Name
Charles Henry Gimingham
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/11/1917
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
STRUMA MILITARY CEMETERY
VIII. B. 14.
Greece
Headstone Inscription
THE ETERNAL GOD IS THY REFUGE UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS.
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden, Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Charles Henry was born in 1891 in Edmonton, Middlesex, the younger son of Charles Henry Gimingham and Emma Mary (nee Down), Charles‘ father worked for the Edison Swan Electric Light Company and set up a factory in Ponders End, Middx. but died young in 1890 and his mother married William Durant Christmas in 1907.
On the 1901 Census the Family were living at Clarence Road, Harpenden. Charles attended Aldenham School, Herts.
Wartime Service
Charles served in the Royal Engineers as Corporal 54261 and was commissioned in the 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant on 1 Apr 1915. He went to France on 19 Oct 1915 and was promoted to Captain.
He transferred to Royal Flying Corps, 17 Kite Balloon Section as Observer Officer in the same rank. He was serving in this capacity on the Salonika Front (Greece) on 9 Nov 1917 when his balloon was shot down and he was killed.
He was Mentioned in Dispatches.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs. Mary Christmas, Stamford House, Harpenden, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "THE ETERNAL GOD IS THY REFUGE UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS.". War Gratuity of £6 and arrears of £225 5s 9d paid to mother also probate of £1684 5s 8d. His elder brother Conrad also served as Capt Royal Engineers.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
