Charles John Barney

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Barney, Charles J

1891, Easthampstead, Berkshire

William and Sarah Jane (née Haskett)

5th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment

19691

Lance Corporal

20 Nov 1917, France, age 26

Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Panel 8 		     
Biography:
Charles John Barney was born in Easthampstead, Berkshire in 1891, the son of William, an agricultural labourer, and Sarah Jane (née
Haskett).  His parents moved to St John’s, Woking in about 1898 and Charles attended St John’s School.  After leaving school, he
worked as a gardener in the employ of Mr Beaumont, of Hook Heath.

Charles joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment in 1915.  The 5th Battalion arrived in France in June 1915. Taking part in the Battle of Loos
from 30 September and the Action of the Hohenzollen Redoubt on 13th October.  It may well have been during this period that Charles
was wounded - one of 3,454 officers and men killed or wounded.

In 1917, the battalion was in action at Arras in the First Battle of the Scarpe,  The Battle of Arleux and the Third Battle of the Scarpe.  At
the end of October, they moved to Hesdin for the Cambrai offensive.

 Sir Douglas Haig described the object of the Cambrai operations as the gaining of a 'local success by a sudden attack at a point where the enemy did not expect it'
and to some extent they succeeded. The proposed method of assault was new, with no preliminary artillery bombardment.  Instead, tanks would be used to break
through the German wire, with the infantry following under the cover of smoke barrages.

The attack began early in the morning of 20 November 1917 and initial advances were remarkable. However, by 22 November, a halt was called for rest and
reorganisation, allowing the Germans to reinforce.  From 23 to 28 November, the fighting was concentrated almost entirely around Bourlon Wood and by 29 November, it was clear that the Germans were ready for a major counter attack.  During the fierce fighting of the next five days, much of the ground gained in the initial days of the attack was lost.

Charles John Barney was killed during the Cambrai operations on 20 November 1917.  His final resting place is unknown. His name
appears with, others of his regiment, on panel 8 of the Cambrai Memorial.


The Cambrai Memorial commemorates more than 7,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South Africa who died in the Battle of Cambrai in November
and December 1917 and whose graves are not known.