Charles William Alderton (1890–1915), Private (1038) in “A” Company, 1st Battalion the Lancashire Fusiliers, was killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 aged 25. His death is recorded on the Helles Memorial in Turkey (panel 58-72 or 218-19). He is also commemorated on the Cambridge Guildhall war memorial and commemorated on this family grave.

Charles William Alderton
Charles William Alderton

Charles was born on 29 June 1890 in Cambridge. He was known as Charlie. In 1901, aged 11, Charles was severely cautioned by the local magistrates:

Cambridge Independent Press, Friday, 1 November 1901
BOTTISHAM PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY- Before Messrs. C. P. Allix, R. B. Jenyns, J. Clark, and Major Francis.
CAUTION TO BOYS. – Horace Stevenson (11), George Maskell (7), of Cherryhinton, Thomas Cowell (11) and Charles Alderton (11), of Cambridge, were charged with removing stone from Hills-road without the consent of the surveyor.
– Mr. Rowley, the surveyor, said the County Council had no wish to press for a conviction, but brought the case forward that it might be known through the schools the boys attended that throwing stones from the heaps must be stopped. – P.c. Sanford stated the facts to the Bench, and the Chairman severely cautioned the boys, and they were discharged.

Charles was the eldest of twelve children born to Charles Alderton and Lucy Alderton (née Maltby). He had joined the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1906 aged 16. By the time the First World War began he had spent 18 months in Ireland and seven years in India with the Army. Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War the Lancashire Fusiliers were based in Karachi, India. They then transferred to Aden, Yemen.

Towards the end of 1914 they transferred again back to Avonmouth, Bristol before they joined the 86th Brigade of the 29th Division at Nuneaton, Warwickshire for eleven weeks. During this time Charles was granted four days leave. On 16 March 1915 the company embarked for Gallipoli via Alexandria, Egypt. When Charles arrived at Alexandria there were approximately 200,000 troops from France, Canada, India and Britain. The regiment then left for Lemnos, Greece on 8 April. There they practised landing, outpost duties, route marching, and the attack.

On 23 April Charles wrote his last letter to his brother. He had also kept notes up until that point describing his movements. Charles was killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 aged 25. It was the first day of that campaign. He was awarded the 1914‒15 star campaign medal of the British Empire, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service. His death is recorded on the Helles Memorial in Turkey (panel 58‒72 or 218‒19). He is also commemorated on the Cambridge Guildhall war memorial and on this family grave. Charles was entitled to the 1914-1915 Star, Victory medal and British War medal.

Alderton newspaper report
Letter from Gallipoli

Alderton grave
Alderton monument

 

 

Lat Lon : 52.202391, 0.13852918 – click here for location

Parish: St Clement

See family grave page for more information

 

 

 

 

Sources:
War Graves Photographic Project
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshire/CambridgeGuildhall-WW1-A.html
www.forces-war-records.co.uk
www.ancestry.co.uk
Census returns for England: 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911
BMD
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar 1855-1966
Web: International, Find a Grave Index
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
UK, Soldiers, Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
Cambridge Independent Press, Friday, 4 June 1915
Cambridge Independent Press, Friday, 7 January 1916

By Emma Easterbrook and Ian Bent

Charles William Alderton