Name
Thomas Charteris
9 October 1869
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/09/1915
45
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Yorkshire Regiment
A Coy. 10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 44 and 45.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, Westminster City School War Memorial
Pre War
Thomas Charteris was born in Pimlico, Belgravia, London on 9 October 1869, the eldest son of David and Mary Charteris and baptised on 7 November 1869 at Oxendon Presbyterian Church, Camden. He had younger brothers James and David and sisters Mary and Janet but sadly both girls died at a young age. On the 1871 Census Thomas and his parents were listed as living at Worcester Street, Belgravia where his father was working as a joiner. They moved to 79 Page Street, Westminster in 1881 when his father's occupation was a builder. They moved again by 1891 to 65 Jeffreys Road , Westminster and his father was then described as a builder and contractor. Thomas was then working as a clerk in his father's business.
Thomas was educated at Westminster City School, London.
He married Minnie Dinwoodie on 26 March 1896 at Putney, London. They had three daughters, Laura, Mary and Margaret.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Briar Walk, Putney but had moved to Berkhamsted by 1911 and were living at 'Dinwoodie' Greens Dyke Road at which time Thomas was working as a quantity surveyor in his own business.
Wartime Service
He volunteered his services at the outbreak of war and was gazetted Captain with the 10th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment on 9 November 1914.
He sailed to France in command of A Company on 9 September 1915, arriving at Boulogne the following day. He was killed in action at the Battle of Loos on 26 September 1915, aged 45. The Battalion, having reached a captured German trench near the top of Hill 70 and a further advance being ordered, the men were met by heavy fire and he leapt on to the parapet and led them forward, but only ran a few yards when he was killed. He was one of 39 men from the 10th Battalion who were killed in the attack on that day, the majority of whom are named on the Loos Memorial, including Thomas Charteris.
Additional Information
His widow received pay owing of £66 1s 2d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.masonicgreatwarproject.org.uk, www.ww1-yorkshires.org.uk
