Lieutenant Charles Lawrence MACKNESS (124504)
5th Battalion, East Kent Regiment (Buffs)

Date of birth: 28th February 1911
Date of death: 6th October 1943

Died of wounds aged 32
Buried at Sangro River War Cemetery Plot II Row C Grave 34
He was born in Argentina on the 28th of February 1911 the only son of William Reginald Mackness, HM Consul to Trieste, and Ethel Jane (nee Lawrence) of Trieste and of Berkely Road, Frome, Somerset.

He was educated at the Junior King’s School from September 1920 and at the King’s School Canterbury from September 1924 to March 1929 where he was in School House and was House Prefect in 1929. He attended Hanover University in Germany before going on to St John’s College, Oxford in October 1929. He failed his examinations at the end of his first year and left in 1930, later joining the firm of Steele Brothers and Company, East India Merchants of 6, Fenchurch Street, London. EC3.

He was married to Constance Isabel (nee Ward) on the 23rd of December 1932 and had a daughter, Caroline Anne, born on the 28th of April 1940. They lived at 7, Minford Gardens in London and later at Wilden in Bedfordshire.

On the outbreak of war he underwent officer training with the 163rd Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the East Kent Regiment on the 23rd of March 1940. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 23rd of September 1941 and saw action in North Africa and in Sicily.

On the night of the 2nd/3rd of October 1943 commando troops had landed and secured the Italian port of Termoli at the mouth of the River Biferno in Italy. They established a bridgehead across the river in the early hours of the 4th of October across which 11th and 36th Brigades, who had also landed from the sea, followed. The 5th Battalion, East Kent Regiment moved to a wooded area to the south west of the town where they relieved a battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. The German response to the landings was muted until 10am on the morning of the 5th of October when six Mk IV tanks appeared. The main thrust of the attack came against C Company which was quickly overrun, as was Battalion Headquarters, which was forced to withdraw. A battalion anti tank gun, which had been rushed up to assist, was knocked out by the first round which was fired at it. At this point, no guns or British armour had yet crossed over the river to the bridgehead due to the delay in constructing a Bailey bridge and the situation was becoming critical. Late in the afternoon the German attack switched to fall against a battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and Charles Mackness was sent forward to assist them with a section of his carrier platoon. In the event the carriers were unable to get through to the Highlanders in all but few points and Charles Mackness was mortally wounded in the attempt. He died of his wounds the following day.

Later that afternoon the Bailey bridge was completed and thirty Sherman tanks of 4th Armoured Brigade crossed the river and drove the enemy armour back.

Major A.E.C. Bredin (OKS 1920-1929) wrote:-

"On my recent return home I was given the sad news that Charles Mackness had died of wounds. He had volunteered for service when trained anti-tank gunners were called for by his regiment, the Buffs. At school he was, I suppose, my best friend, and I think his outstanding quality was his loyalty then and later. Though not excellent at games he played a reasonable game of rugger and was very keen on rowing. He was a Prefect in School House. I remember how often he used to read "Tell England"--and now he has played the part himself. Our sympathies are extended to his parents, wife and child."

He is commemorated on the war memorial at St Nicolas' Church at Wilden and on the memorial at St John’s College, Oxford.
School House

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