Charles Wilton Illingworth was killed in action on this day in 1916.
Charles Illingworth was born 10 November 1891 in South Ossett, Yorkshire, the son of Andrew, a fine cloth drawer and Sarah. He was christened on Christmas Day at South Ossett, Christ Church.
At the 1911 Census, Charles, aged 19, was living at home at No.6 Grove Street, Ossett with his parents, sister Mary and widowed Aunt Emma. He was by this time a clerk working for a fellmongers.
Charles enlisted on 11 December 1915. From his surviving Service Records we learn that he was 5 ft 2 1/2 inches tall. He transferred to the Durham Light Infantry 20 October 1916.
Charles was killed, aged 24 years, just 15 days after being transferred to the DLI during the attack on the Butte de Warlencourt. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
A Drawing of the Butte de Warlencourt by Capt. Robert Mauchlen dated 8th November 1916 (Courtesy: D.L.I. Museum & Arts Centre, Durham)
6098 Pte Charles William Illingworth, Durham Light Infantry
5 November 1916 killed in action.
Sources: English Census 1901, 1911.
Charles Wilton Illingworth, Ossett in the Great War
http://ossett.net/WW1/Charles_W_Illingworth.html
(C) Wilson, Ashby and Howe, March 2014