Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Charles Clement Mudd Jnr was born 1899 at Easington, County Durham, one of 5 children, 4 sons and a daughter born to Charles Clement Mudd Snr born 1870 and his wife Jane Wilson born 1866, both natives of Kelloe, County Durham. They were married February 10th 1897, unfortunately their eldest son John Wilson Mudd born 1898 died when he was just 5 years old in 1903. Charles Snr was employed as a grocer whilst living at Grange Terrace, Trimdon however by 1911 they had moved to Felling, near Gateshead where he was still a grocer but now an employer, Charles Jnr, 12 years old and his siblings were scholars, the household had a domestic servant, 19-year-old Catherine Gaffney. At the age of 45 his father passed away, Charles found himself with the responsibility of looking after his mother and siblings aged only 16 years.
Charles Clement Mudd who was already a member of the Territorial Force in reserve as Private 81892 was transferred as soon as he reached the age of 19 years to the East Yorkshire Regiment as Private 41185 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, February 21st 1917. He remained with the regiment until being transferred again July 1st 1917 to the 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment of Foot still undergoing training in England. His training completed, March 27th 1918, now as part of the 9th West Riding Regiment he was drafted as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France and upon his arrival was assigned to the 1/6th Battalion, 147th Brigade, Duke of Wellington’s (2nd West Riding) Regiment March 30th, joining them in the field in preparation for the Lys Offensive. The 49th was engaged in the first Battles of the Lys during the Battle of Estaires, April 9th-11th 1918. During this battle, Private Mudd sustained a penetrating gunshot wound to the chest. He was sent through the medical chain via the casualty clearing station to the 18th General Hospital at Camiers now under the control of the U. S. Army since 1917. Private 41185 Charles Clement Mudd Duke of Wellington’s (2nd West Riding) Regiment died of wounds sustained in action April 13th 1918 only 16 days after his arrival in France. Private Mudd was interred at Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, grave XXIX. B. 9. he was 19 years old and single.
His mother as his sole beneficiary received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 4, Belgrave Terrace, Felling-on-Tyne, she also commissioned an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “To My Brave Boy Deeply Mourned”.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Charles Clement Mudd is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 at Gateshead on G39.003 and at Windy Nook on W95.01 and W95.02
