Charles Edgar BLACKWELL [1493] ^2245,2539

  General Notes:

Charles was a private in the Northumberland Fusiliers. Part of the 21st Battalion (tyneside Scottish) and was killed in Action in the Western European Theatre. Formerly 179288 RHA. His regimental number was 48388. It is possible that Charles took part in the 2nd Battle of Arras, also known as the Battle for Vimy Hill. This offensive commenced on the 9th of April 1917 in the area where Charles appears to have been killed on that date.

The Battle of Arras began in a snowstorm on 9th April 1917, when Australian, British, and Canadian Divisions fought on a front from Vimy Ridge in the north (Canadian sector), to the trenches east of Arras (British sector), to Bullecourt in the south (Australian sector). It was hoped that the much-awaited breakthrough might be made here. However, the key purpose of the offensive was to tie down the German army in a joint effort with the French, who were simultaneously attacking on the Chemin des Dames. This latter offensive was a complete and costly failure resulting in mutinies among many French divisions.
The Battle of Arras slogged on until mid-May 1917, following a final large-scale attack on 3rd May when casualties were particularly high on the British side. It became the greatest killing battle of the war, with a daily casualty rate even higher than the Somme.

Only an estimated 30% - 40% of the WW1 British military service records have survived due to being destroyed by fire during Second World War bombings, and sadly Charles record appears to be in the 60%- 70% that have been lost.

From the Commonwealth War Graves Photographic Project website, which includes a photograph of the headstone I obtained the following details.
Cemetery: Roclincourt Valley Cemetery
Country: France
Area: Pas De Calais
Rank: Private
Official Number: 48388
Unit: 21st (Tyneside Scottish) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers.
Force: Army
Nationality: British
Details: 9th April 1917. III. F. 10.

Roclincourt is a village a little to the east of the road from Arras to Lens. Take the N17 from Arras until the junction of this road and the D60. Travel along the D60 into Roclincourt village. Roclincourt Valley Cemetery lies to the north-east of the village. It is on a farm track signposted off the Thelus road.
Historical Information: Roclincourt was just within the Allied lines before the Battle of Arras in 1917 and it was from here that the 51st (Highland) and 34th Divisions advanced on 9 April 1917. The 1st Canadian Division attacked further north, across the Lens road. Roclincourt Valley Cemetery (originally called Roclincourt Forward Cemetery No.2) was begun after 9 April 1917 by the units which fought on that day. It was used until the following August when it contained the graves of 94 soldiers, of whom 40 belonged to the 51st Division. These form Plot I, Rows A to E and part of Row F. The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice when graves, almost all of April 1917 and mostly from the 34th and 51st Divisions, were brought in from the surrounding battlefields and from certain smaller cemeteries, including:- KING CRATER CEMETERY, ROCLINCOURT: a mine crater, it contained 99 burials in five big graves, made by the 34th Division in the middle of April 1917, all dating from 9 April. All but two belonged to the Tyneside Brigades of the Northumberland Fusiliers. KITE CRATER CEMETERY, ST LAURENT-BLANGY, contained 53 burials of 9 April 1917 in five big graves, mainly of the 34th Division. RABS ROAD CEMETERY, ST LAURENT-BLANGY, contained 20 burials of 9 or 13 April 1917, 16 belonging to the 15th or 16th Royal Scots. ROCLINCOURT LONG CEMETERY (called at one time Roclincourt Forward Cemetery No.3), contained 68 burials of 9 April 1917, all 51st Division. THELUS ROAD CEMETERY, ROCLINCOURT, was made by the XVII Corps and contained 42 burials of 9 April 1917, 51st Division. The cemetery now contains 518 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 83 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known, or believed, to be buried among them. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. (information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission).

see also //www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Blackwell-2386 ²⁵⁴⁸

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Residence: High Street, 1891, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England. ²⁵⁴⁹

2. Residence: 73 High Street, 1901, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England. ²⁵⁵⁰ occupation shoe rivetter

3. Residence: 12 Town Yard, 1911, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England. ²⁵⁵¹ Occupation boot and shoe operator.

4. Military: World War 1 British Army regimental number 48388, 1914-1918.