Name
Charles Titmuss (2)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
349668
Labour Corps
711th Army Education Corps
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pirton School Memorial - see text
Biography
There is a question mark over the number of men called Charles Titmuss who served. There are two Charles Titmuss' listed on the School War Memorial, confirming that two men definitely served and both went to the school. Various Parish Magazines refer to one who served in the Royal Field Artillery (RFA), and the late Edna Titmuss recalled that one joined up in 1915 and served in the Transport Corps. She also thought that, at some time, he suffered from Malaria and that in 1918 he went to Ireland. So, some of this information is contradictory and appears to be transposed between the two men identified here, and some cannot definitely be attributed to either of the men. It is possible that there could be a third Charles Titmuss who served. However, the only other potential Charles Titmuss identified so far was the son of Matthew and Eliza (née Weeden). This would mean that he would have been about forty-two at the outbreak of war, and probably too old to have served unless he had previous military service. At present, the information available is not considered strong enough evidence to confirm a third man and so, at this time, the reference to the RFA is considered to be spurious.
The text to the Charles Titmuss above identifies one man who served, but as there are two Charles Titmuss' listed on the School War Memorial, two men served and both went to the school. The 1918 Absent Voters’ List helped identify the second. This confirms that this Charles lived in the Blacksmith’s Arms (opposite the Blacksmiths Pond in the High Street). The 1901 census records that Frank and Elizabeth Titmuss (probably Emily Elizabeth, née Chamberlain) had a son, Charles, and were living near the Blacksmith’s Arms. For this reason it is fairly conclusive that their son is the second Charles Titmuss who served. He was born on May 2nd 1885 to Frank and Emily Elizabeth, and so he would have been nineteen at the outbreak of war. In trying to name their children, there may be some confusion as some have their parents named as Frank and Emily and others as Frank and Elizabeth. However, it is believed that they are the same couple and, if so, the baptism records list seven children: Ellen (b 1882), Charles (b 1885), Frank (b 1887), Kate Ethel (b 1893), Clara (b 1883), Frederick (b 1889) and Emily (b 1891). His brother Frederick also served and survived.
By 1918, he was recorded as acting Lance Corporal 349668, 711th A.E.C. (Army Education Corps), Labour Corps, with his home address the same as his brother Frederick’s, the Blacksmith’s Arms (opposite the Blacksmiths Pond).
He died May 19th 1944, aged fifty-nine, and is buried in St. Mary’s churchyard. His monument records him as a husband and father, his wife being Jane Titmuss who died July 18th 1980 aged eighty-seven.
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
