Name
Charles John Alexander
1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/06/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
40971
Essex Regiment
11th Bn.
'D' Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ESQUELBECQ MILITARY CEMETERY
II. E. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
TILL THE DAY BREAKS
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, St. Lawrence Church Memorial, Abbots Langley, Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, St Matthew’s Church Roll of Honour, Oxhey, Not on the Bushey memorials
Pre War
Charles John Alexander was born in Bushey in 1891, the son of Charles and Emma Alexander, and one of seven children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 32 Upper Paddock Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire where his father was working as a brickmaker. They remained at the same address in 1911 at which time Charles (junior) was working as a house painter.
He married Florence Thatcher in Abbots Langley, Herts in the summer of 1916.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford, Herts and initially joined the Royal Field Artillery under reg. no. 1919, later transferring to the Essex Regiment, under reg. no. 40971.
Charles died of wounds on 1 June 1918 and is buried in Esquelbecq Military Cemetery, France.
Biography
Charles Alexander was born in Bushey in the spring of 1891, the eldest of six children of Charles and Emma Alexander. Charles (senior) was a Brickmaker/Labourer. The family of four sons and three daughters lived at 32 Upper Paddock Road, Oxhey at the time of the 1901 Census. By 1911 Charles (junior) was still living at the family house and was working as a House Painter.
His parents married 24 December 1887 at St Nicholas’, Harpenden, Herts. Charles died 1950 in Oxhey, Herts, aged 90, and was buried 18 January in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Emma died 1951 in Oxhey aged 85, and was buried 8 February, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
On the 1891 Census, aged 1 month he lived in Oxhey, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1901 Census, aged 10 he still lived in Oxhey, with his parents and four siblings. On the 1911 Census, a house painter aged 20, he still lived in Oxhey, with his parents and five siblings.
He enlisted in Watford, and was formerly Private 1919 Royal Field Artillery and Private 26797 Northamptonshire Regiment.
The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour first listed Charles serving with the 3rd Battalion Northampton Regiment in March 1917. However, he had been with this battalion for some time as at the time of his marriage to Florence Matilda Thatcher on 26th September 1916, at Abbots Langley, he was registered as a Private with the 3rd Northampton’s. The Thatcher family lived at 8 Adrian Road, and three of Florence’s brothers served during the Great War.
In the January 1918 Parish Magazine Charles was listed serving with 11th Essex, and it is not known when he transferred to this battalion. Charles’ Service record does not survive so it has not been possible to identify the circumstances of his death. He was recorded dying from his wounds on 1st June 1918.
The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine of July 1918 recorded his death.
“We regret to have to add another name to our Roll of Honour of those who have laid down their lives in the cause of Liberty, Freedom and Honour. Charles John Alexander of the Essex Regiment, died of wounds received in action on June 1st. He was married in Abbots Langley Church in September 1916 to Miss Florence Thatcher, and to her, together with his other relatives and friends, we offer our deepest sympathy”.
Charles Alexander was buried at Esquelbecq Military Cemetery, France and was commemorated on the Abbots Langley War Memorial.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals, and died of wounds received in action.
Additional Information
His widow, Florence received a war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £12 15s 10d as well as a pension of 13s 9d a week. She also ordered his headstone inscription: ""TILL THE DAY BREAKS".
Charles’ Service Record was one of many that were destroyed by World War Two bombing, there are, however, Death announcements for Charles in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 15 June 1918 and 22 June 1918; plus In memoriams in the issues dated 31 May 1919 and 7 June 1919.
Florence moved back to live with her parents and was listed on the 1921 Census with them at 8 Adrian Road, Abbots Langley. She was recorded at the same address on the 1939 Register and was then working as a forewoman in a clothing factory. She re-married in 1946 to William Parcell.
Information’ provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
