys that you see, is not enough to mark any spot a soldier has fallen, it is just devastating.

[kingsman64]

Next summer, I will show my (then 7 year old) son the fields of the Somme with the poppys abloom. I hope he will never forget what they stand for. If you stand somewere near Thiepval and look over the fields and try to understand that the huge amount of poppys that you see, is not enough to mark any spot a soldier has fallen, it is just devastating.

As long as there are people like you and me my friend and members of this forum then they wont be forgotten.

Denken Sie daran, all die Gefallenen.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Paul

[paul wood]

My Grandfather Robert Kennard from Malmsbury in Wiltshire was a similar victim. He came home in 1917 sick having suffered rheumatic fever etc. It was one of my mother's earlies memories, she screamed when she saw him as he looked nothing like the daddy she had previously seen. Once recovered he went back to service but he was never the same man. He died after a long illness in 1930 aged 48. My mother aged 17 was expected to go to university but she had to give up her studies and work to save her and her mother from destitution as they received no pension and as he was a self employed barber there was not a large ammount of savings as in the last few years of his life he was not always able to work. Many thousands of families suffered similarly.

Paul

[Brett Hendey]

These two men who died young from the effects of war service may not have an official memorial, but the fact that they have been remembered on this forum means they are not forgotten. Thanks to both Pauls for sharing their records.

Regards

Brett