Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Benjamin Robert Baxter a groom, born on the 28th April 1860 in Offord Darcy, Huntingdonshire and baptised on the 20th May 1860 in St. Peter’s Church, Offord Darcy and his wife Alice Baxter (nee Fensome (Fensom) married in the 1st quarter of 1882 in the St. Neot’s Huntingdonshire district), born on the 8th November 1859 in Offord Cluny, Huntingdonshire and baptised on the 4th March 1860 in All Saint’s Church, Offord Cluny. Charles Roland James was born in the 3rd quarter of 1890 in Offord Cluny, his siblings were Grace Alma, a schoolgirl, born on the 11th July 1882 and Winifred Gertrude, a schoolgirl, born on the 9th May 1884, the latter two siblings were both born in Offord Cluny, Elsie Dagmar, a schoolgirl, born on the 18th February 1886 in Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire and Ruby Carmen, born on the 6th July 1888, in Offord Cluny, in April 1891 the family home was at High Street, Offord Cluny. In March 1901 Charles was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 90, Cobden Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire, together with his father, a coachman, his mother, a dressmaker and his siblings, Grace, a hosiery trade worker, Winifred, a hosiery trade shirt machinist, Elsie, a hosiery trade worker, Ruby and Dorothy Gwendoline, a schoolgirl, born on the 17th May 1893 in Loughborough. In April 1911 Charles was employed as a fitter and was residing in the family home at 56, Wood Gate, Loughborough, together with his father, a domestic coachman, his mother and siblings, Winifred, a hosiery trade worker, Elsie, a hosiery trade worker, Ruby, a hosiery trade worker and Dorothy, a hosiery trade worker.
Charles enlisted/attested into the Regular Army on the 3rd September 1914 in Loughborough, and was allotted the service number 13200. He gave his place of birth as Offord Cluny, Huntingdonshire and age as 24 years 2 months. His marital status was given as unmarried and his trade or calling as motor engineer.
He confirmed that he had previously with the Leicestershire Yeomanry, from which he was time expired.
His medical examination took place in Loughborough on the 3rd September 1914 and recorded his apparent age as 24 years 2 months, that he was 5 feet 7½ inches in height, weighed 126 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 32 and 34 inches, his complexion was described as fresh, he had brown eyes and his hair colour was black, his physical development was described as normal. He gave his religion as Church of England.
He gave his next of kin as his father, Benjamin Robert Baxter, mother Alice Baxter, sisters Dorothy and Gwendoline Baxter, 56, Woodgate, Loughborough.
During his period of military service the following events of note occurred:-
Joined. At Leicester. 3/9/14.
Joined. Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 3/9/14.
Posted. To 8th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Aldershot. Pte. 24/9/14.
Posted. Folkestone. 28/2/15.
Posted. Perham Down. 8/4/15.
Embarked. To join the British Expeditionary Force, France. 29/7/15.
Admitted. 15th Casualty Clearing Post with debility and ICT legs. In the Field. 26/9/16.
Admitted. 64th W.L. Field Ambulance. 25/9/16.
Rejoined. 8th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. In the Field. 30/9/16.
Killed in action. In the Field. 22/3/18.
Summary of Service.
Home Service. 3/9/14 – 28/7/15. 329 days.
Expeditionary Force, France. 29/7/15 – 22/3/18. 2 years 237 days
Total Service. 3 years 201 days.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Charles’s surviving service record amounts to a total of eleven pages, of which only seven pages relate directly to his military service, and these are in very poor condition with much of the hand written information in some cases barely legible, damaged or missing entirely, however the content does offer at least a little descriptive insight into some of the events that took place during his period of military service.
Charles’s mother was awarded a weekly Army Pension of six shillings to commence on the 23rd January 1919.
The War Diary records: 22 Mar-18 - FRONT LINE, EPEHY. The early morning of the 22nd March brought with it the same heavy mist, the hostile artillery displayed little activity and up till 9.00 am the enemy made no further attack, observation of any kind was quite impossible and the movements of the enemy on our right could not be seen. During the night of the 21st/22nd March from information received it was evident that small parties of the enemy had reached the EPEHY – ST EMILIE ROAD, it was also reported that a small party about 20 strong had been seen near the advanced dressing station in the South West edge of EPEHY. About 9.00 am favoured and hidden by the heavy mist the enemy infantry commenced to push into the village from the EPEHY – ST EMILIE ROAD. Three posts on the South East edge of the village were rushed from the rear and taken and the enemy continued to advance in a North Eastern direction through the village. By this time the right flank of the Battalion was completely in the air and the hostile infantry were threatening the RED LINE from the East, South and West. The Commanding Officer decided to evacuate the RED LINE at 10.00 am, at the same time moving Battalion Headquarters from FISHERS KEEP. Accordingly the decision was communicated to the 4 Companies holding the RED LINE and to the 2 Companies of the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT defending the village. The evacuation of the RED LINE was carried out under very difficult circumstances as the enemy were rapidly closing in from three sides. A defensive flank was then formed along the SAULCOURT – EPEHY ROAD to link up with the 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT holding PEIZIERE and the YELLOW LINE, held by 2 Companies of the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT and 2 Companies of the Reserve Brigade. About 10.30 am the mist lifted considerably, very large forces of hostile infantry were seen advancing west along the high ground behind VILLERS FAUCON and EPEHY. It was very evident that the enemy would make a serious attempt to drive in the right flank of the YELLOW LINE. Towards 11.00 am small parties of the enemy infantry began to break clear of the West side of EPEHY and to collect together in the dead ground West of the village, these parties were made to pay dearly for their enterprise, but shortly after 11.00 am, the mist descended again and the enemy was able to complete his concentration in comparative safety. At 11.30 am the Brigade received orders to withdraw through SAULCOURT to LONGAVESNES (ST QUENTIN A1) and to reorganise there. At the same time the enemy about a Battalion strong pushed forward from EPEHY towards the SAULCOURT – EPEHY ROAD. The Brigade slowly withdrew through the defences of SAULCOURT (BROWN LINE) held by the Reserve Brigade and details of 110th Brigade HQ to LONGAVESNES. From there the Brigade marched to AIZECOURT-LE-HAUT arriving there about 7.00 pm. In the meantime the enemy’s advance was arrested by the SAULCOURT DEFENCES and the BROWN LINE west of SAULCOURT. At 4.30 pm after a short but very intense shelling preparation the enemy made an attack in force on the BROWN LINE, and succeeded in capturing SAULCOURT, after this rapid progress was made by the enemy resulting in the loss of GUYENCOURT, LONGAVESNES and LIBRAMONT. During the evening the Corps received orders to withdraw to the GREEN LINE East of TEMPLEUX LA FOSSE to conform with the movements of the next Corps to the South.