Name
Thomas Charles, (Charles) Trussell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Royal Engineers
331st RC (Road Construction?) Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pirton School Memorial
Biography
Charles appears on the School War Memorial, confirming that he attended the school. When trying to identify the correct man there initially appeared to be two possibilities, both from the same family. However, it seems that the older son died at a very young age. The subsequent discovery of a service record confirmed the man who served to be Thomas Charles, the son of George and Elizabeth Trussell (née Roberts)(*1). In all it would appear that two brothers served and survived - refer to Arthur Trussell for more family details.
Thomas Charles may well have been known as Charles, as it was not uncommon to be known by a middle name, particularly it seems when an older sibling of the same name had died. Census records provide evidence that this was the case here, as in later censuses Thomas is listed as Charles.
Charles married Beatrice Ruth Burton in 1907 and in 1911 was living with his wife in his parents-in-law’s home and working as a postman. By the time war came in 1914 Beatrice was pregnant and in 1915 their daughter Phyllis Rose was born. ime war came in 1914 Beatrice was pregnant and in 1915 their daughter Phyllis Rose was born.
The Parish Magazine of February 1917 records Charles Trussell as ‘having been called up since our last list was published’, and the Parish Magazine of June 1917 records him as serving in the Post Office Rifles. In fact, he was ‘deemed to have enlisted’ on June 24th 1916, but was not called to service until January 17th 1917. He damaged his ankle the day before, but an X-Ray confirmed that it was not broken. He was, however, unable to march for some time. Initially he was Private 374741 in the 8th London Regiment, who were also known as the Post Office Rifles – obviously because of his job this may have been his preference, but he was transferred to the Royal Engineers (RE) on April 27th 1917 and embarked for France on June 1st 1917. By the end of March 1918, he had been appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal in the 331st Company, RE in the Department of Roads. The Absent Voters’ List of 1918 recorded him as Lance Corporal 24158 (should be 21155?) Royal Engineers, with his home address as ‘near Great Green’.
He was given UK leave in August 1918, then returned to France where he remained until March 1919. He was demobilised in April from the 331st RC(?) Company, RE and, under the document headed ‘Trade and Special Qualifications’, was recorded as ‘Proficient road foreman’.
It seems that he continued to live in Pirton after the war, as he is buried in St. Mary’s Church yard. He died January 21st 1950, aged sixty-nine.
*1 In the 1880's there were two sets of George and Elizabeth Trussells recorded in the village. One couple were Charles’ parents, the other were the parents of George Thomas Trussell, who died in the war and is listed on the Village War Memorial.
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
