Townsend C F (Charles Frederick)
Private Charles Townsend was married to a Miss McGookin of Belfast who was originally from Old Lodge Road in the city. She was living with her parents in Bellaghy at the time.
Charles had been based in Northern Ireland at the beginning of the war. He was soon deployed in France during April 1940 as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), but by May/June he had been evacuated along with the remnants of his battalion. They had suffered severely during their retreat to Dunkirk.
At some stage after the evacuation, he was attached to the 4th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment.
Fifteen months later and Private Townsend was in the military camp in Bellaghy when he was shot by a Corporal Wally Watson with a rifle. The circumstances of the shooting are unknown as the coroner report was held in secret, but the incident took his life.
Unfortunately, no further information at present.
Date of Death: 09/09/1941 (Aged 31 (possibly 37))
Service: Private, 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, also attached to the 4th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment
Service Number: 6397881
Burial Location: Ballyscullion (St. Tida’s) Parish Churchyard
