Category Archives: Western Front

Charles Edward Weeks

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Arras, Commemorated name/s, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme

Charles Edward Weeks
Private 200817
1st Batt. Royal Berkshire Regt.

 Division 32

CEWeeks CIMG2215

Charles Edward Weeks, was the son of Charles William and Agnes Esther Weeks, of 180 Kings Rd. Reading.  The 1911 census indicates that at the age of 17 Charles was working as a grocers assistant. His father had his own business as a book keeper and his younger brother, Cyril aged 9, was  in school.   Charles had attended Wokingham Road School, now known as Alfred Sutton Primary School and it is assumed that this was the school Cyril attended. Agnes had given birth to four children but only Charles and Cyril had survived.

Charles joined the army in Sept. 1914.   The Standard of August 19th 1916 gives an account of the wounding, in both legs, one arm and head, which Charles Weeks received on July 30th 1916. He had been left for dead when a 9.2inch (250lb.) shell fell in front of him but was brought out by the Warwick’s.  After the usual field dressings had been administered and treatment at a casualty clearing station he was transferred to Etaples and later evacuated to England where he spent some time in a war hospital in Norfolk. Writing from hospital  he commented that the food and treatment was A1.  Swelling in his face had gone down and he was now able to see out of both eyes.  His left thigh and right knee were still painful. In total he had twenty three injuries but only considered eleven to be bad.

Charles Weeks survived these injuries and returned to France where he was killed on 25th March 1918*, his body was never found.  A headstone in Division 32, of the Reading Cemetery, describes him as “Missing in France”, he is officially commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Bay 7,  he was 24 years old.

* Four days from the start of the German Spring offensive.

Ernest James Titcomb

Army, Commemorated name/s, Somme

Ernest James Titcomb
Rifleman 7868
1st/12th Battalion London Regiment (The Rangers)

 Division 7

Titcomb Ernest J photo

Ernest James Titcombe is remembered on the grave of his parents Charles and Letty Titcombe of 38, Newport Road, Reading.  The commemoration states that Ernest was killed in action (France).  The Berkshire Family History Society grave classification number is 7G6. 

The 1901 census indicates that the family were living at 34, Newport Road and Letty was a widow and head of the family. She supported herself by taking in washing. Ernest was then an errand boy, older brothers Harry and John respectively were joiner and cabinet maker and hairdressers assisstant. Younger brother and sister Arthur and Ethel were of an ageto be still at school. Living next door at 36, Newport Road was oldest son Albert Titcomb, a print compositor, and his wife Rosa.  In 1911, Ernest was bording and working in Guildford as a print machine minder, he was then aged 24.

 Family details from the CWGC states that he was married to Susan Ellen Titcom, of 8, Beck Road, Mare Street, Hackney, London.    They had married on the 21 November 1915 at St.Jude’s, Bethnal Green.

Ernest Titcomb has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 9 C.

At the time of his death on 7th October 1916 the Somme Battle was coming towards its end.  Ernest Titcomb was aged 29.

 

George E. Thatcher

Army, Commemorated name/s, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme

George E. Thatcher
Private 18098
1st Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 40

Thatcher GE photo  CIMG2200

George Edward Thatcher, known to his friends and family as Jack,  was the husband of
Mrs Sarah Thatcher (nee Clarke), of 6, River Road, Reading.  He is commemorated on a small scroll stone, on the grave of one of his children, number 10263.  Only the initials G.E.T. and Jack are written on the headstone but a CWGC search revealed his full name and details.  The 1911 census indicates that he was a tin solderer at the tin works and he had three children – Lily, Cyril and Evelyn. Sharing their five room family home were his sister in law and three brothers in law.

 George enlisted on 25 March 1915, serving first in the 3rd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment before moving to the 1st Battalion. He arrived in France in December 1915.  He was killed in action on the 14 November 1916, when the battalion were involved in the later stages of the Somme battle.  He was killed taking a trench.  Jack Thatcher is buried in Munich Trench British Cemetery, Beaumon Hamel, location C 31.  The cemetery contains many men who were killed in the same action and Jack lies near Fred Gray who is also commemorated in the Reading Cemetery and who died on the same day.

 George Thatcher was 37 when he was killed. The Chronicle of 8th December 1916 records that Jack was “killed instantly”, that he worked at Huntley, Bourne and Stevens before the war.  He left a wife and five children. The author has visited Munich Trench Cemetery which is rather out of the way on Redan Ridge and the visitors book which at the time went back to 1975  revealed that family members visited the grave in1992 and 1997.