Name
Charles Huntingford Bonaker
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
42025
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Machine Gun Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Charles Bonaker was not recorded in the records for Abbots Langley. He and his brother Hugh Bonaker were discovered when researching their brother William Bonaker. Charles was born on 19th July 1874 at Kings Langley. He was one of eight children born to John and Louisa Bonaker. His brothers William and Hugh both served in the Great War. In the 1881 Census the family was recorded living at Temple Villas at Abbots Langley. John Bonaker worked as a Saddler. By the time of the 1891 Census Charles had moved from the family home and was lodging with Ambrose and Annie Bridgeman, a Sewing Machine Agent, at 332 Kennington Road, Lambeth, and he worked as a Butcher’s Apprentice. In August 1902 the UK Railway Employment Records showed that he was employed by the Great Western Railway, at Paddington Station, but failed to give details of this employment.
By 1909 Charles had moved back to Abbots Langley. In the November 2009 issue of “The Villager” newspaper an article explained that Charles had served as the first Scout Master for the Abbots Langley Scout Troop, and was in attendance at their inaugural meeting on 19th June 1909.
Charles was not recorded in the 1911 Census, and this may have been because he had emigrated to New Zealand. His brother Hugh was recorded in the UK Outward Passenger Lists sailing from London to Wellington New Zealand on 19th August 1910 aboard SS “Corinthic”.
Charles married his wife Constance at some point between arriving in New Zealand and sailing from Wellington on 26th April !917. He had enlisted with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and was transported to Plymouth aboard the HMNZT “Turakina”. Charles was part of the 25th Reinforcement, Specialist Company, and was a member of a Machine Gun Company. He arrived at Plymouth on 20th July 1917 and served on the Western Front.
Charles Bonaker survived the War and returned to live in Australia, where he died in 1946. His wife Constance was living at 105 Kent Street, Flemington, Victoria throughout the War, and may have been of Australian nationality.
His elder brother William served with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and was taken prisoner at the siege of Kut, in Mesopotamia. He subsequently died in a Turkish Prisoner of War camp in Baghdad on 30th December 1916. His younger brother, Hugh, also served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and survived the War.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
