Colgrave, Charles William

BORN BARROW UPON HUMBER, LINCS, 1889. SON OF HENRY COLGRAVE AND MARY JANE CASH (1862-1927), OF 4 ALASKA VILLAS, BARNSLEY STREET, HULL (1911 CENSUS) AND 10 WENTWORTH WAY, FIELD STREET, HULL. ONE OF THREE BROTHERS. HE MARRIED LAVINIA BROWN (1891-1971), AT HULL IN DECEMBER 1910. HIS WIFE LAVINIA LIVED AT THIS ADDRESS. HE.WORKED FOR EARLE’S SHIP BUILDERS, HULL. HE ENLISTED IN HULL ON 09/08/1915. SERVED AS LANCE CORPORAL, 201527, 1/4TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 28/05/1918, AGED 28. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW, LAVINIA.
HIS BROTHER, LANCE CORPORAL, MAURICE COLGRAVE, 201570, 7TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT, WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 13TH MAY 1917, AGED 19. ANOTHER BROTHER SGT. HARRY COLGRAVE WAS MISSING ON 27/05/1918 AND TAKEN PRISONER FOR EIGHT MONTHS. THE THREE BROTHERS ALL JOINED THE ARMY ON THE SAME DAY. CHARLES WAS KILLED IN ACTION AGED 28. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON 25TH FEBRUARY 1919, WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH. *
HE IS ALSO FEATURED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON THE 09/07/1918 & 26/02/1918. HE IS BURIED AT VENDRESSE BRITISH CEMETERY, FRANCE. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND EVER IN THOUGHT”.

1/4^th East Yorkshire Battalion War Diary – 27^th May 1918

When the storm of gas and High Explosive shells broke over the 50^th Division, at 1am, on 27 May 1918, the 1/4^th East Yorkshire Regiment of the 150^th Brigade (the left Battalion, of the left Brigade of the Division) were disposed as follows: “A” Company held the front line,  “B” Company was in close support in Trench Falais (in CRONNE, at the disposal of the 5^th Green Howards (on the right of the 1/4^th EYR), “D” Company was in support in Marais. For two and half hours the Tornado swept the whole divisional area, causing many casualties and practically destroying the Trenches. The 1/4^th EYR was completely disorganised and rear guard actions were fought back to the River Aisne and the Bridge at Maizy, “the number which succeeded in crossing being very small.” Total strength of the 1/4^th EYR was 4 Officers and 105 Other Ranks, out of 30 Officers and 642 Other Ranks, which began, before the attack. The Battle continued until 6^th June 1918, but the 1/4^th  EYR took no further part after the 27^th May and retired to Vert La Gravelle.