Name
Charles Yaxley
6/04/1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/10/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Shoeing Smith
T4/240283
Army Service Corps
60th London Div. Train
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DAMASCUS COMMONWEALTH WAR CEMETERY
A. 5.
Syria
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Barley Village Memorial, St Margaret's Church Memorial, Barley, St Marys Church WW 1 Tablet West Barsham Norfolk
Pre War
Charles YAXLEY was born on 6th April 1884, in East Barsham, Norfolk, son of Sarah Ann Yaxley the youngest of her five children.
Charles attended East Barsham Board/Council School from March 1889 to March 1896.
1891 Census records Charles aged 6, at school, living with his widowed Grandmother Elizabeth Yaxley, his mother Sarah, brothers George (24), Frederick (12) and sister Jane (18) at 1 Wath Lane, East Barsham, Norfolk.
1901 Census, Charles aged 16, is working as a Gardener, living with his mother, sister Jane and brother Frederick at White Horse Yard, East Barsham, Norfolk. His nephew Womack G Yaxley is staying with the family.
Charles married Leila Louisa Slater the daughter of Thomas and Sarah Slater of Barley, Herts, in the early part of 1903, in Royston, Herts. They went on to have two daughters Reda May Yaxley, born July 1904 and Ruby Via Yaxley born 1906.
1911 Census records Charles (27), a Horseman on a Farm, married to Leila, they have two daughters, Reda and Ruby, living in Gatley End, Steeple Morden, Herts.
Leila and the two children later returned to live in Barley, Herts.
Wartime Service
Charles enlisted at London Colney, Herts, on 1st May 1915, posted to the 5th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment with the service No. 2402, later transferred to the Army Service Corps with the service no. T4/240283.
In June 1916 Charles and his Battalion were sent to France, in December 1916, they were posted Salonica, via Marseille and Malta, after six months of action, they were posted to Egypt for operations in Palestine. Charles was taken ill and sent to the English Hospital in Damascus, where he died on 10th October 1918, of Pneumonia aged 35. He is buried in the Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery, Syria. Grave Ref: A. 5.
Additional Information
Leila received a grant of £7, in November 1918 and a widow’s pension of 25s/5d a week from 21st April 1919, and his effects of £10-04s-06d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £16.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts
