Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles Edward Hay, a chemical manufacturer, born 1851 in Stirlingshire, Scotland and his wife Jessie Fulton Hay, born 1856 in Paisley, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Charles Edward Erroll was born in the 2nd quarter of 1893 in Leicestershire, and was baptised on the 11th May 1893 in the Parish Church, Lubenham, Leicestershire, he had one sibling, a step sister, Edith Moffatt, born 1877 in Scotland, in March 1901 the family home was at Somerby House, Somerby, Leicestershire. In April 1911 Charles was absent from the family home at Somerby House, Somerby, residing there was his father a chairman of The Gas Residents Product Limited, Glasgow, his mother and step brother, James Arthur Moffatt, a Captain in the Army Reserve, born 1876 in Glasgow, Charles was residing as a boarder at Eton College, Eton, Buckinghamshire. Charles first entered the theatre of war in France on the 12th November 1914, he was awarded the 1914 Star, British War and Victory medals.
The War Diary records: 8 Aug-18 – 2.00am. Arrival assembly point 2.00am. Zero hour 4.20am. Moved off 5.30am the right being in reserve to the Brigade. Moved along the Cavalry track in company with the 4 support Tanks to a point C.?.O.2 central. The Cavalry track ran N.32.d.T.3 central – T.6 central – U.1.c and d – U.2 central, and had been made by an American working party.
7.15am. Arrival at O.2 central, where all the cavalry were concentrated.
9.15am. Moved forward to the -?- -?- - MONGREMONT WOOD – East of HANGARD WOOD – route V.3 central – U.10 central – North edge of BOIS DE HANGARD to about V.13.c., which was reached about 9.45am. By this time Officers patrols had reported on the bridges over river and it had been decided to join the 3rd Cavalry Division over at IGNAUCOURT – the Canadian Brigade were already crossing when the Regiment reached MONGREMONT WOOD.
9.45am – 10.10am. The Regiment followed the 7th DRAGOON GUARD’S and -?- over the bridge at IGNAUCOURT passing through the infantry and swinging round Eastwards when the crossing was complete – at about D.4 central, very heavy Machine Gun fire commenced all along the right front from the direction of BEAUCOURT to D.10 central.
11.10am. The Regiment moving into the valley in D.5 central came up to D.11.a on the left flank of the 7th DRAGOON GUARD’S who were apparently held up and two troops of “C” Squadron were ordered to work round the left North of the enemy’s position which appeared to be D.18.a and b. These two troops seized the North end of CAYEUX WOOD (just South East of CAYEUX). The sub section of Machine Guns attached to the Regiment came in to join them about D.12.c.o.9, while the remainder of the Regiment galloped across to CAYEUX WOOD, and through it to the East face of the wood in E.7.c and d. “C” Squadron were in the North of the wood and it was reported that a troop of the 7th DRAGOON GUARD’S were holding the South face, but touch could not be attained with them.
The wood was still under Machine Gun fire from the direction of E.13 central. “C” Squadron however worked forward under Captain H. B. TURNER, M.C., and seized together with some prisoners the small copse in E.7.b.
2 Machine Guns and a dismounted troop of “B” Squadron were sent down – the Machine Guns on the South East face of the wood, and the troops on the South face of the wood to counteract the enemy’s fire, while “D” Squadron under Captain R. St. L. FOWLER, M.C., debauched from the wood and went to support “C” Squadron.
12.30pm. This was the position at about 12.30pm. “B” Squadron under Captain H. F. PARBURY remaining in CAYEUX wood as the Brigade were apparently held up on the right, the Canadian Brigade also being held up at BEAUCOURT. The Brigade Commander decided not to vacate the wood until more troops came up.
2.00pm. By about 2.00pm the 6th Cavalry Brigade had gone forward past the North edge of CAYEUX WOOD and the Regiment was ordered forward again. In the meantime “D” Squadron had been shelled in the copse at E.7.c and the small woods just to the East of it, and had had several casualties including Lieutenant H. W. THORNLEY who died of wounds the next day.
Lieutenant C. E. E. HAYS troop seeing a party of the enemy retiring on CAIX had charged them. They were met by very heavy fire and Lieutenant C. E. E. HAY received wounds of which he died the following day. The effect of this action was to precipitate the retreat of the enemy from the South of CAIX, and “C” and “D” Squadrons were enabled to work up the valley towards E.15 central. At 1.35pm Captain FOWLER reported that he was at E.14.d and that two Tanks were about to investigate the wood in E.15.
2.00pm. On “B” Squadron being brought up to E.8.b, “C” and “D” Squadrons were in possession of the wood in E.15 central and had captured some prisoners. The situation towards LE QUESNIL was still very obscure and Machine Guns were still firing and scattered parties of the enemy were retiring. Lieutenant J. A. N. BUTLER went out with a small patrol in this direction and brought in some prisoners.
2.30pm. “C” and “D” Squadrons occupied the high ground in E.16.c and E.22.b and with a patrol working towards VRELY. “B” Squadron were sent for to try and clear up matters towards LE QUESNIL, but at about 2.50pm orders were received that the line was to be handed over to the infantry on their arrival and that the Brigade was to concentrate.
4.15pm. The infantry commenced to arrive about 4.15pm, and the Regiment concentrated together with the rest of the Brigade in the valley in E.9.c and E.15.a and c at about 5.15pm.
5.30pm. It was intended that the Brigade should occupy the BLUE LINE East of LE QUESNIL, but it was soon ascertained that LE QUESNIL was not yet in our hands. The Brigade therefore remained in the valley, where the shells now began to fall. At 8.00pm an increase in shelling was followed by an S.O.S. from the front line. The Dismounted Brigade was turned out, and Captain H. F. PARBURY occupied a line on the East edge of the wood in E.15.c and E.21.a. The S.O.S. however was a false alarm and the Dismounted Regiment returned to their horses shortly before midnight. The Brigade remained in the valley for the night.
The War Diary records: 9 Aug-18 – 4.00am. Lieutenant J. A. N. BUTLER was sent with a patrol to locate the enemy position East of LE QUESNIL. He met with heavy Machine Gun fire, but reached K.3 central and brought back valuable information.
7.30am. The Brigade marched back to E.8.a, the 2nd Division who had been in support the previous day coming up.
9.15am. The Regiment moved back to the wood in W.25.d and spent the day there.
The War Diary records: 10 Aug-18 –Casualties. Lt. C. E. E. HAY and Lt. H. W. THORNLEY died of wounds.
8 Other Ranks killed.
28 Other Ranks wounded.
3 Other Ranks missing.
52 Horses killed, wounded and missing.
On Friday August 16th 1918 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “SOMERBY.” – MR. C. E. HAY’S BEREAVEMENT. Mr. C. E. Hay, Somerby House, received a notification from the War Office on Saturday that his only son, who was in the 17th Lancers, had died of wounds. Mr. Hay had not previously heard that his son was wounded.
On Friday November 29th 1918 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “SOMERBY.” – LOCAL WILL. – Lieut. Charles Edward Errol Hay, 17th Lancers, of Somerby House, stroke of the Eton eight that won the Ladies’ Plate at Henley in 1912, who was killed in France on August 9th, has left £32,027.9s.2d., the whole of which he leaves to his father, Mr. Chas. Edward Hay, of Somerby House.