Photo : June Greenaway with thanks
Photo : Michael White
Photo : Geordie at War project
Australian War Memorial Copy of the Will
Photo : June Greenaway Father Rueben
In Gateshead (Saltwell) Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:
In loving memory of
Elisha
beloved husband of
Catherine Waud
who died June 6th 1916
aged 72 years.
Also
Harold Fenwick Waud
2nd Lieut. Durham Light Infantry
youngest son of the above
who was killed in action in France
August 27th 1917, aged 28 years.
Also Christopher Chris Gudgeon,grandson of the above
Australian Imperial Forces
who was killed in action in France March 28th 1918 Aged 19 years
Also Catherine,
wife of the above
who died Feb. 15th 1933
aged 86 years.
Also Henrietta
daughter of the above
who died April 23rd 1939
aged 55 years.
Christopher Gudgeon was born at 105, Beaconsfield Street, Darlington, Durham, on the 21st September 1898, the eldest of seven children of Rueben Gudgeon, [born 9th October 1870, at Great Ouseburn, Yorkshire, {son of John Gudgeon, born 15th February 1843, at Great Ouseburn, Yorkshire, he died 8th October 1923, at Great Ouseborn, Yorkshire, and his wife Martha Claughton, born 1836, at Horsforth, Yorkshire, died 1881}, died on the 26th October 1944 at North Perth, Western Australia, buried at Karrakatta Cemetery], and his wife Sarah [Jeannie], Jane {nee Waud}, [born 18th January 1873, at York, daughter of Elisha Waud, born 1843 at Howden, Yorkshire, and died at Gateshead in June 1916 and his wife Catherine, born in February 1846 at Knaresborough, Yorkshire, baptised on the 24th March 1846 at Great Ouseburn, York, Death Unknown]. Ruben married Sarah Jane in about 1897, they had seven children however one of the children died.
The other six children were Rueben , born 8th January 1900 at 105, Beaconsfield Street, Darlington, Durham, he died on the 31st January 1969 at Wembley, Western Australia, Hettie, born at 105, Beaconsfield Street, Darlington, Durham, on the 17th October 1901, [she married Albert Richard Haley, born 4th September 1900, Western Australia, Australia, died on the 7th September 1982, at Leederville, Western Australia], died 11th April 1985 at Rowethorpe, Western Australia, Australia, they had three children, Valma [born 16th October1927, Perth, Western Australia and died 2nd February 2006, Perth Western Australia, Kathleen born 17th December 1930, Leedervile, died 7th June 2000 and a Dorothy Ada Haley born 1904, Leederville, Western Australia], Lily, born 2nd September 1903, Darlington, [she married Arthur Edward Perry Hendon, born 9th February 1901, Southern Cross, Australia, died 10th August 1981, Shenton park, Perth, Western Australia, they had four children], died 28th May 1977 at Shenton Park, Western Australia, Australia, Leslie, born 30th April 1906, but died on the 14th September 1906 at Darlington, Frank Waud, born 26th October 1907, Darlington, Durham, [he married Rita Doreen Carter, born 7th May 1920, Subiaco, Western Australia, and died on the 11th July 2012, at Dauncraig, Western Australia,] died 13th July 1993, Wembley. Western Australia and Winifred, born at 84 Lowson Street, Darlington, Durham, on the 27th August 1911, [she married William Charles Ginbey, born 14th November 1908, at Boulder, Western Australia, Australia, and they had three children, died on the 27th October 1960, at Como, Western Australia, Australia], and died on the 18th March 2006 at Bibralake, Western Australia, Australia.
Rueben [senior] father John was a Farmer in 1891, Rueben his eldest son was a General Labourer. By 1891 they were working at Adwick, near York. In 1911, John now retired, was residing at Darlington at 84 Lowson Street, Darlington, with his son Rueben and his wife and family. The family attended the Harrowgate Hill Methodist Church, which was then located in Lowson Street.
