Name
Charles John Howard
1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/07/1916
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
84
Royal Army Medical Corps
5th Field Amb
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 4 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials
Pre War
Charles John Howard was born in 1881 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of John and Alice Howard and baptised there on 4 April 1883. (N.B. He was registered and baptised as John Charles Howard).
By the 1891 Census the family had moved to Cirencester Street, Paddington, London where his father was working as a Carman. They remained there in 1901 at which time Charles had joined his father in the occupation of Carman. Later that year he married Emma Maria Goodard at St Mary Magdalene, Paddington and they both gave their address on the marriage certificate as 66 Cirencester Street.
On the 1911 Census Charles and Emma were living with his parents at 102 Milton Avenue, Willesden, Middlesex with Charles continuing to work as a Carman . They had three children, George, Ethel and John with another son Frederick being born in 1913.
At the outbreak of war they were living at 41 Brindley Street, Paddington and his widow later lived at 12 Woodchester Street, Paddington.
Wartime Service
He joined the Militia in 1904 and gave his next of kin as his father John and brother Joseph. He was appointed 2nd class Orderly in 1908.
Being a reservist, he was called up at the outbreak of war and served in France from 19 August 1914 with the 5th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. He was present at the Retreat from Mons and the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.
He was killed in action on 27 July 1916 whilst tending to the wounded in the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £3 18s 3d. She also received a pension of £1 2s 6d a week for herself and her four children.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
