On the 9th Of April 1917, the 56th Division took part in the Arras offensive in the battle that became known as the First Battle of the Scarpe. This offensive produced some of the heaviest fighting of the war. Charles suffered gunshot wounds to both legs and his left arm in the assault on the village of Neuville Vitesse, described below from the 56th Division history.
“The assault started at 07:45...the 8th Middlesex were at first delayed by uncut wire, but soon entered the ruined village. Just before reaching the site of the church they found themselves confronted by a pocket of determined Germans with several machine guns. Working around the flanks of this pocket, bombers and riflemen succeeded in enveloping the enemy, so that just before 11 o’clock 68 survivors surrendered with 4 machine guns. The Bn then cleared the rest of Neuville Vitasse and were in touch with the 3rd Londons...”
Charles was evacuated to the 16th General Hospital Le Treport were he died of his wounds on the 11th of April
1917. He is buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport. His obituary published in the Middlesex and Buckinghamshire Advertiser and Gazette on the 4th of May 1917, included the following excerpt from a
letter sent to his parents by an unnamed officer.
“I am sorry to say, your son was wounded yesterday in the left arm and legs. The bone of the arm is fractured and the legs have quite a number of small wounds, but none should give serious trouble. He was most carefully dressed by a Canadian doctor, and was very brave whilst the arm was being put right. He has no wounds in the vital parts of the body. So far as one can judge there should be no permanent disablement, nor is there any danger to his life. The battle was a great success and our losses comparatively light”.
25 men from the 1/8th Battalion were killed in action during the assault on the village of Neuville Vitasse on 9 April, including two men from Uxbridge.
On the 16th of August 1917, Charles’ family received his personal effects, which consisted of letters, photos, cards, 2 pipes (broken), 2 testaments, 1 purse, 3 pencils, 1 comb, 2 buttons, 1 coin, 1 case lead refills, 1 religious book, 1 pocket wallet and 1 cigarette maker. His father signed for his 1914-15 Star on 14th July 1920 and the Victory Medal and British War Medal on September the 20 1921.
Charles’ older brother George embarked for France in August 1914 with the 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps. He was captured in late 1914, surviving the conflict as a prisoner of war at the Gustrow camp in Northern Germany and was later interned in Switzerland. Charles’ cousin James served with the 13th Royal Fusiliers, and later the 16th Royal West Kents, whilst his youngest brother Benjamin served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
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2 comments:
Charles Alexander was the brother of my grandfather George Henry Slatter.
I travelled with my wife and son in March to Mont Huon cemetary to see Charles gravestone and also to Neuville Vitesse to try and get a sense of the place where he was wounded.
I was intrigued about your description of events about my grandfather in Chateaux D'Oex, especially about his mother visiting him there and of course about Laure, my grandmother and her familly. My mother was very interested in that history as there were details she was unaware of and she has thoroughly enjoyed reading this blog, as have I.
I have had some poems translated from french that were written by Laure's mother and brother from the period when George was repatriated and before Laure came to join him in England. It would be good to hear about you and possibly share information about our familly. I have been finding it difficult to find much about my mother's side of the familly and it would be great to hear from you if you would like to reply.
Steve.
I am the cousin of Steve Fletcher (Adam Slatter) and George Henry Slatter was my Grandfather
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