Rueben in 1892 had gone abroad to Canada embarking on the vessel 'Lake Huron' on the 16th April disembarking at Montreal.
The whole family emigrated to Australia on the 26th April 1913, in the passenger manifest there are shown eight members of the family listed. They embarked at London for Freemantle, Western Australia, on board the Australian Steam Shipping Company Ltd vessel the 'Armadale' ship number 129047. All in third class, the names listed were Rueben, age 42, Jeannie age 40, Hettie age 11, Lily age 9, Frank age 5, Winifred age 1, Christopher age 14 and Rueben age 13.
They resided at 12 Galway Street, Leederville, Western Australia. Christopher attested at the Recruiting Tent, Blackboy Hill Camp, Western Australia on the 26th March 1914. Chistopher was serving an apprenticeship of about three years as a joiner for the firm of Whittakers, before he was called up.
Christopher was 18 years 7 months old, 5 feet 10 and a half inches tall, 135lbs, fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. Church of England. He also had an appendix scar. Christopher had extensive dental treatment whilst in the army as he had very bad teeth and between June 19th and 25th his teeth were fixed.
He had his medical exam on the 23rd March 1917 at Perth, he also had to get the consent of his parents to enlist, and his parents signed the form allowing him to enlist. Enlisting on the 26th March 1917 at Blackboy Camp.
Christopher was a Private with the service number 3417 at D3 Depot. On the 16th April he is now part of the 21/22 Battalion Reinforcements prior to transferring to the 8/44 Battalion from the 25th April 1917.
The 44th Battalion was formed at Claremont, Western Australia, in February, 1916. The commanding officer was Lieut.-Colonel W. O. Mansbridge, D.S.O., who had been originally an officer of the 16th Battalion, and who was invalided to Australia after service on Gallipoli, where for his services he had been awarded the D.S.O. it quickly became known as "Old Bill's Thousand" after its CO, Lieutenant Colonel William Mansbridge. It was to be the fourth battalion of the 11th Brigade drawn from the smaller States. Its colour patch tells the story; the eliptical shape denoted the 3rd Division, the light blue lower half the third brigade of the division and the white upper half the fourth battalion of that brigade.
Source : RSL Virtual War Memorial
He embarked with his Battalion from Freemantle on-board the A30, HMAT 'Borda' on the 29th June 1917 for Plymouth arriving on the 25th August 1917. Christopher marched into the 11th Training Battalion at Larkhill on the 26th August 1917. In November he was based at Sutton Mandeville with the 10th Training Battalion. On the 18th December 1917 he proceeded overseas to France via Southampton. On the 19th December he marched into Rouelles, then marched out the following day to join his unit. Christopher was Taken on Strength [TOS] with the 44th Australian Infantry Battalion on the 24th December 1917.
He was in 'C' Company, 44th Australian Infantry Battalion. Christopher was killed in action on the 28th March 1918 at Sailly Laurette according to the Australian Red Cross enquiry bureau and unofficially buried between Heilly and Berry au Bar?
The Battalion's first taste of combat on the Western Front came on the 13th March 1917, when half the battalion was committed to a major raid, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. For the next two years, the 44th Battalion fought in the trenches along the Western Front, taking part in a number of significant battles, the first of which came around Messines in early June 1917. In late October 1917, the battalion fought around Broodseinde Ridge, where it suffered heavily – out of 992 men committed, only 158 finished the battle uninjured. After wintering in Belgium, in early 1918, the 44th was moved south to the Somme Valley after the Germans launched their Spring Offensive, during which it undertook defensive operations in front of the vital railhead of Amiens, including repelling a German attack around Morlancourt.
