Name
Charles Batchelor
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/12/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
12593
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
IV. A. 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Little Gaddesden Village Memorial,
St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Little Gaddesden,
St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour (2018 Revision), Little Gaddesden,
Great Gaddesden Village Memorial,
St John the Baptist Church Roll of Honour, Great Gaddesden,
Not on the Hemel Hempstead Memorial.
We are not aware of any memorial in Gaddesden Row
Pre War
Charles Batchelor was born on 20 July 1890 in Gaddesden Row, Great Gaddesden, nr Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of Charles Batchelor and Elizabeth (nee Hedges), and baptised there on 12 October 1890.
On the 1891 Census Charles and his family of Father, Mother, 5 Brothers and 1 older sister were living in Gaddesden Row, Great Gaddesden where his father was working as an agricultural labourer. The family remained there in in 1901 (Charles and Arthur were recorded with their Grandmother, Mary Hedges, living next door) and in 1911 at Gaddesden by which time Charles was working as a farm labourer (Cowman) and he had a further 2 Brothers.
Wartime Service
Charles enlisted in Hertford and served with the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in France. The Battalion left Southampton on the Empress Queen at 6.30p.m. 30 July 1915 and arrived at Le Havre on 31 Jul 1915 before moving to the Arras Area. During the night of 20 Dec 1915 the battalion were relieving 13 Rifle Brigade in the trenches at Bienvillers and it was during this relief that Charles was killed in action on 21 December 1915 and is buried at Bienvillers Military Cemetery, France.
He was killed in action on 21 December 1915 and is buried at Bienvillers Military Cemetery, France.
(N.B. the war diary for 6th Battalion, Beds Regt notes his death as 20 December 1915 but gives no details)
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £6 8s 7d.
Five of his brothers also served during the Great War and survived.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org., littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk
