Charles Wilton Illingworth was killed in action on this day in 1916
Charles Wilton Illingworth was born on 10 November 1891, in South Ossett, Yorkshire, the son of Andrew, a fine cloth drawer, and his wife, Sarah.
He was christened on Christmas Day at Christ Church, South Ossett.
He had an older sister, Mary Elizabeth and the family lived at 6 Grove Street in Ossett.
Charles worked as a Clerk in a Fellmongers (a Fellmonger being a person who prepares skins for a tanner).
On 05 June 1913, his father died.
He enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers 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 on 20 October 1916.
On 5 November 1916, aged 24, Charles was killed just 15 days after being transferred to the DLI. His death occurred during an attack on the Butte de Warlencourt.
The Battalion War Diary describes the attack going in from SNAG TRENCH but the artillery and machine gun fire decimated the attacking waves which were repulsed within 10 yards of the strongly-held BUTTE TRENCH. "It was found impossible to progress the attack with the few men left and a withdrawal was therefore ordered".
He was listed as missing and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
6098 Pte Charles William Illingworth, 1/8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry