Charles Metcalf

A Private with the 9th Battalion, Charles died on 16th of September 1916 at the age of 22. 

Charles was born at Chelmsford in 1893, a son of Charles Thomas and Nelly Jane Metcalf. In 1901 his family lived at 119 Bevan Street, Lowestoft. By 1911 they were living at 7 Raglan Street and Charles was a billiard maker. Later his parents lived at 223 London Road South.

Charles attended Oulton School and, from 1 September 1903 to 5 February 1904, was a pupil at Saint John's School, before attending Saint Andrew's School. 

Charles volunteered to join the Army and enlisted at Lowestoft in August 1914. He joined the Suffolk Regiment and arrived in France on 31 August 1915 with the 9th Battalion.

On 30 October 1915 the Lowestoft Journal published a letter that Charles had sent to his parents, under the title: Letter from Lowestoft Lads Abroad – Why do they hand back?

Writing from “Somewhere in France” Private Metcalf, son of Mr. and Mrs. Metcalf, London Road South, says:-

I have just heard of the bad success of the recruiting meeting at Lowestoft. We cannot understand out here why they are hanging back. After all a Tommy’s life out here is not so bad, and we always have the feeling that we have done the right thing. I don’t suppose the people at home can realise the conditions we are fighting on here. The infantry, after being in the trenches for about twelve days, are relieved by a fresh batch and have 14 days’ rest in small villages ranging from about four to five miles behind our trenches, and every arrangement is being made for the amusement of them while they are resting. They have just opened a cinema, which is run completely by the officers of our Division. It is a fine, big place, holding about four to five thousand, and it is full every night. Troops billeted over two miles away are conveyed to and from the cinema in motor transports, and it is fine to watch them coming up all full of Tommies who are out for any amusement they can get. Some of them have only been out of the trenches the day beforehand, and jump at the chance of something to relieve the monotony. It seems hard to believe, but this is the truth, that the cinema is only four and a half miles away from the German trenches, and while you are inside enjoying yourself you can hear the roar of the guns. Then some witty person says, “Hello! There’s a souvenir for someone.” That reminds me of a Scotchman who was telling us of his chum being killed by a shell dropping right on top of him. We could not help laughing when he said, “Hey, mon, he had it all to himsel”. That’s the way of them out here, they make a joke of the most serious incident. I have been in the Army now for 14 months, and can honestly say I have never regretted the day when I joined. Of course I would rather be at home, but my conscience would not let me, and I cannot think how young healthy fellows can walk about. No doubt when we come home they will come up to you and want to shake hands and say how pleased they are to see you and all the rest of it; but I am sure we would be more pleased to see them out here. Well, I hope you will find room for this in your paper, as they are quite a number of Suffolk fellows in our Division, and no doubt it will please their people to see they are not having at all a bad time.     

On 13 September 1916 the 9th Battalion were in trenches near Guinchy on the Somme. At 6.20 a.m. they attacked the German lines and were able to capture two lines of German trenches, however, the enemy artillery and machine-gun fire inflicted heavy casualties. The situation could not be cleared up and so, at 7.30 a.m. A Company made an attack on the German strongpoint known as The Quadrilateral, but they failed to reach their objective due to enemy machine-gun fire. By the end of the day two officers and 15 men had been killed and 10 officers and 185 men wounded. 

On 15 September the Battalion made an attack on the enemy trenches with a final objective between Lesbouchs and Morval. The Battalion were to advance at 7.50 a.m. There was heavy enemy artillery and machine-gun fire and half of C Company could not even leave the trench. The rest of the Battalion were held up by heavy machine-gun fire from The Quadrilateral. There were many casualties, including Lieutenant-Colonel Mack. During the day the Battalion lost four officers and 35 men killed, seven officers and 99 men wounded, and two officers and 93 men missing. 

The Army Register of Soldiers' Effects shows that Charles was killed in action between 13 and 16 September 1916. But the 9th Battalion war diary states that there were no casualties on 16 September.