Lieutenant Charles Lambert DRUITT
A Company, 9th (Service) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders

Date of birth: 14th October 1888
Date of death: 13th October 1916

Died of wounds aged 27
Buried at Dernacourt Communal Cemetery Extension Plot III Row G Grave 50
He was born in Christchuch in Hampshire on the 14th of October 1888 the third and youngest son of Robert Druitt, solicitor and Mayor of Christchurch, and Alice May (nee Tupper) of “Carfax”, High Street, Christchurch.

He was educated at Mr Reynolds' Cliff House School, Southbourne in Hampshire from 1898 to July 1902 and at the King’s School Canterbury from September 1902 to July 1907 where he was in Holme House. He won his Colours for Rowing in 1905 and was Cox of the Rowing IV in 1906. He went on to the London Central Technical College in South Kensington from 1907 to 1910 where he achieved a Diploma in Civil and Mechanical Engineering. While he was there he served as a Sapper in the Electrical Engineers, London Division from November 1907 to the 31st of March 1909. He was admitted as a student at the Institute of Civil Engineering in 1909 and served with the London University Officer Training Corps from the 1st of April 1909 to the 27th of May 1911.

He worked at the Railway Works in Barry, South Wales from 1910 to 1911 to improve his mechanical knowledge where he worked in the locomotive works and in the fitting, machine and erecting shops. During this time he lived at 27 Windsor Road, Barry Glamorgan. In 1911 he joined the South East and Chatham Railway as an Assistant Engineer in the Engineer’s Office at 84 Tooley Street, London SE where he trained under their Chief Engineer, Mr P.C. Tempest. He was proposed as a graduate member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers on the 15th of March 1912 and was elected as an Associate of the Institute of Civil Engineers on the 12th of January 1915. He became an Assistant District Engineer and served in this capacity until he joined the army.

On the 11th of January 1915 he applied for a commission through the London University Officer Training Corps, expressing a preference for the Railway Troop, Royal Engineers. On the 18th of January 1915 he also applied for a commission on the regular army.

On the 9th of February 1915 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th (Service) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, the pioneer battalion to the 9th Scottish Division. He landed in France on the 18th of December 1915 and joined the battalion in the field the same day from the Pioneer Depot while they were in billets at Bailleul. From the 27th to the 31st of December he, along with Captain Furneaux and 20 men, were employed in the construction of baths. From the 2nd to the 19th of January 1916 he commanded a party of 25 men who were constructing baths at Rouge Croix. He went home on leave from the 21st to the 28th of May 1916 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 23rd of August 1916.

At 10.30pm on the night of the 9th of October 1916 the battalion marched to Bazentin Le Grand Wood to work on positions there. During the night of the 13th A Company were working on a new cutting for the Bazentin-Eaucourt L’Abbaye Light Railway during which time Charles Druitt was badly wounded in the stomach by shrapnel. He was loaded into a field ambulance but died on his way to the 1/1st South Midland Divisional Casualty Clearing Station. One other rank from the battalion was killed on the same night with 10 others being wounded.

His parents received the following telegram dated the 14th of October 1916:-

"Deeply regret to inform you that 2/Lieut. C.R. Druitt Seaforth Highlanders was killed in action 13 October. The Army Council express their sympathy."

He was mentioned in Field Marshall Haig’s despatches of the 13th of November 1916

His Colonel wrote:-

"He was a very gallant young man, conscientious about his work and always cheery and plucky under the most trying circumstances."

He is commemorated on the South East and Chatham war memorial at Victoria Station, at the Dover Western Docks Cruise Terminal No.1, formerly Dover Marine Station and on the memorial at Christchurch Priory in Hampshire.
Holme House

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