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Thursday, 5 November 2015

An Upchurch Soldier’s Experiences in World War One 1914 - 1918 by David Wood

Charles Seamer who was born into a big family of six brothers and four sisters in 1893 lived in Shoregate Lane at Ham Green. He left Holywell School with high hopes that he would get a job but after short term seasonal work on local farms he decided that he would have to look farther afield for long term employment so he joined the army in 1909.

After walking to Canterbury Charles enlisted in the Royal East Kent Regiment later known as ‘The Buffs’ and underwent basic training which prepared him for his first posting.

Travelling on the troop ship ‘Plassy’ he travelled to India where he stayed until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. At this point his battalion was recalled from India and sent to Kilbride Camp near Dublin in Ireland. While serving there Charles met his future wife Katherine who moved to England with him.

The Second Battle of Ypres by Richard Jack.

After finishing his posting in Ireland Charles saw action in the Great War of 1914-1918 with the Second Battalion of The Buffs at Ypres in 1915 but in the midst of heavy fighting at the Ypres Salient under appalling conditions caused by torrential rain, his regiment became victims of a chlorine gas attack, introduced for the first time by the Germans when the wind direction became favourable. Enveloping clouds of greenish yellow gas caused victims to vomit and suffer burning throats and eyes as they clutched their throats or lay on the ground and expired with convulsing limbs and distorted features. Without any protection many soldiers who survived suffered lung tissue destruction and long term illness. Charles survived but had to be withdrawn from the fighting to recover. According to his son Derek he suffered from the ill effects of chlorine gas for the remainder of his life.

Although not fully recovered from gassing Charles volunteered to return to duty and was soon back in action. Having been made a machine gunner in the machine gun section of The Buffs and sent back to the Western Front, he got badly wounded in the arm by shrapnel from an exploding shell while in action and was knocked unconscious. When he awoke in a German military hospital he realized that he had been taken prisoner. A German surgeon tried to save his arm but failed so Charles had to remain in the Prisoner of War Camp until he was finally released as a wounded combatant and sent back to England.

Although he suffered the loss of his left arm Charles was luckier than other family members as William and Edward Seamer both lost their lives during the conflict. Edward died when his ship ‘HMS Turbulent’ was rammed and sunk at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 while William died when his tug ‘HM Desire’ was sunk by a German U-boat off the Yorkshire coast in 1918. After getting an artificial arm fitted at the artificial limb centre in Roehampton Charles underwent training as a radio technician for the last part of the war. After this he returned to Upchurch and worked at Chatham Dockyard then became a railway signalman until he finally retired during the 1950s.

About David

David Wood was born and raised in Upchurch and is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village. David's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.

David Wood