Charles Dodd

Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial 1914-1918 | Index

Charles Dodd

Charles Dodd first enlisted in the army in 1894 at the stated age of 19. His military service record states that he was born in Winsford, Cheshire and that he had no next of kin. We believe, however, that he was born illegitimately in Manchester and raised in Winsford, having been adopted by John White, a labourer, and his wife Mary Hackney who married on 26 December 1869 at St. Chad, Over, Winsford.

In the Census of 3 April 1881, the family lived at 11 Winnington Street, Over. Charles was a scholar at the Winsford Weaver Navigation School. Admission records give his birth date as 25 December 1874. He left the school, aged 11, on 12 November 1886 and by 5 April 1891, when the next census was taken, he had become a general labourer, still living with his family in Winnington Street.

Charles gave his occupation as a salt maker when he enlisted in the North Lancashire Regiment at Preston on 11 August 1894. He served at home before being posted abroad on 24 January 1896. He spent just over three years in Ceylon being appointed Lance Corporal on 1 January 1899, shortly before being posted to South Africa on 11 February 1899.

Charles served throughout the South African War (Second Boer War) and was promoted to the rank of Corporal on 25 April 1900. He was awarded the King's South Africa Medal with the 1901 and 1902 clasps, and three further clasps for the Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State and Transvaal. It would appear that Charles suffered no wounds and he returned to Britain on 23 September 1902. He was transferred to Army Reserve on 15 November 1902 and was finally discharged from the army on 10 August 1906.

In 1904 Charles married Mary Isabella Carney. Mary was born in Widnes in April 1872, the eldest of four children of Michael Carney, a chemical labourer, and his wife Rose Ann Murray. Charles and Mary made their home in Fleetwood where a son, Charles junior, was born on 23 April 1904. In the Census on 2 April 1911 the Dodd family lived at 3 Springfield Terrace, Fleetwood and Charles was employed as a salt boiler at the United Alkali Works. The family later moved to 2 Ormerod Road, Thornton.

At the outbreak of war, Charles was mobilized with the 5th Battalion, King's Own Liverpool Regiment and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was transferred to the 81st Labour Company and sent to France. He was struck by a shell and died from wounds the following day, 6 July 1917. He was aged 42. Sergeant Charles Dodd, 48028, 81st Company, Labour Corps is buried in Row D, Grave 210 at Bailleul Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.