Name
Hugh Vaughan Charlton
10th Apr 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/06/1916
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Northumberland Fusiliers
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LA LAITERIE MILITARY CEMETERY
VI. A. 7.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
ALSO TO HIS BROTHER CAPT. J.M. CHARLTON 21ST NORTHUMBERLAND FUS. KILLED 1-7-16 AT LA BOISSELLE
UK & Other Memorials
Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham, Lanercost Priory, Cumbria, St Pauls Knightsbridge, London, Marton, Cleveland, Arnstrong College, N-u-T
Pre War
Hugh was born in Middlesex, and was the son of John, a renowned painter, and Kate Macfarlane Charlton. He had one brother, John Macfarlan Charlton, who also died in the war and is also commemorated on the Armstrong College Memorial.
Hugh was educated at The Mount, Northallerton, Aldenham School, Hertfordshire and Armstrong College, Newcastle -upon-Tyne where he studied Art. He joined OTC while at Armstrong and Hugh received his commission in August 1915 as Second Lieutenant in the Northumberland Fusiliers, 7th Battalion.
Wartime Service
He entered France on 13th March 1916.
Hugh was killed in action on 24th June 1916 aged 32 in West-Vlaanderen, Heuvelland, Belgium. He was struck by a bomb from a trench mortar near Whychaate. Seven days later, his younger brother John ( Capt. 21st Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers) was also killed in action at La Boiselle on the first day of the Somme.
His obituary was published on 1 September 1916 in “British Birds” journal (along with obituary to his brother John MacFarlane Charlton):
"LIEUTENANT HUGH VAUGHAN CHARLTON, NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS – Fell in action near Whychaate, on June 24th, 1916, struck by a bomb from a trench mortar. He was thirty-two years of age, and joined the Armstrong College O.T.C., receiving his commission in August of last year. He also, was a clever ornithologist, and the brothers worked much together, though Hugh’s inclinations leaned towards animal painting, for which he studied in Newcastle, Edinburgh and London. Birds were his speciality; his work was very artistic and he had a fine sense of colour and beauty in nature and in art, and was a sound critic. His paintings had already been hung in exhibitions in the cities where he had carried on his studies. One of his pictures, “The Home of the Dipper,” was exhibited in the Royal Academy of 1912.
As an officer he had earned warm tributes of affection from his Colonel and comrades, he devoted all his energies to his military duties, and, what makes his death doubly sad, is the knowledge that he had, a few days before, received an important appointment on the Staff."
Biography
Additional Information
Mrs. J A Charlton, Milton Villa, Brampton, Cumberland ordered the headstone's inscription: ALSO TO HIS BROTHER CAPT. J.M. CHARLTON 21ST NORTHUMBERLAND FUS. KILLED 1-7-16 AT LA BOISSELLE"
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
