Charles Edward Webley

Memorial: South Gloucestershire war dead not on a local memorial

Regiment: Royal West Kent Regiment

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Silver War Badge, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Private 11018 and 18229

Parents: Edward and Julia Ann Webley

Marital status: Married

Home address: Home Address: Over, Almondsbury, Glos. Lived: 9 Carlton Villas, Ashford Rd, South Woodford, London

Pre-war occupation: Schoolmaster

Date of birth: 04/03/1888

Date of death: 13/04/1918

Buried/Commemorated at: Buried at Namps-Au-Val British Cemetery, Somme, France. Not commemorated on a local memorial.

Age: 30

Further information:

Charles was born in Almondsbury, the son of an engineer fitter and turner, and the eldest of four children. He had three younger sisters and in 1911 was living with his parents and sisters and working as a teacher in Devonport, Plymouth. Charles married Eva Maud Webster in August 1915 in Wanstead and moved to live in London.

He was called up in December 1915 and his records describe him as being 5' 7" tall. Charles initially enlisted in the 29th Royal Fusiliers (PS/11015) and was posted to France with the British Expeditionary Force in August 1916. There he would have fought in the Battles of the Somme. In September 1916 he transferred to the 7th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. However, after three months he reverted to the rank of Private at his own request. On 15th February 1917, he was wounded in action and admitted with gunshot wounds to his face. Two months later Charles was again wounded in action and was taken to the 41st Casualty Clearing Station, based at Namps-au-val, where he died from his wounds and was buried in the nearby cemetery.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/