Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
Charles was born in 1884 in Oxford. In March 1901 Charles was employed as a brickyard labourer and was residing as a boarder at the Duke of York Inn, High Street, Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire. In April 1911 Charles was employed as a brickyard labourer and was residing in the family home at Albion Road, Sileby, Leicestershire together with his wife Sarah Ellen Wilson (nee Foster, married in the 4th quarter of 1907 in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire district), a Griswold knitter, born 1884 in East Leake, Nottinghamshire.
The War Diary records: 16-18 Dec-15 - Returned to POPERINGHE to billets in RUE DE FURNES till 18th December on the 16th. At 3.45pm 18th December entrained at POPERINGHE and detrained at ASYLUM * ¼ mile west of YPRES. Marched from there to the trenches at WIELTJE taking over from 2nd SHERWOOD FORESTERS. (2nd DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY on right at POTIDJE, 9th NORFOLK REGT. on our left. There was a gap of 150 yards on our right between us and the DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY, this belonged to the 18th Infantry Brigade who were responsible for patrols) Distribution “A” Company B9 (right firing line). “B” Company B 10 (left firing line). “C” Company (support line) S.10.A. “D” Company (support line) S.9.A. 2 platoons. “D” Company Canal bank 2 platoons. 6 Machine gun positions and 8 Bomb posts.
The War Diary records: 19 Dec-15 - At about 6.20am (19th Dec) small parties of Germans were seen moving about in front of their lines but no serious attack was made. The Germans then (6.20am) commenced a furious bombardment of all our trenches front and support, all roads in rear of trenches, all houses and villages, and the main roads as far back as POPERINGHE which was also shelled heavily. YPRES and VLAMERTINGHE were shelled heavily with all kinds of shells including some 17 inch. The Germans bombarded us with all sorts of shells, chiefly 4.8 inch, but with a large number of 8 inch as well. The batteries (English) were all shelled with gas shells (lachrymatory).
Bombardment was most intense and lasted in varying intensity 48 hours the roads all round being absolute death traps. All telephonic communication between Battalion Headquarters and companies was cut at once by shell fire and orderlies had to be used. They did their work splendidly under heavy shell fire and got through every message without casualties. ST. JEAN village where Battalion Headquarters was (in a cellar), also our dressing station was shelled with the utmost fury. Movement being extremely difficult. Casualties 5.00am 19th Dec. to midnight 19th/20th December 3 killed shell, 6 died of gas, 9 wounded, 3 missing and 53 suffering from gas. Of the gas and men who attempted to come to the dressing station in St. Jean fell on the way and were picked up insensible. The stretcher bearers worked all night carrying men from the road on anything available and collecting them on company carts etc. “A” Company. (right Company) suffered the heaviest because the gas was let off 100 yards from them. During the actual gas attack the Germans kept up a very heavy rifle and machine gun fire on our trenches, this was replied to, to a cautious extent but ammunition was not wasted.
On Friday January 7th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS.” – SILEBY. – ROLL OF HONOUR. Another victim has been added to the death roll of Sileby soldiers, Lance Corporal Charles Wilson, reservist of the 1st Leicesters, having been killed about the 20th December by shrapnel. The poor fellow would have finished his service in the Army in February. Much sympathy is felt for his wife, who has lain seriously ill since hearing of his death. His brother Lieut. A. Wilson, is greatly troubled at the loss. Lieut. Wilson has been here for a month or two suffering from the effects of being gassed, and was publicly presented some three weeks before in the Market-place with the D.C.M., for bravery while out in France. And in the same issue under the heading “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – SILEBY LANCE-CORPL. KILLED. Official news has been received that Lance Corporal C. Wilson, 1st Leicestershire Regiment, husband of Mrs. C. Wilson, Albion-road, Sileby, and brother of Lieut. W. W. Wilson, Leicestershire Regiment, who was recently presented with the D.C.M., at Leicester, was killed in action on the 19th December 1915.