Hello

[Ronclaire]

I have been researching my ancestor Corporal Charles Syrett MM who was killed on 4 Nov 1918 and is buried in Ors Communal Cemetery. Charles was my granddad's brother and his wife Ellen was my grandmother. I came across this site whilst researching him and noticed some posts mentioning his name. I was interested to find why he received his MM and had been unable to find his medal card relating to this on ancestry. After much searching I found his card in the national archives along with the 2nd Manchester's war diary's. Charles received the MM following a raid on 26/27 Feb 1918 at Marachal Farm and received the ribbons on 10/4/1918 along with 2 others. He was awarded the MM for gallantry and devotion to duty following the taking of enemy prisoners and the capture of machine guns. On 1 July 1918 he was involved in another raiding party, sometime between April 10th and 1st July he was promoted from private to corporal. The war diary's make interesting reading and give a good insight into his life at this time. My grandfather married his brothers widow in 1927 after the law was changed in 1926 to allow this, it appears this was quite a common practice after the war for surviving families to take responsibility for looking after there deceased brothers family. My grandfather was older than Charles but did not serve in the war due to a hip deformity that he had since birth. I believe Charles joined the army around 1913, in 1911 he was a self employed flower seller. 

[timberman]

Hi Ronclaire

Welcome to the forum.
Thank you for sharing the information.

Timberman

[PhilipG]

Ronclaire,

No.1738 Cpl. C. Syrett MM : 2nd Bn. Manchester Regt.  KIA 4th November 1918 - Sambre-Oise Canal

Your contribution I found most interesting, as the name of this brave soldier appears on a short list I keep of "old soldiers".  These are the names of regular soldiers in the Manchesters who paid the supreme sacrifice close to the end of the Great War.  Corporal Syrett is on my list.  I have seen his grave on a number of occasions when visiting the village cemetery in Ors, indeed, on one visit, a wooden cross was laid on every grave in the CWGC cemetery, including that of you relative.

The cemetery is visited from time to time by those wishing to visit the grave of the Great War poet - Wilfred Owen - also of the 2nd Manchesters , who is buried in Grave A3, fairly adjacent to Cpl. Syrett's which is located at No. A14.  Also buried in the cemetery are two soldiers of some renown, namely, 2nd Lt. J.Kirk VC and Lt.Col. J.N.Marshall VC who, like your relative, lost their lives attempting to cross the canal under fire during the attack of the 4th November 1918.  Lt. Kirk was attached to the 2nd Manchesters, whilst Lt.Col. Marshall, Irish Gds. was attached to the 16th Lancs. Fusiliers.  However, prior to his posting to the Fusiliers, Colonel Marshall was 2 i/c of the 2nd Manchesters (something of a martinet) so your relative would, no doubt, at one time have served under his command.

There is much that I could mention  concerning the battle in which Cpl. Syrett lost his life, but perhaps you have the details already.  There is a web site - Wilfred Owen Association -  which you could with advantage visit.  There are photos on that site, in particular of the canal at Ors where the Manchesters tried to cross the canal and other pictures of locations where the battalion was in action prior to the 4th November 1918, areas where your relative must have been serving with the battalion.

PhilipG.

[Ronclaire]

Hi Philip

thank you for the information and for visiting Charles grave this is something we hope to do soon, we had thought he had received his MM after he had lost his life so we were surprised to find out it was earlier. We are very proud of him.

[PhilipG]

Ronclaire,

I note that you are contemplating visiting the Corporal's grave in the not too distant future. There are two CWGC cemeteries in Ors, including Ors British Cemetery which is located near the canal and is reached by pathway across the fields.  This "concentration" type cemetery is sometimes confused with Ors Communal Cemetery situated away from the village's centre which is, of course, a "battlefield clearance" type of burial ground.  The Mayor of Ors was last year awarded the BEM at the British Embassy in Paris and he and his staff at the Mairie are always helpful to British visitors.

Lastly, the best viewing point to see where the 2nd Manchesters were attacking across the canal towards La Motte Farm on the 4th July 1918 is obtained by standing on the road bridge spanning the lock gates of the Sambre-Oise canal looking northeastwards.  I trust you will have a rewarding experience. PhilipG.