Name
Charles John Agombar
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/10/1918
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
202647
Leicestershire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
AMERVAL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, SOLESMES
B. 21.
France
Headstone Inscription
ADIEU, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial,
Central Methodist Church Memorial, Letchworth,
Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Norton
Pre War
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Charles, Ellen (born 1893), Dorothy born 1898) and Beatrice (born 1900) were living at 20, Halefield Road, Tottenham, Middx.
The 1911 Census shows Charles J Agombar, aged 20, at 13, Temple Gardens, Green Lane Letchworth with his father, Charles, and mother Helen (or Ellen), both aged 45, and sisters Helen (or Ellen, a book sewer machinist), Dorothy and Beatrice, aged 18, 13 and 11 respectively.
Father, son, and eldest daughter were all in the printing trade at J M Dent & Sons, Letchworth Garden City. The family had moved to Letchworth in 1907 as had J M Dents.
Charles married Ada Gladys Hinds on 3 Apr 1915 at St Martin’s, Kensal Rise, Willesden.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Charles who had enlisted at Paddington in London sometime around the end of 1915.
He joined the Leicestershire Regiment as a territorial soldier private 7141 (renumbered as 202647 in the 1917 renumbering of the Territorial Force) in the 7th (Service) Battalion, part of 110 (Leicester Tigers) Brigade, 37 Division. The Brigade had landed in France on 29 Jul 1915 having been transferred on 7 Jul 1915 to 21st Division. Charles was to take part in Battles of the Somme Offensive in 1916. Arras and Passchendaele in 1917 and in Sep 1918 the pursuit to the Selle. Charles was killed in action on 23 Oct 1918 during a renewed attack of the Battle of the Selle (17-25 Oct).
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £11 10s and arrears of £10 11s 6d was paid to his widow who also received a pension of 22s 1d.
The Huguenot origins of Charles’ family and the military circumstances of his death are described in an article written by John Birch, titled “From Huguenot refugees to Letchworth hero – the story of Charles John Agombar”, which can be found on https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/towns-and-villages/letchworth_garden_city/letchworth_events/world-war-1p://www.ourletchworth.org.uk – part of the Herts Memories network.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild, www.ourletchworth.org.uk/page_id__323_path__.aspx