His father Ruben Gudgeon had written to the War Office asking about the whereabouts of his son's body and grave in 1919. On the 22nd September 1926, responding to a further letter from Christopher's father this time dated 12th September 1926, the reply was I have to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of 12th September, relative to the demise of your son, the late No. 3417 Private C. GUDGEON, 44th Battalion, and in reply very much regret having to inform you that since writing you in 1919, no further advice of grave registration has been forthcoming from the overseas authorities, and in the absence of an official burial return, it must be reluctantly concluded hat the Imperial War Graves Commission, has not succeeded in locating the site. Failing the ultimate recovery and identification of the late soldier's remains, his name will be included with those of other A.I.F., missing in France, to be engraved on the Australian Memorial at Villers Bretonneux, and at a later date the opportunity will be afforded you of obtaining a copy of the printed Register containing full particulars of those commemorated in this manner.
Your Faithfully, Captain Officer I/c Base Records.
The family was residing at 12 Galway Street, Leedervile, W.A.
The Australian Red Cross enquiry Bureau made further enquiries about C. Gudgeon.
A letter 25th July 1918 from an Eye Witness, P[riva]te H.A. McMillan, 3404, 44th Battn A.I.F. 'D' Coy. Clopton Hospital, Stratford-on-Avon. reads I knew Gudgeon, he was a chum of mine and we came over together. He was killed on the Somme when the Germans made their push first. He got a bullet right through his head, and was buried in the cemetery between Healy and Berry. I used to call him 'Chris'. I did not see him buried but I saw his grave afterwards as they had made a mistake about the name on the cross, They had put his chum's name Gilbert on it instead of his own. Gilbert was only wounded.
In a letter of 27th August 1918, [sic] Gudgeon was in 'C' Co. name Chris. He came from Subiaco, Western Australia. Tall. dark eyebrows and blue eyes. He came with 844 Reinf. leaving Western Australia on June 28th 1917. We went out about 8.30 p.m. to search for the enemy, right in front of the cemetery at Sailly Laurette. Gudgeon was acting as a runner. I passed him lying dead in the open, with a wound in the forehead. His rifle was still in his hand. We retired shortly after this. Inf: J.S. Finney. 3399 C X11 No 14 General Boulogne.
Another enquiry this time 3rd September 1918. Chris Gudgeon was in 'C' Coll Pl. He came from Australia and joined us near Armentieres during Christmas 1917. At the end of March, the Germans having broken through, we were rushed up the line. About 11 p.m. March 28/18 (I shall never forget the night - it was a Thursday and raining hard) we were trying to get in touch with the enemy and ran right into a M.G. Post in a cemetery in the village of Sailly Laurette. I did not see Gudgeon fall, but I did see him at a distance of 10 yards being carried back by a couple of our lads, whose names I cannot remember. Later they returned and told me he had died on the road leading to Sailly le Sec. I think they must have taken him to the D/S. When I saw him he was practically unconscious and obviously mortally wounded. At one time I was in charge of the Section in which he was, and I can truthfully say he was one of the finest and most willing boys I have ever had anything to do with. Cpl Brown, 520 No 8 General Rouen
Another eye witness letter of 18th July 1918, We were just going over to raid the enemy at La Hussie? [sic] near Heiley on the Somme when Gudgeon was hit through the head badly by a M.G. Bullet dying instantaneously . He was buried in a small cemetery between Selle le Sec and La Hussie, I saw the grave with the cross on it. Pte J. Johannson. 44th Battn: 15 A Dartford 18/07/1918, R.D.B.
The 1919 letter, dated 7th October, stated that he was buried half a mile South East of Sailly-le-Sec and three and a half miles East of Corbie, France.
His father received his personal effects on the 25th May 1919 sent via the 'Somerset', this contained 1 pocket book and 1 Testament. Also Christopher's will was in his paybook dated the 8th January 1918 leaving instructions that his will was with his father.
Rueben, Christopher's younger brother also served in the Australian Infantry Forces.
For Harold Fenwick Waud, named on the same family headstone in Gateshead Saltwell Park, seeWaud, H.F., 2nd Lieut., 1917
Christopher Gudgeon is remembered at Gateshead on his Grandparents headstone, at Darlington on D40.34 and at Harrowgate Hill on H145.01 with his brother.
Christopher is also remembered in Australia on the Australian War Memorial.
