Dawlish World War One Project

He records previous service as a Trooper with the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles from August 11, 1914 to 24 April 1915 when he left to take up commission in England. This implies that he sailed to Canada at some point but extensive search of Canadian Government Archives does not provide evidence.

The National Archive at Kew holds officer records which show that Charles Uppleby Geidt applied for a Temporary Commission in the New Army in July 1915. He was posted as a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant to the 13th Reserve Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in a letter from the War Office dated 10th August detailing how and where he should report.

His army service is not recorded on file but a minute sheet shows that he was ordered to report at Reading by lettter dated 20th December 1917 for instruction in aviation. Lt Geidt, Cameron Highlanders and R.F.C. then wrote the same day to the Director of Air Organization, Air Board, Strand, London, as follows:

Sir,

I have the honour to request that I may be sent to EGYPT to train as a pilot, instead of learning in ENGLAND.

I was born in India, and am used to, and benefit by, a warm climate.

My orders at present are to report at READING on Jan 10th, 1918.

The instruction was changed and the minute note shows that “proceeded to Egypt 8/1/18 for instr in aviation.”

Little is known about the circumstances of his death although a reference shows that he “was accidentally killed while flying with 193 Training Squadron, flying DH6 C1971.”
A flying school was established using airfields near Alexandria at Aboukir and Heliopolis. Accidents were not uncommon in these early aircraft.

Charles Uppleby Geidt was born in India to a family attached to the Indian Civil Service. His father, Bernard George Geidt (1854-1913), was born in Bengal, India and after schooling at Shrewsbury he was appointed in 1874 to the Indian Civil Service as Assistant Magistrate & Collector in Burdwan, Bengal.

Bernard Geidt married Florence Emily Oldham in Shillong, Bengal on 23 October 1884 but her death in 1888 left him a widower. He married again, to Agnes Ellen Wollaston (1865-1894) in Christchurch, Hampshire in October 1890. They had three sons:

Edward Wollaston Geidt 1891-1961

Frederick Bernard Geidt 1892-1955

Charles Uppleby Geidt 1894-1918

All were born in Bengal. The death of Agnes in Darjeeling on 10 August 1894 followed closely on the birth of Charles on 6 August.

The boys were sent home for an English education and in the 1901 census Frederick and Charles are shown in the home of Lucy Sarah Wollaston, mother of Agnes, at ‘Scotter’, Chine Crescent Road, Bournemouth West Cliff. They went on to Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berkshire, where they are listed aged 18 and 16 in the 1911 census.
After the death of his second wife, Bernard George Geidt married again in October 1902 in St Mary’s Church, Cofton, to Violet Louisa Waterfield (1869-1940) the daughter of William Waterfield who lived at Eastdon House, Cockwood (Kelly’s Directory, 1902).

Charles Uppleby Geidt took part in the O.T.C. (Officer Training Corps) at Wellington College between April 1909 and April 1911 when he left school.    (for further detail see in 'Documents')