BAKEWELL, Charles

Charles Bakewell was the son of William/and Clara Bakewell of 49 Grove Street, Kates Hill, Dudley. He volunteered for the Worcesters Territorials on the 17th March 1915 and joined the 2/7th Battalion. They arrived on the Western Front in June 1916 and had been posted to the quiet sector of Neuve Chapelle in Artois. There was occasional action and on the 10th October the Worcesters undertook a raid on enemy trenches facing their position at Port Arthur. It was a single company night attack but at the crucial moment the sky cleared and the attackers were visible in the moon-light. The troop continued the raid but to no avail. Three men were killed and one of them was Private Charles Bakewell. He was 19 years of age and commemorated on the Loos Memorial and also on the Dudley and St. John's, Kates Hill Memorials. He is also commemorated on his parents' grave in Kates Hill cemetery, together with his brother, Walter.