Mobilisation & Embarkation

On the 4th of August 1914, when Britain declared War on Germany and the order to mobilise issued, the 8th Middlesex was already on the move. The 3rd of August was a Bank Holiday and the Battalion, along with others of the 44th (Home Countries) Division was undertaking it’s annual summer training. On the 4th August both the 7th and 8th Middlesex were marching from Aldershot to Salisbury Plain. Upon the order to mobilise, both battalions promptly entrained at Amesbury for their respective headquarters of Hornsey and Hounslow. The 8th then moved to Sheerness, the Battalion’s war station and waited for orders.

In September 1914, both the 1/7th and 1/8th Middlesex left the 44th Division and shipped out to Gibraltar arriving on the 10th September 1914. They were relieving a battalion each of the Wiltshires and Royal Scots Fusiliers, regulars who were off to France to join the 7th Division. The two Middlesex battalions were garrisoned on the island until the 14th of February 1915, whence they returned to England for 22 days before their embarkation for France.

SS Empress Queen - Isle of Mann Steam Packet Company

Charles embarked from Southampton on the SS Empress Queen on 8th March and landed at Le Harve the next day. On the 11th March his Battalion was attached to the 85th Brigade, 28th Division at Bailleul and commenced instruction in trench warfare. After spending the final week of March digging communication trenches and generally gaining knowledge of active service conditions, the Battalion moved up to billets closer the front line. On the 9th April the Battalion moved up to the town of St Jean and three days later relieved the 3rd Middlesex in the trenches east of Zonnebeke for their first spell of front line duty.