Name
Harry Charge
1878
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/11/1917
40
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
40033
Suffolk Regiment
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, LOUVERVAL
Panel 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead, St Paul's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead (now lost), John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley, We are not aware of any Adeyfield memorial
Pre War
Harry Charge was born in 1878 in Hobletts Orchard, High Street Green, Adeyfield, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of Fanny Charge and was baptised on 10 October 1879 at St Paul's Church, Hemel Hempstead.
On the 1881 Census he was living at his grandfather's house at Hobletts Cottages with his mother, uncle Arthur and aunt Emily and brother Charles. His grandfather, John, was working as a Shepherd and his mother and aunt were straw plaiters.
In September 1881 his mother married Joseph Edward Lee at St Paul's Church, Hemel Hempstead, but died in 1882 and on the 1891 Census 12 year old Harry was a boarder with Charles and Sarah Pugh at 58 Chapel Street, Hemel Hempstead and working as an agricultural labourer.
He joined the Militia in April 1894, although only 16, but he appeared older and gave his age as 18 years and 4 months. He served for two and a half years but bought himself out with a forfeit of £1 and left the Militia in 1897.
Harry married Jane Lee on 25 December 1897 at St Paul's Church, Hemel Hempstead. Jane was the niece of his step-father Joseph Lee and Jane's brother Frederick was married on the same day to Jane Mitchell.
Harry and his family lived in Adeyfield where he worked as a bricklayer, and they had five children, Minnie (b.1898), George Henry (b.1900), Charles (b.1903), Sidney (b.1906) and Ivy (b.1910)
On the 1911 Census (records incomplete) they were living at 7 Adeyfield Cottages, Hemel Hempstead and there were 4 males and 3 females in the household. At the time of enlistment he was said to be working for John Dickinson & Co, Apsley Mills.
(N.B. His widow later lived at 2 Adeyfield Terrace, Hemel Hempstead and in 1939 was living at Bury Lodge, Hemel Hempstead with her son Sidney as head gardener, and died in 1941 aged 63.)
Wartime Service
Harry was called up and enlisted in Hemel Hempstead in July 1916, being posted to the Suffolk Regiment. He was sent to Felixstowe for basic training and sent to France in early 1917, then being posted to the 12th Battalion. He joined his unit in May at Gouzeaucourt, south of Cambrai, France.
He spent the next few months in support trenches or training, then preparing for the Cambrai offensive which began on 20 November 1917 in an attempt to capture the town which was an important supply point for the Hindenburg Line.
The 12th Battalion was ordered to attack Bourlon Village on the third day of the offensive but soon encountered heavy machine gun fire from German positions and eventually had to withdraw due to stiff resistance. Harry was killed in action on 24 November 1917, aged 40, during the Battle of Cambrai. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France.
Additional Information
His widow received at war gratuity of £5 10s and pay owing of £7 8s 11d. Although a pension card exists, there is no indication of the amount of pension paid.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.co.uk, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
