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Charles William Cogdon (1899-1916)


Shop assistant from Sunderland served as a boy telegrapher in the Royal Navy at the Battle of Jutland


Charles William Cogdon was born on 2 August 1899 in Hendon, Sunderland. He was the first child of Charles William Cogdon (1877-1936) and Sarah Mary Cogdon nee Robson (1877-1913) both natives of Sunderland. His father was a joiner who appeared to travel for work as he was boarding in Shotton in 1901 and Liverpool in 1911. The family lived at 38 Addison Street, Hendon, Sunderland in 1901 and 5 Teasdale Street, Hendon, Sunderland in 1911. There were five children in total and Charles had two brothers and two sisters.

Charles joined the Royal Navy as a boy 2nd class on 2 April 1915 at the age of 15. His record shows he was just over five foot tall with a 32 inch chest. He had auburn hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He committed to serve for 12 years in the Royal Navy from the date of his 18th birthday. Charles spent his first 6 weeks at HMS Ganges, a naval training establishment and ship at Shotley, Suffolk. From Ganges he went for further training aboard HMS Impregnable and HMS Vernon. On 14 July 1915 he was promoted to the rank of boy telegrapher. Four months later on 16 October 1915 he was posted to HMS Indefatigable for service at sea.

HMS Indefatigable was sunk on 31 May 1916 during the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the war. She was hit several times in the first minutes of the opening phase of the battlecruiser action. Shells from the German battlecruiser Von der Tann caused one explosion that ripped a hole in her hull while a second explosion hurled large pieces of the ship in the air. Charles died along with 1,017 crewmates.

Charles’ body was not recovered for burial and he is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. He is honoured locally in the Book of Remembrance, Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland.

Charles William Cogdon was awarded the Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service in World War One.

Civil Parish: Sunderland

Birth date: 02-Aug-1899

Death date: 31-May-1916

Armed force/civilian: Navy

Residence: 38 Addison Street, Hendon, Sunderland (1901 census)
5 Teasdale Street, Hendon, Sunderland (1911 census)

Employment: Shop assistant (1915, Royal Navy service record)

Family: Parents: Charles W Cogdon (1877-1936), Sarah Mary Cogdon nee Robson (1877-1913)
Siblings: Alec John G Cogdon (1901), Robert Cogdon (1903), Lillian Cogdon (1905), Jemima Cogdon (1907)

Military service:

J39794
Boy 2nd class 2 April 1915
Boy telegrapher 14 July 1915
HMS Ganges , April to May 1915
HMS Impregnable, May to July 1915
HMS Vernon, August to September 1915
HMS Indefatigable 16 October 1915 to 31 May 1916

Medal(s): Star
Victory Medal
British War Medal

Memorial(s): Portsmoth Naval Memorial
Book of Remembrance, Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

Gender: Male

Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham