St Souplet British Cemetery, near Le Cateau
Son of the late John & Mrs Elizabeth Challoner of
High Street, St Aubins, Jersey. Brother of Gunner Albert
Challoner
Died as a Prisoner of War from wounds received in action,
aged 27 years.
Notice of Death appears in Jersey Evening
Post of Monday 14 October 1918
NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post
of Saturday 13 April 1918
Roll of Honour. Mrs Challoner of High
Street, St Aubins has received the following letter
from the Major of the Battalion to which her son, Private
R Challoner, was attached. It reads:
"Dear Mrs Challoner, I am afraid I have the painful
duty of giving you bad news; your son has been missing
since 23 March and I have no further definite information
than that he was wounded when last seen. It may be that
he is now a prisoner or possibly he was killed, but
this last I trust and pray is not so. I have waited
so long before communicating with you hoping to receive
news of him, but none has come to hand. He was one of
a party whose duty it was to hold one of the bridges
across the Somme, unfortunately the enemy worked around
and the party, mixed up with some infantry, had to retire.
The information concerning your boy was told by one
of the wounded men to another man and hence the impossibility
at present of getting any precise news. I am causing
further enquiries to be made and as soon as I get any
trustworthy information I will at once let you know.
Please accept our profound sympathy with you in your
anxiety and sorrow. Your sincerely, ERNEST A COLES,
Major Cyclists Battalion".
Private Challoner had been at the Front since 1914 and
his many friends will join us in expressing the hope
that reassuring news will shortly be received.
Commemorated on St Brelade's Parish
Memorial, Jersey
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record
