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Ballyhooly (Christ Church) Church of
Ireland Churchyard
NEWS ITEM in Jersey
Evening Post of Saturday 24 July 1915
Sad Fatality in Ireland - Member of the Jersey Company
Royal Irish Rifles Drowned. On Wednesday last Mr &
Mrs C Blampied of 8 Almorah Crescent received a letter
which also enclosed a photo from their son Rifleman Charles
W Blampied who is a member of the Jersey Company Royal
Irish Rifles. This stated that “he hoped to see them
all soon” and the family were all eagerly looking
forward to the time when he would be visiting them, but
their happiness was last evening turned to grief when
they received through Mr W Le Feuvre the following wire
from Major Stocker who is in command of the Jersey Company
at Ballyhooley “regret inform you unfortunate accident
Rifleman Charles Blampied drowned whilst bathing in river
today”. This morning the parents, who were naturally
prostrated with grief, wired for further particulars but
a later message only confirmed their worst fears that
the victim was their son Rifleman Charles Blampied. The
unfortunate soldier, who was only 19, was a member of
the Town Battalion and thought not of a very robust constitution
he loyally volunteered when the appeal was made. To his
regret he was unable to leave with the first contingent,
he being ill for some weeks at the Military Hospital,
he however left Jersey to join the Rifles on 10 April
last. The young Rifleman was employed for some years at
Mr W Shaw’s of Bath Street. He was a member of the
Primitive Methodist Church and was held in the highest
regard and esteem by all he came in contact with. He was
a moderate swimmer and the family at present are unable
to understand under what circumstances he met his death
but fuller particulars are expected to arrive by post.
The sympathy of our readers will, we feel sure, be extended
to Mr & Mrs Blampied and their family in the loss
they have sustained of a dutiful son and loyal soldier.
NEWS ITEM in Jersey
Evening Post of Wednesday 28 July 1915
The Late Rifleman Blampied. The parents of the late Rifleman
C W Blampied of the Jersey Company Royal Irish Rifles
who was drowned in Ireland on Friday last have today received
from Company Sergeant Major J Le Breton a letter expressing
the sympathy of the whole of the Company in the loss the
family have sustained. Company Sergeant Major Le Breton
states that the deceased was a most promising soldier
and very popular and his sudden decease has cast a gloom
over the camp. The funeral of the late Rifleman Blampied
took place on Monday last but no particulars of the accident
by which the young soldier met his death have been received
in the Island.
Commonwealth
War Graves Commission Record
Commemorated on Aquila Road Methodist
Church Memorial, Jersey
and on Grangegorman Memorial, Dublin (below)
(Picture from John O'Grady)
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Rifleman Charles William Blampied
7th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
23/07/1915
(Photograph courtesy of Martin Fitzgerald)
Second son of Charles & Madge Blampied
of 8 Almorah Crescent, St Helier, Jersey. One of two
brothers who both fell.
Accidentally drowned whilst bathing,
aged 19 years.
Notice of Death appears
in Jersey Evening Post of Saturday 24 July 1915
NEWS ITEM in Jersey
Evening Post of Saturday 31 July 1915
The Late Rifleman C W Blampied. The parents
of the late Rifleman C W Blampied who was accidentally
drowned in Ireland on Friday 23 last have received the
following sympathetic letter from Major W A Stocker,
Officer Commanding the Jersey Company Royal Irish Rifles.
“Ballyhooley Camp. 26 July 1915.
My dear Mrs Blampied, I am at a loss to find words to
convey my sincere regret at the loss of your son Charles
William. It was a shock to us all the very suddenness
of his end. He had been out with us all day and had
come in very tired and over heated, had a late supper
and gone off at once to bathe. Some of his comrades
said they would go with him later on but he went alone.
I was there when his body was brought out of the water.
It was guarded until they buried him today. We all miss
him, he was very poplar with all of us and we are all
very sad about it. An inquest was held this morning
and “accidentally drowned” was the verdict.
His death caused the whole camp distress, it brought
home to us all that in the midst of life we are in death.
Comfort you I cannot – it must be a great grief
to both you and his father, and we all condole with
you in your affliction. Myself and the officers and
the whole of the Jersey Company send our deepest sympathy
and hope that time may soon abate your grief.
Believe me, Yours sincerely, W A STOCKER”
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