Charles Frederick Jebb

Charles Frederick Jebb Charles Jebb was born in Worksop in 1893 to Arthur Jebb (a baker) and Mary Jebb his wife. By the time he volunteered he was living at Pendleton, a part of Salford where he appears to have been working in one of the chemical related industries e.g. dying associated with the manufacture of textiles. In 1915 the Germans attacked with gas at Ypres for the first time in the war leading to the formation of Special Companies of the Royal Engineers so that the British Army could reciprocate. No doubt because of his previous experience Charles was moved to “G” Special Company and promoted to Corporal, the rank given to all Special Company men, which carried the princely pay of 3/- per day. The British used gas at Loos in 1915 and on the Somme in 1916 with only limited but sometimes useful success and on the night of 5/6 May 1917 in preparation for attack at Fromelles, three Special Companies were unloading gas projectiles close to the firing point at the front when they were hit with a chance shell which caused such an explosion that 90% of the working parties became casualties and more men were killed in the subsequent barrage. G Company suffered 9 killed and 17 wounded. Charles Jebb was one of those wounded and lies buried with his colleagues at Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligory-Thilloy. Courtesy of Robert Illett

CWG additional information:- Son of Arthur George and Marry Ann Jebb, of 14 Bridson St., Weaste, Manchester