Charles William Masterton

Private Charles William Masterton

PLY/1122 (S), 2nd Royal Marine battalion, Royal Naval Division
Royal Marine Light Infantry

Missing, assumed dead, 28th April 1917

aged 22

Arras Memorial (MR 20)

son of David Murdock Masterton and Elizabeth Marsh
67 Ellison Street, Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Genealogy

Charles William Masterton was born in Liverpool, England before September 1894, the thirteenth child born to David Murdock Masterton, a dock labourer then coppersmith's labourer and Elizabeth Marsh. By 1911, Charles's mother had died, and he, two brothers and his father were all lodging in 25 Conway Street, Everton, Liverpool, the household of their eldest sister, Christina, who had married Charles Ruby. Charles William Masterton was aged 16 and working as a general labourer. Further details of Charles, and the extended family of Mastertons who can be traced back to Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland can be found at the following link.

His War

Charles enlisted on 29th September 1915, embarked in the 2nd Royal Marines Battalion, part of the 3rd (Royal Marines) Brigade in the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division 28th June 1916. The curiosity of having Royal Navy personnel fighting on land arose because at the declaration of the war on 4 August 1914, there was a surplus of some 20-30,000 men of the reserves of the Royal Navy who would not find jobs on any ship of war. It was recognised that this was sufficient to form two Naval Brigades and a Brigade of Marines for operations on land. [The Long, Long Trail] The 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was one of the first to mobilise to the defence of Antwerp, Belgium in August 1914, then later fought at Gallipoli, returning to France in May 1916, and it remained on the Western Front for the rest of the war. This unique Division was demobilised in France by April 1919. It had suffered over 47,900 casualties.

The Division took part in The Battle of Arleux (28-29 April 1917), a phase of the Arras Offensive.

Charles Masterton is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Unit War Diary: 2nd Royal Marine Battalion

GAVRELLE Trenches: 26 April 1917: Village heavily shelled all day. Aircraft active on both sides. One of our balloons set fire to. Wire cutting in the afternoon. Casualties: Missing, Temp Lieut MARKHAM, Killed other ranks 3; wounded other ranks 30.
do: 27 April 1917: Hostile artillery more than usually active during early morning. At about 8 am one of our aeroplanes was brought down south of OPPY WOOD by hostile AA Gun. Coys proceeded to Assembly positions ready for attack. Casualties killed other ranks 8; wounded other ranks 14; Missing other ranks 4.
do: 28 April 1917: 4.25 am. Battalion attacked in 4 waves the enemy trenches N.E. of GAVRELLE with one platoon under 2nd Lt NEWLING detailed to take the windmill. The windmill on the left of the Bn front was reached, but as 1st Battn RMLI on our left and 2nd Divs on their left were hung up apparently by wire, & owing to a large number of machine guns, casualties were heavy. Only two officers besides ? Officer Commanding & Adjutant who took part in the operations came out alive. Casualties: Killed officers 1; other ranks 25; wounded other ranks 72. Missing Officers 8; other ranks 387.
do: 29 April 1917: Situation unchanged. Enemy made several violent counter attacks. Casualties: Wounded ORs 14
do: 30 April 1917: 2.30 am. Bn relieved by 15th & 18th West Yorks - Marched back to St CATHERINES.

National Archives
Kew, London
WO 95/3110/2
Royal Marines: 63rd (Royal Naval) Division; Piece 3110/2: 2 Royal Marine Battalion (Jun 1916-Apr 1918)
May 1915 - 1919

Webmatters

28th April 1917:
The continuation of the battle was organised for the 28th April when the 63rd Division tried once more to leave Gavrelle and to their left flank the Canadians captured Arleux.

It will be remembered that due to uncut wire, the area to the north of Gavrelle had not been attacked on the 23rd April, this meant that the capture of the village had created a salient (a bulge) into the German lines.

Two battalions of the 188th Brigade were detailed to carry out the task of advancing the line. Coming out of Gavrelle, the 2nd Bn Royal Marines were to advance northwards along the Gavrelle-Fresnes Road whilst on their left the 1st Bn Royal Marines had to advance up as far as the German trenches in the Oppy Line and then continue eastwards until they met up with their fellow marines.

Behind them the 1st Bn HAC were held in reserve and the Anson Battalion were to push slightly forward out of the village to complete the new defensive position.

At 0425 hours on the 28th April the two Marine Battalions launched their very separate attacks. The 1st Battalion were to all intents and purposes never heard of again. They had advanced headlong into a strong point (where the German trench system crossed the railway line) and although some of them managed to fight their way through, the flanking units never made contact with them. The only form of news was from the few wounded whom managed to get back to their own lines.

The HAC were ordered to bomb their way up the Oppy line and succeeded in capturing the strong point, but it was too late for the marines who could not be found. Shortly afterwards the Germans recaptured their position.

The 2nd Battalion managed to gain some territory including the all important windmill but by the evening the captured ground was back in the hands of the Germans with the exception of a small garrison who were hanging on for grim death at the windmill.

A strong German counter attack was launched against Gavrelle itself and this was only repulsed by the timely arrival of the 14th Bn Worcestershire Regiment, the divisional pioneers, who had been ordered forward at short notice.

Arriving in the village they were parcelled out along the front line. A Company was attached to the Anson Battalion and B Company to the HAC who had taken over much of the front line after the Marines attack had been repulsed.

The battle raged through the night and an attempt by the Anson to take the German position outside the village failed completely. A German counter attack being held off by the steady firing of the pioneers.

By the evening of the 29th April the situation at Gavrelle was pretty much the same. The village was solidly in the hands of the Naval Division and the Windmill defenders were holding out.

The following day the 31st Division took over the line.

Webmatters: first world war: Arras
http://www.webmatters.net/txtpat/index.php?id=213

Other Sources

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