Private Charles Barlow

Charles Barlow was born in Liverpool, England, and immigrated to Paris in 1911. He made friends by his quiet and unassuming manner. He was a devout member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Paris. He was employed as a carder at Penmans Mill No. 9 and was on Penmans Honor Roll. He lived on St. George Street with three sisters, Mary, Charlotte and Margaret. He had another sister in Montreal and a brother, William, of the British Manchester Regiment, who had been killed in action one week before Charles’ death.

He lived in Paris for six years but was living in Hamilton when he enlisted with the 173^rd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force at 26 years of age. On arrival in England, he was transferred to the116th and went to France on March 17, 1917.

In August 1917, the Canadian 116th Battalion participated in the Battle of Hill 70, a significant engagement near Lens, France. At the start of the month, the 116th was involved in training and holding front-line positions, including a major raid on the railway embankment in the southern section of Lens that had occurred on July 23rd. The primary operation for the 116th Battalion in August 1917 was the Battle of Hill 70. The Canadian Corps commander, General Arthur Currie, believed capturing Hill 70 was strategically more important than the city of Lens itself. The main assault began on August 15, 1917, with the 116th fighting as part of the 9th Canadian Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division. The fighting was intense, involving the capture of German machine-gun posts and repelling numerous German counterattacks. The battle continued for several days. On August 22, the battalion was rushed into the battle from a rest area, suffering 26 men dead that day. By the end of the month, the Canadians had successfully captured the high ground of Hill 70.

Charles was killed in action on August 25, 1917. He died of his wounds at No. 9 Field Ambulance. He is buried in the Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais.