Current Information:

Age-25

21, Brighton Road, East Ham

The Great Retreat of the British Amy finally came to an end on 5th September after thirteen days of continuous falling back whilst fighting rearguard actions from Mons in Belgium to the River Marne. Over the next four days the decisive Battle of the Marne took place and as a result the French army, assisted by the much smaller British Army forced the Germans back to the River Aisne.

On the morning of the 9th September, 1914, 3rd Division crossed the Marne at Nanteuil and 9 Brigade, in front continued the advance without difficulty. British columns still approaching the Marne were being shelled by a German battery west and the 1st Lincolnshire battalion were ordered to attack and capture these guns.  C and D Companies worked their way through woods to within 150 yards of the guns and then proceeded to shoot down all the German gunners and their escort.  Dashing out to secure the guns they were fired on by their own artillery who mistook them for Germans returning to their abandoned guns and the battalion suffered 30 casualties, nearly all from “friendly” fire.

The records show that Charles Davidson of D Company was killed on 8th September, but it is more likely that he died the following day when 1st Lincolnshire were in action near Bezu. They had not been in action on 8th September.