INGRAM Charles Ernest

Charles Ingram was the son of Stephen Ingram 8, Leys Road, Harvington. He joined the Territorial Army nine months before the outbreak of war. The Worcestershire Regiments Territorial battalions were the 7th and 8th. When war was declared on 4th August 1914 the 8th battalion was at summer camp at Minehead, the battalion returned to Worcester by train the following day to begin their preparations for deployment. On the 8th August 1914, they left for Swindon then Stony Stratford, Brentford and Danbury in Essex. Whilst at Swindon on 11th August 1914 they were invited to volunteer for service oversees and, this being a territorial battalion although many would have had other commitments, nearly all did so. The battalion then became known as the 1st/8th Worcestershire Regiment. On the 19th September 1914, the battalion moved to Maldon in Essex. On the 30th March 1915, the battalion sailed on SS Invicta from Folkestone to Boulogne and moved to the front on the 15th May 1915 taking up positions around Ploegsteert about 10 miles south of Ypres. The battalion became part of 144th Brigade, 48th Division.

Charles Ingram was killed on the 25th June 1915 aged 19 in what was likely to have been an unremarkable day in a front that would remain largely unchanged for another three years. He is buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery 9 miles southwest of Ypres.

Evesham Journal and Four Counties Advertiser, 3rd July 1915:
Private Charles Ernest Ingram of Harvington, the son of Stephen Ingram has been killed. Private Clements (of Vine Street, Evesham) writes that Ingram was killed with the Machine Gunners on the 24th June and that he (Clements) helped to bury him. Ingram joined the Battalion on the outbreak of war.

Evesham Journal and Four Counties Advertiser, 10th July 1915:
Private Ingram is officially reported as being killed in action on the 25th June and buried in Bailleul the following day. Sergeant Maund stated that Ingram, a machine gunner stood at his left shoulder at right angles. He was leaning against him when a bullet struck him in the left arm, which travelled through his ribs into his chest and he died with his face in Maund’s hands in less than two minutes. The report includes a photograph of Private C.E. Ingram.

A photograph of Private C. Ingram of Harvington can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 3rd August 1918, available at Worcestershire Archives.