Lieutenant Charles Richard TISDALL MC
No.3 Company, 1st Battalion Irish Guards

Date of birth: 23rd February 1893
Date of death: 15th September 1916

Killed in action aged 23
Buried at Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt Plot II Row A Grave 12
He was born at Highbridge-in-Burham, Somerset on the 23rd of February 1893 the fourth son of the Reverend Alfred Oliver Tisdall MA, Vicar of St Saviour’s Belgrano, Argentina, and Evelyn Susan (nee Empson) later of 104 Mortlake Road, Kew Gardens, Surrey. He was christened by his father at Highbridge on the 10th of March 1893.

He was educated at the Junior Kings School from September 1904 to July 1906 and at Marlborough College where he was in Cotton House from September 1906 to July 1910 and served as a Private in the Officer Training Corps. By 1911 he was a student and was living as a lodger at Tilford near Farnham Surrey.

On the outbreak of war he was in Argentina and he returned to enlist on board the SS “Araguaya” landing at Liverpool on the 16th of December 1914. He applied for a commission in the Irish Guards (Special Reserve of Officers) on the 22nd of December 1914 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the regiment on the same day. At a medical examination it was recorded that he was five feet eight inches tall and that he weighed 144lbs. It was also recorded that:-"As result of accident four years ago movement of left elbow is limited."
He was attached to the 1st Battalion of his regiment.

At 9.30am on the morning of the 22nd of September 1915 Charles Tisdall led the battalion bombers to a field behind the lines where he was to act as their instructor in the throwing of live bombs. During the exercise a bomb exploded in the hand of Lance Sergeant Roger Matthews killing him instantly and wounding Charles Tisdall and three other men. At 2.30pm a Court of Enquiry was held into the accident which established that the accident was caused by a defective fuse. A full report of the incident was sent to the Headquarters of the 1st Guards Brigade. Matthews was buried at Thiembronne Church at 4pm.

He was evacuated back to the UK from Boulogne on the 26th of September, landing at Dover the same day.

His father received the following telegram dated the 28th of September 1915:-

"Regret to inform you that 2/Lt C.R. Tisdall Irish Guards wounded accidently by bomb. Further news will be wired when received."

A further telegram arrived dated the 5th of October 1915:-

"Lieut. C.R. Tisdall Irish Guards admitted Lady Ridley's Hospital Carleton House Terrace SW. Sept 27th suffering from bullet wound to head."

On the 7th of October 1915 a Medical Board was convened at Caxton Hall to consider his case:-

"The board find that at the date indicated this officer sustained the following wounds from fragments of a bomb. 1) On the anterior surface of the lower third of the left upper arm commencing wheal about size of a shilling. X-rays show fragment lodged. 2) On the outer side of the left knee opposite the joint about the size of a sixpence. Discharging. Commencing wheal. 3) in the R eye. X-rays show two fragments lodged. The lens is dislocated; vision is imperfect and distorted. Prospects improvement more than doubtful."

On the 13th of January 1916 a further Medical Board sat at Caxton Hall and declared that he was "fit for general service". He joined the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of his regiment the following day and later returned to France.

On the 18th of May 1916 the battalion was in the St Jean-Wietje area of the Ypres Salient when a party of around 20 enemy soldiers attacked one of the Irish Guards bombing posts. Charles Tisdall, Private Younge, who were on patrol at the time, attacked them and managed to drive them off with bombs and rifle fire.

For their actions that day, Younge was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Charles Tisdall was awarded the Military Cross which was announced in the London Gazette of the 24th of June 1916 and the citation read:-

“For conspicuous gallantry. When on patrol with two men he discovered a strong enemy patrol, who evidently intended to rush an isolated post. With great determination he dispersed the enemy patrol with one of his men, after sending the other for reinforcements. His promptness in all probability saved the post.”

