Tyne Cot Memorial
Tyne Cot Memorial: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Charles Hebdon, one of 10 children, all of whom survived, was the 4th born of 6 sons and had 2 elder and 2 younger sisters. His father Matthew Thorpe Hebdon was born at Easingwold, Yorkshire in 1857, his mother Mary Kirk in 1862 at Ovingham, Northumberland, they were married at Easingwold in 1881. In 1891 they were living with their children John William (8), George Ernest (6), Edith (4), James September 15th 1888 and new born Elizabeth, in the village of Sainforth, just north of Settle in Yorkshire, where Matthew was employed as a railway plate layer. By the time Charles was born in 1895 they had moved to Willington, County Durham, his brother Norman was born at Annfield Plain in 1897 and Hannah in 1900 at Willington. Living at East Castle, Annfield Plain, County Durham, in 1901 Matthew was employed by the railway as a signalman, their elder children had left home and they had a new born baby girl Hannah, Thorpe and Mary were also born at East Castle, in 1904 and 1907 respectively. James (15) and Charles (10) in 1911 were employed as miners, their father had remained with the railway, the younger children with the exception of Mary were scholars.
In 1914 the family was still living at Annfield Plain, Charles enlisted at West Stanley, June 15th 1915 for the duration of the war, initially assigned as Private 27333 Durham Light Infantry he joined his regiment at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland and posted on the 19th to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, part of the coastal defences but which also trained new recruits and later retrained the recovering wounded for service overseas.
December 9th 1915 he departed with his regiment to France having been posted to the 2nd Battalion D.L.I. part of the regular army, joining his regiment in the mud filled trenches at Ypres, Belgium, where they spent the entire winter of 1915 and spring of 1916 before moving in late July 1916 to the Somme where the battalion participated as part of the 16th Brigade, 6th Division, as front line troops at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette September 15th-22nd and Morval September 25th-28th.
Private Hebdon was wounded in 1916, date unspecified, remaining at his post, however he returned to England joining the D.L.I. Depot, March 8th 1917, reason unspecified, and posted April 13th 1917 to Seaham Harbour with the 4th Battalion D.L.I. until departing with the British Expeditionary Force again for France June 3rd 1917. Upon his arrival he was posted to the 11th (Pioneer) Battalion D.L.I. in the Gouzeaucourt sector and immediately transferred as Private 44793 to the 2nd/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment which as part of the 66th Division had only arrived in France during March 1917 and was engaged at the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium, July 30th-November 10th 1917.
Private Charles Hebdon initially reported as missing was eventually struck off, presumed to have been killed in action, October 9th 1917. During the clearing of the battlefields after the Armistice an unmarked grave was found in 1920, map reference D.25. B.10.10, once exhumed recognition was initially listed by means of a disc as C. Hebdon 4793, this error was later rectified and the body confirmed to be that of Private 44793 Charles Hebdon Manchester Regiment. His remains along with a further 8 unknown servicemen and Andrew Murray A & S. H. rank unknown were brought into Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, near Ypres, Belgium, for reburial with all honour and reverence by an Army chaplain, February 24th 1920. He is at rest grave XXVI. B. 7. at the time of his demise in 1917 he was 22 years of age and single.
His parents received notification by letter at their new address of 41, Victoria Terrace, Catchgate, Annfield Plain, County Durham, in January 1921, as to their son’s final resting place, all monies due to him had been paid prior to this date and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal were issued in 1922. His father commissioned at a cost of 3 shillings 2 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “Rest In Peace”.
Although all the Hebdon brothers would have been eligible for war service not all details have survived. Norman Hebdon also served during WW1 and was killed prior to his brother in September 1916 during the Battles of the Somme, James who had emigrated to America joined the U.S. Army and survived the conflict.
Mary Hebdon nee Kirk died during the 2nd quarter 1935 aged 73 years, registered in the district of Lanchester. Matthew Thorpe Hebdon of 10, Burn Row, East Holywell, Northumberland died aged 83 years, February 16th 1940, at Victoria Terrace, Whitley Bay. Effects of 414 pounds and 5 pence were assigned to his son George Ernest Hebdon, coal miner.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Charles Hebdon is remembered in Annfield Plain on A38.01, in Leadgate on L65.02 and L65.03 and in South Moor on S129.01
