Name
Charles Herbert Pedley
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/02/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
36428
Princess Charlotte of Wales’ (Royal Berkshire) Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and face 11D
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Charles was born in 1893 in Hitchin and christened on 25 April 1895 in the Holy Savior Church, Hitchin . His parents were John and Rebecca Pedley.
In 1901 the family were living at 4 Dacre Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: John (31) and Rebecca (35), with John and working as a coal carman. Their children were: Thomas J (9) and Charles Hedley (7).
By 1911 the family were living at 29 Willmotts Cott, Highbury Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents, John now working as a carman for a furnishing company. The census recorded they had been married for 21 years with 4 children, of whom 1 had died. All the children listed above were present with Charles now 17 a grocers assistant, and a new sister Nellie (9).
Daughter
Before joining the army he had been a messenger for the Post Office for two years. He had also worked as a houseboy for Mr W.H. Spencer of Verulam Road, Hitchin. Immediately before joining up he had been in the Bedford Police Force for one year.
He enlisted in Hertford in mid-summer 1915.
Officially Charles was recorded as living in Hitchin, Herts. when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
At first he was in the Hertfordshire Regiment with the Regimental Number 5810 but was later posted to the 6th Battalion of the Berkshires with the Number 36428. This Battalion was in the 53rd Brigade of the 18th Division. He had been in France for eight months before he was killed in action.
His Platoon Commander wrote that he was one of the best men in it and that he had been offered promotion, but did not care to take it.
At the date of his death the 18th Division was engaged just south of the River Ancre a little to the east of Beaumont Hamel. The 6th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment assembled before the 5.45 am zero hour near Folly Trench not far from the junction of the Grandcourt Road and 16 Road which is about two miles south east of Grandcourt in the Somme Sector. The men had to go into action unfed as the rations did not arrive in time. The attack was hampered by uncut wire, a supporting barrage that outpaced the attackers and fire from the flanks due to adjacent units not keeping up. The day's objectives were not achieved and the Battalion sustained 194 casualties on this one day including 19 Other Ranks killed.
There is strong possibility that a deserter had warned the Germans of the impending attack, as in the forming up period and throughout the attack German shelling and machine-gunning was of greater intensity than was to be expected.
His platoon commander described him as “one of the best men in it”.
Additional Information
After his death 3s 7d pay owing was authorised to go to ‘rect’ on 8 May 1917, then £5 5s 7d to his father on 26 May 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £5 was authorised to be paid to his mother on 20 November 1919.
His pension card does not record an pension paid, but does state that a gratuity was paid to his mother, Rebecca Pedley of 29 Highbury Road, Hitchin, on 17 August 1917.
He was probably in the same action as L.H. Pateman who was in the same Battalion and disappeared on the same day. They had probably enlisted on the same day as their Regimental Numbers are close together.
Charles is also commemorated on his father's headstone in Hitchin Cemetery. His inscription reads:
ALSO OF CHAS. HERBERT
HIS SON
KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE FEB. 17TH 1917 AGED 23 YEARS
HE DID HIS DUTY
HIS SON
KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE FEB. 17TH 1917 AGED 23 YEARS
HE DID HIS DUTY
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