On the evening of the 14th of September 1916 the 1st Battalion Irish Guards moved into the shell holes and trenches between Delville Wood and the northern flank of Ginchy for an attack the following morning. They were in support of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions Coldstream Guards whose objective was a German trench system some 1,200 yards to their front. Once they had taken the enemy line the position was to be consolidated by the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards after which the Irish Guards would pass through them. They were then to move to the next objective, some 2,500 yards further on which was to be captured and held by the Coldstreams allowing the Irish to pass through them and take the final objective on the outskirts of the village of Lesboeufs. The battalion formed up for the attack with No 3 and 4 Companies in the first wave with No. 1 and 2 Companies in the second wave. They commenced their advance at 6.20am, in near silence as the British barrage which was to have supported them not taking place. They advanced for about a minute, with occasional shots from the enemy front line, before the expected barrage fell with a roar ahead of them. A line of Coldstreams ahead of them disappeared in a storm of explosive but the Irishmen followed them, in a hail of fire. Within minutes they had lost three of their four company commanders but they swept on through heavy machine gun fire and took cover just in front of the first German line which had been battered beyond recognition by the barrage. A party of enemy snipers and machine gunners worked their way behind the Irish and, in the ensuing fire, they wounded the last of the company commanders. The Irish Guards took cover by piling into the German trench and spent from about 8am to 11am consolidating it. At 11.30am the survivors from the three battalions were led forward towards the next objective by the four surviving officers. As they advanced they were shelled by a German battery which was firing over open sights at them. They were forced to take cover once more in a shallow trench which was littered with wreckage and bodies. Here they remained under intense artillery and machine gun fire until night fell. The morning of the 16th of September saw the enemy artillery resume their rain of shells on the shallow trench. They held the position throughout the day and after night had fallen they were told to expect an enemy counterattack. The expected attack never came and they were relieved by a battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment on the morning of the 17th of September. They withdrew to via Bernafay Wood to Citadel Camp having suffered 342 casualties during their advance.

His father received the following telegram dated the 21st of September 1916:-

"Deeply regret to inform you that 2 Lieut. C.R. Tisdall Irish Guards is reported missing believed killed Sept 15th. The Army Council express their sympathy."

In order to determine what had become of Charles Tisdall a number of testimonials were gathered from the men of his company.

Testimonial of Corporal 3108 L. Leonard, 1st Battalion Irish Guards taken at the Northamptonshire War Hospital, Duston, Northampton:- "Informant states that on the 26th Sept (sic) 1916 at Guillemont Lieut. Tisdall was killed just over the parapet in the 1st advance between Guillemont and Les Boeufs. It was about 7am. His body was buried next day in a little cemetery (name unknown) behind Guillemont next to Major Bailey. Informant says his grave is quite easy to find. It is a good bit behind Guillemont. It was a piece of shell that killed Lieut. Tisdall. "

Testimony of Sergeant 4554 A. Kennedy 1st Battalion Irish Guards taken at Wharncliffe War Hospital, Sheffield on the 27th of October 1916:-
"Informant states that on 15/9/16 near Fricourt a Lt. Tisdall was killed by a shell and buried in Happy Valley."

Testimony of Lieutenant A.C. Holmes 1st Battalion Irish Guards at the King George VII Hospital for Officers, Grosvenor Gardens, London on the 24th of October 1916:- "Informant states that "Lt. Tisdall's Company Sergeant Major told me that Lt. Tisdall was killed by his side."

Testimony of Private 2791 P. Campbell 3rd Company, 1st Battalion Irish Guards taken at 4th Northern General Hospital, Wragley Road, Lincoln on the 26th of October 1916:- "Informant states that "On Sept 16 at Guillemont Lieut. Tisdall was killed. I helped bring his body to the Happy Valley Rest Camp and we buried him there with military honours."

Testimony of Private 6109 A Byrne 1st Battalion Irish Guards taken at Baxeneden Auxiliary Military Hospital, Accrington on the 26th of October 1916:- "Informant states that on 15th Sept Lt. Tisdall was killed near Ginchy, and about 18th Sept informant with some more men brought his body and buried him behind the lines."

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Marlborough College.

His brother, Lieutenant Michael Henry Tisdall 48 Squadron Royal Air Force, was killed on active service on the 23rd of December 1919.

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