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Charles Root
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War Memorial: Place and
inscription
War
Memorials at Highwood and Ingatestone.
War
Memorial Tablet at Fryerning.
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Rank:
Private
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Regiment:
Machine
Gun Corps (Infantry). 58th Battalion. Service No: 87273 [CWGC]
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Service Details:
“I have
the attestation papers for Charles Root, and when he joined up he lived in
the Old Barn in Blackmore. He joined the 4th battalion Royal Berkshire Regt
on 7th September 1914 in Chelmsford, service number 87273. The papers
show that he was a Territorial and actually joined for four years. At time of
joining Charles was 19 years old, five foot five inches tall, and had a chest
measurement of 34½ inches and his physical development was described as fair,
even though he was a farm labourer. Nevertheless he was declared fit.” [John Westwood, http://www.stock.org.uk/history/ww1/fryerning/charles_and_fred_root.htm]
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Personal and family information:
Place of
residence entered as “Blackmoor”. [Free BMD]
Not on
1901 Census for Blackmore, Essex
1911
census transcription details for: Old
Barn Blackmore Ingatestone
Frederick Roots. Head.
Married. [Age] 50. Farm Labourer. [Born] Essex Great Baddow
Louisa
Roots. Wife. Married 18 years. [Age] 50.
[Born] Essex Roxwell
Charles
Roots. Son. Single.
[Age] 16. Farm Labourer. [Born] Essex Roxwell
Ivy
Roots. Dau. [Age] 10.
[Born] Essex Writtle
Harry
Simons. Stepson. Single.
[Age] 21. Farm Labourer. [Born]
Essex Roxwell
Electoral
Roll 1914: Mid Essex / Chelmsford Division records Frederick Root as living
in the ‘Writtle – Highwood Ward’. Abode, “Horsfrith Park – via Blackmore”;
Description of Qualifying Property, “Old Barn”.
Surname
does not appear on Blackmore Electoral Register 1918 [ERO C/E 2/1/1]
“In
August 1918, Charles was home on leave to get married, to Hildagarde Heard,
from Tollesbury. A month later Charles was dead, he has no known grave and is
remembered on the Vis-en-Artois memorial. After the war his wife lived in Acton west London, and from papers available she
didn’t remarry. As a post script to this article, Army Form W 5080 reveals a
further tragedy and takes us back full circle to Highwood Church. Frederick Root was Charles’
father, who was killed ‘whilst on military duty’ in May 1915 aged 52, and is
buried in Writtle cemetery.” [John Westwood, http://www.stock.org.uk/history/ww1/fryerning/charles_and_fred_root.htm]
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Date of Death:
18th September 1918
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Age:
23
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Where died:
France
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Place of Burial or Commemoration:
Memorial:
Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Panel 10 [CWGC]
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List of Sources:
Commonwealth
War Graves Commission, Essex Record Office, Free BMD, John
Westwood
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