Name
Albert Charge
1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/04/1918
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
42029
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CRUCIFIX CORNER CEMETERY, VILLERS-BRETONNEUX
I. C. 13.
France
Headstone Inscription
AT REST
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor
Pre War
Albert Charge was born on 17 June 1899 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of Alfred and Minnie Charge and one of seven children, although one died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Horsecroft Road where his father was working as a wood sorter and packer at the paper mills. Albert was educated at Two Waters British School, near Boxmoor, from February 1904, along with classmate Alfred Baines, (who was killed in October 1918).
They had moved to 19 Albert Cottages, Kingsland Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead by 1911 when Albert was a schoolboy and his father was employed at the saw mills.
When he left school in June 1912 he was employed at the new Ovaltine Factory in Kings Langley and continued to work there until his enlistment in 1917.
His mother lived at 98 Kingsland Road, Boxmoor on pension records.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford in June 1917 and served with the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. It is thought he claimed to be a year older as he was not eligible to serve overseas at eighteen years of age, but after basic training he was posted overseas sometime in early 1918.
He saw action at the Battle of St Quentin in March 1918 but was killed in action on 24 April 1918 during the night attack at Villers-Bretonneux. Although ultimately successful, the battalion suffered heavy machine gun fire, resulting in three officers killed and 7 wounded with 13 other ranks killed and 105 wounded, and another 70 missing.
He is buried at Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, France.
Additional Information
His father, Mr A E Charge, 91 Horsecroft Road, Boxmoor, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "AT REST". His father received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £2 19s 4d. N.B. Pension record cards do not give a pension amount but he is listed as being in the Essex Regiment, although the home address, name and reg. no. appear correct.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage,org.uk., www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com
