Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Charles Frederick Gell, known as Charlie, was one of 9 children, the youngest of 4 sons and had 5 sisters, he was born at Stillington, County Durham in 1883. His father Richard Gell native of Appleton, born 1839 married Elizabeth Welburn born 1842 at Weel, both in Yorkshire. They moved extensively between 1866 and 1879, leaving Weel, for Linthorpe, then Oak Tree and Sadberge, in 1881 they lived at 28, West Street, Whitton, Carlton Iron Works, Richard and his eldest son John James were employed at the works as labourers.
In 1881 Charlie was a scholar, by 1901 aged 17 years employed as a bricklayer he was living as a boarder at Wolverton, near Stockton with colliery worker James Short, wife Alice and their children Norah and James. He met a local girl Annie Elizabeth Roberts born 1885 whom he married at Stockton in 1902. She gave birth to 3 children Eva 1902, Lily 1904 and Charles Frederick Jnr in 1911. Charlie was employed in 1911 as a bricklayer by P. C. Scott Builders and Contractors, he and his family lived at High Street, Aycliffe, near Darlington, County Durham. Their youngest daughter Helen E Gell was born in spring 1915 after war had already been declared with Germany.
On the outbreak of war Charlie enlisted at Darlington in 1915, firstly assigned as Private 179002 Royal Engineers he was transferred to the 13th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 87504. His military record no longer exists, one of the 70% destroyed during the blitz of World War Two, Private Gell did not depart for the front until after January 1916, his transfer would have taken place in the field perhaps in preparation for the offensive on the Somme.
The 13th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment saw action during the Battles of the Somme attached to the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division taking part at the actions on the Bluff and St Eloi Craters before moving to the Somme for the opening battle at Albert July 1st-13th 1916, at Bazentin Ridge July 14th-17th helping to capture Longueval, the Battle of Delville Wood July 17th-September 3rd and the Battle of Ancre October 1st-10th. In 1917 they were in the Arras sector participating during the 1st and 2nd Battles of the Scarpe and the Battle of Arleux before moving north to the Ypres salient in Belgium. Involved at the Battle of Menin Road, Polygon Wood and during the 3rd Battle of Ypres all phases of the Battle of Passchendaele, they returned to France seeing action at the Battle of Cambrai. During 1918 they were back on the battlefields of the Somme at the Battle of Lys, the Hindenburg Line and the Selle.
Private 87504 Charles Frederick Gell was killed in action September 1st 1918 in day to day trench warfare during the capture of Ecoust-St. Mein and interred at Ecoust-St. Mein British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, grave A.37. he was 34 years old.
His widow Annie Elizabeth received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their children and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at County Row, Aycliffe, near Darlington, County Durham. She paid the sum of 18 shillings 4 pence for an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, ”His Master Knoweth Where He Lies And Angels Guard The Spot Remembered By All”.
Details regards the demise of Annie Elizabeth Gell nee Roberts unknown, also Eva and Lily. Helen E. Gell died in 1927 aged 12 years old, Charles Frederick Gell in 1991 aged 80 years both registered in the district of Darlington.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Charles Frederick Gell is remembered at Stillington on S137.01 and at Aycliffe on A40.01
