Charles Slater was born at Scone on the 17th of March 1894.

In 1901, the Slater family were living at Union Street, Scone, Perthshire: Father, John W. (Minister, United Free Church) b. c1859, Kirkwall, Orkney; Mother, Jean H. G., b. c1861, Perth; Son, Charles H. H., b. 1894, Scone; Daughter, Elizabeth H., b. c1898, Scone; and Daughter, Jean H. G., b. c1902, Scone. 

He was educated at Scone Public School, Perth Academy and St. Andrews University where he graduated M.A. in July 1915. At St. Andrews, Charles trained with the University Officer Training Corps and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, Scottish Rifles, on 3rd August 1915.

He was sent to France on 10th July 1916 and attached to the 10th Scottish Rifles as an intelligence officer with the 46th Infantry Brigade. The 10th (Service) Battalion was formed in September 1914 at Hamilton and then moved to Bordon. In February 1915 they moved to Winchester and then to Salisbury Plain and Chiseldon. On 10th July 1915 they were mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne and engaged in various actions on the Western Front.

Charles was promoted Lieutenant in June 1917 and was killed just a month later on 31st July 1917. He was 23 years old.

While there is no definitive record of how and when Charles met his death, the battle dates suggest that he was killed on the first day of the Battle of Pilckem, the opening attack of the main part of the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

The Battle of Pilckem started at 03.50 on 31st July with a creeping barrage ahead of the advancing troops. The attack did not go as expected and the German 52nd Reserve Division, which had been able to advance more or less unhindered, reached the high ground of Pilckem Ridge. Despite field and heavy gun batteries moving forward, and firing on the enemy to support the infantry, the Allied attack had limited success. Between 31st July and 3rd August there were 32,690 British casualties of whom 4,466 were killed. The Germans had 30,000 casualties.

Charles Slater is also commemorated on the Scone Parish War Memorial; and the University of St. Andrews War Memorial.

SCONE REMEMBERS MEMORIAL WALK

Charles Slater is remembered on the memorial sound walk around his home village of Scone, near Perth. His story is read by Karen Low of the Perth Academy "Flowers of the Forest" project.