Name
Charles Richard Wroot
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Bandsman
Hampshire Regiment
2nd Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Charles Wroot was not recorded in any of the Abbots Langley records. His link with Abbots Langley was noted from an internet message contributed by his grand-son on the Great War Forum website.
Charles ran away from Leavesden Orphanage in January 1915, and joined the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment as a Bandsman, at the age of 15. Routinely the Orphanage trained boys for a career in the Army and Navy, and also trained them to play musical instruments. Charles played the French Horn. As a 15 year old he was able to join the Regiment Band, but was not able to serve abroad, being under age. The Great War Forum message noted that whilst he served at Home throughout the War, being under age he did not qualify for any Great War medals.
Charles was sent to Ireland and served during the “troubles” in the years after the War. He remained a Bandsman, and in 1921 near Youghal in Northern Ireland, he survived an incident when the IRA exploded a bomb under a bridge as the Band marched across. Eleven men were killed and nineteen wounded.
Charles was born in the autumn of 1899 at St Pancras. He was one of seven children (six sons and one daughter) born to Edwin and Emma Wroot. At the time of the 1901 Census the family lived at 36 Wellesley Road, St Pancras. His father worked as a Pianoforte Maker.
Two of his brothers were regular soldiers before the Great War. In the 1911 Census his brother John was shown serving with the 1st Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and was based at Hong Kong, and his brother Alfred had joined up at the age of 15 in 1909.
His father died in 1901 and his Mother died in 1902. In the 1911 Census Charles was listed as an Inmate in an Institution – presumably Leavesden Orphanage.
Charles Wroot survived the War.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
