Name
Frederick George Charge
1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/06/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
102343
Royal Garrison Artillery
212th Siege Bty.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BULLY-GRENAY COMMUNAL CEMETERY, BRITISH EXTENSION
III. A. 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hexton memorials, Not on the Flamstead memorials, The Great War Roll of Honour, Luton, Beds (Book)
Pre War
Frederick George Charge was born in 1881 in Flamstead, Herts, (Nr Luton, Beds) the son of Sidney Welch and Alice Charge, and baptised in Flamstead on 17 March 1882.
On the 1881 Census Frederick was living with his mother at the home of his widowed grandmother Susan Charge in one of the cottages at Trowley Bottom, Flamstead, Herts. His mother married James Andrews in 1883 and lived in Albion Road, Luton on the 1891 Census. Meanwhile 10 year old Frederick remained with his grandmother Susan who had moved to 6 Old Bedford Road, Luton. (His grandmother died in 1892).
Frederick enlisted into the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in 1899 under reg. no. 3810 for 12 years and was discharged on 15 September 1910. He served in the Boer War and received the Kings South Africa Medal with clasps for service in 1901, 1902, Cape Colony, Transvaal and Orange Free State.
At the time of the 1911 Census, Frederick was listed as a boarder at the home of his widowed mother and living at 65 Beech Road, Luton. Also in residence were his half blood siblings, Maud, May, Blanche and Albert (N.B. although his mother and siblings were listed with the surname Horn the children's births were registered with the surname Andrews . His mother claimed to be the wife of George Horn who was head of the household in 1901).
He married Millie Cooper on 3 April 1915 at Christ Church, Luton and on enlistment he was living at 109 Maple Road, Luton and working as a Straw Hat Machinist for Ernest Taylor & Co of 38 Cromwell Road, Luton. They had no children.
His widow later lived at Hexton, Herts.*1
Wartime Service
Frederick had served with the Bedfordshire Regiment in the Boer War but was discharged in 1910 (see details above).
He enlisted in Luton on 1 June 1916 and was initially posted to the 168th Siege Battery on 28 June 1916, He was posted to the Siege Depot at Bexhill, Sussex on 23 September 1916 before being sent to France on 25 December 1916. Once in France he was transferred to 212th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner which he joined from Base in the field on 17 January 1917.
He was killed in action on 8 June 1917, being one of six men from the Battery killed by a single German shell and is buried in Bully-Grenay Communal Cemetery, France.
(N.B. Although officially recorded as killed in action on the 8th, the actual fatal shell burst is thought to have happened on the 7th according to the personal diary of a battery sergeant that covers the incident and names those who died).
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £6 11s 2d. She also received a pension of 13s 9d a week which was later increased to £1 4s 9d.
*1 this Frederick has no direct connection to Hexton.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.greatwarforum.org, www.worldwar1luton.com
