In 1901, the McCracken family were living at Primrose Cottage, Oak Bank, Vicarton Street, Girvan. Father, Charles (Grocer’s Van Salesman) b. 1865; Mother, Anne Gordon (Dressmaker), b. 1873; Son, Charles, b. 1899; Mother-in-law, Margaret Gordon, b. 1842; and Daughter-in-law, Bessie (Dressmakers Assistant) b. 1882. Charles McCracken was born in Girvan on 30th May 1899.

Extract from the History of the 9th (Scottish) Division, 1914-1919, by John Ewing

 “WYTSCHAETE LOST“

16th APRIL 1918 “On the 16th a huge enemy effort was directed against Wytschaete. About 5 a.m. after a hurricane bombardment which broke down all communications in the sector, the Germans, screened by a mist, carried the battered site on which had stood Spanbroekmolen Mill."

“About noon a furious attack developed against the Camerons in the Dammstrasse, but was repulsed by rifle and machine-gun fire, and the Germans withdrew to Pheasant Wood, leaving their wounded where they fell. An hour later an attempt of the enemy to debouch from the wood was easily frustrated."

“The loss of Wytschaete was no light matter and an operation for its recapture was quickly planned. French reserves having been sent up, one division was to attack with its left flank parallel to and 500 yards north of the Kemmel - Spanbroekmolen road, and the Ninth was to operate by retaking Wytschaete. Our available forces consisted of two battalions of the 62nd Brigade, the 7th Seaforths, and two companies of the 39th Composite Brigade, and the objective was the line Pick Wood - Bogaert Farm, the cutting 300 yards south of Wytschaete-Staenyzer Cabaret Somer Farm."

“The French however were unable to complete their preparations, and at 7.30 p.m. the Ninth attacked alone under cover of a creeping barrage. Just as the German barrage began our troops moved forward. The dash of the Seaforths was superb. An irresistible charge carried them right through Wytschaete village, and during a combat where many feats of valour were performed, Captain Reid and C.S.M. Jeffries singled themselves out by the daring with which they rushed a ‘Pill-box’ on the ridge and captured 14 prisoners and 5 machine-guns. But the extreme left of the attack was checked by machine-gun fire from North House, and though on the right the men of the 62nd Brigade reached the line Petit Bois Maedelstede, they failed to capture the craters at the two latter places owing to machine-gun fire from Spanbroekmolen and Peckham, which the French were to have attacked."

“The result of the operation was that the success on the left had been gained on a narrow front, while on the right a line had been established, which could not be held by daylight unless Spanbroekmolen were taken.”

While there is no definitive record of how and when Charles McCracken lost his life, it would have been at some stage of the action on 16th April.

He was 18 years of age.