Motor Transport, Army Service Corps
Christopher James Staite was born in Cheltenham on 23 May 1896, the son of Richard and Maria Arabella Staite. He was baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Cheltenham on 21 June 1896.
By the time of the 1911 Census the Staite family had moved to The Cycle Works at Coleford in the Forest of Dean, where Richard Staite was a cycle dealer.
Christopher attested for military service on 23 June 1915, aged 19 years and 20 days. He gave his address as The Garage, Coleford and his occupation as a chauffeur, with no previous military service. Evidently he wore spectacles.
He was posted to Grove Park in south east London, where he joined the Army Service Corps, Motor Transport section. His stay in the UK was very short as on 1 July 1916 he embarked from Southampton with the 2nd Water Tank Company, arriving at Rouen in France the following day. He was to spend the period 1 July 1916 to 15 August 1917 serving on the Western Front, a part from a short period of home leave.
Once in France he appears to have joined 1 BMTD (Brigade Motor Transport Depot?) at 3 GHQ Ambulance Park. However, on 5 October he was admitted to 8th General Hospital with tonsillitis. He was once again taken to hospital, via 9th Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) on 30 May 1917 but was back on duty on 16 June. On 5 August 1917 he was treated at 36th CCS for acute nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys) and was admitted to No 13 General Hospital, Boulogne for this condition, prior to repatriation to the UK on 15 August 1917.
It is not know where he was sent to in the UK but he remained in the Army until 7 January 1918, when he was discharged as ‘no longer physically fit for war service’ and received at Silver War Badge to confirm his previous military service. His total time in the army was two years and 199 days. Upon discharge his address was 14 Ripon Road, Plumstead, London SE18.
On 13 April 1917 Christopher had married Elizabeth Mary Fletcher at Woolwich Registry Office and she gave birth to a son, Jack Christopher, born at Plumstead on 10 May 1917.
Christopher went in front of a medical board on 17 December 1917 and they confirmed that his condition originated whilst on active service in France and he was granted a full disability pension, which was renewed at a further medical board on 2 July 1918.
His death, on 28 January 1919, was the subject of a death notice in the Gloucester Journal of 8 February 1919, where it was stated that he died at Market Place, Coleford, age 22 years. The cause of death is not known but appears to have been related to the condition which caused his discharge. He was buried in Coleford cemetery, where a CWGC headstone marks his grave.
Researched by Graham Adams 1 April 2015