Private Charles Richard High
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Private Charles Richard High.
Royal Norfolk Regiment.
Died May 10th to October 2nd.
Husband of Elizabeth Mary High, of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Inscription - Make the mosaic of victory was laid this precious piece.
Royal Norfolk Regiment.
Died May 10th to October 2nd.
Husband of Elizabeth Mary High, of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Inscription - Make the mosaic of victory was laid this precious piece.
Three photographs of Charlie High. We are very grateful to the Pardon Family for providing them and giving permission for their reproduction.
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Private Charles (Charlie) High was sadly a victim of the massacre at Le Paradis being identified upon exhumation in May 1942.
We believe Charlie was part of 1st Battalion the Royal Norfolk Regiment stationed in India at the outbreak of the war before returning to England and being deployed with 2nd Battalion the Royal Norfolk Regiment in France together with the likes of Bert Pooley and Les Nichols.
Charlie’s niece (Rita Pardon) recalls that her mother, Mabel, Charlie’s younger sister, was the recipient of many letters and photos from Charlie when he was in uniform. Rita recalls photographs of Charlie tending the horses whilst out in India.
We are certain that Charlie was attached to Headquarters Company as Captain Nick Hallet the Motor Transport Officer was also of Headquarters Company and recalls Charlie’s actions as follows on 25th May 1940
"After going across country for a bit I reached a farm which to my surprise was occupied. The unfortunate people had left Roubaix as refugees, and now had nowhere to go. They were very kind to me and gave me some milk to drink. I rested there for a bit and then went on. On reaching the main road I met some French troops who had lost their unit. We met an aged Frenchman who wanted a truck to get away in. When he tried bribery I got rather angry, but I was really sorry for him all the same. Shortly after I joined Slaughter, and went back to Lestrem.
"Here I arranged for High to come down with me after lunch with the ammunition. Slaughter produced an excellent lunch with which Aclocq & I had a bottle of wine. Then I started off on a motor-bike, with High following. In Locon we stopped and I made him wait while I got going. I then started off across the open and came into the cover of the houses doing close on 65 mph. Soon after the truck arrived and all was well. I left the truck and High and returned alone."
From Captain Nick Hallett’s War Diary courtesy of the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum Norwich
Being attached to Headquarters Company would also account for Charlie defending Battalion Headquarters Duriez Farm shortly before the surrender occurred
Private R.W. Brown recalls on 27th May 1940
"Charlie High was using the range finder to take the range where the mortar was firing from when he suddenly spun round and fell to the ground, he had been hit in the shoulder . When he got up he was most annoyed and said so in a soldiery manner."
From R (Bob) . W. Brown’s book Peace and War courtesy of the Brown family
We believe Charlie was part of 1st Battalion the Royal Norfolk Regiment stationed in India at the outbreak of the war before returning to England and being deployed with 2nd Battalion the Royal Norfolk Regiment in France together with the likes of Bert Pooley and Les Nichols.
Charlie’s niece (Rita Pardon) recalls that her mother, Mabel, Charlie’s younger sister, was the recipient of many letters and photos from Charlie when he was in uniform. Rita recalls photographs of Charlie tending the horses whilst out in India.
We are certain that Charlie was attached to Headquarters Company as Captain Nick Hallet the Motor Transport Officer was also of Headquarters Company and recalls Charlie’s actions as follows on 25th May 1940
"After going across country for a bit I reached a farm which to my surprise was occupied. The unfortunate people had left Roubaix as refugees, and now had nowhere to go. They were very kind to me and gave me some milk to drink. I rested there for a bit and then went on. On reaching the main road I met some French troops who had lost their unit. We met an aged Frenchman who wanted a truck to get away in. When he tried bribery I got rather angry, but I was really sorry for him all the same. Shortly after I joined Slaughter, and went back to Lestrem.
"Here I arranged for High to come down with me after lunch with the ammunition. Slaughter produced an excellent lunch with which Aclocq & I had a bottle of wine. Then I started off on a motor-bike, with High following. In Locon we stopped and I made him wait while I got going. I then started off across the open and came into the cover of the houses doing close on 65 mph. Soon after the truck arrived and all was well. I left the truck and High and returned alone."
From Captain Nick Hallett’s War Diary courtesy of the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum Norwich
Being attached to Headquarters Company would also account for Charlie defending Battalion Headquarters Duriez Farm shortly before the surrender occurred
Private R.W. Brown recalls on 27th May 1940
"Charlie High was using the range finder to take the range where the mortar was firing from when he suddenly spun round and fell to the ground, he had been hit in the shoulder . When he got up he was most annoyed and said so in a soldiery manner."
From R (Bob) . W. Brown’s book Peace and War courtesy of the Brown family
A group shot - origin and details unknown. The Pardon family believe that Charles High is in the back row on the right next to the sergeant.