The Veterans on the Edge breakfasts didn’t begin with a plan to build a group or create a new community project. They began with a simple act of remembrance in 2024, when a small group of us joined the Friends of St James to clean and restore the headstones of thirteen World War I veterans […]
The Charfield Rail disaster of 1928 was a tragic event that claimed 16 lives, including two unknown children, making the memorial a poignant reminder for the community and holding deep historical and emotional value for residents. However, over time the surrounding dry-stone wall has become unsafe, partially collapsing in several sections, with ivy and other vegetation […]
Andrew W White Died 1955 Age Not Known Andrew was a Private in the 12th Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment. Records show he was wounded in action but continued to serve his Country. His grave, in the churchyard at St James’s in Charfield, was restored by Denice and Sharon who are both Army veterans themselves.
William Ivor Merrett . Died 1969 aged 74 William Ivor Merrett enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1929 and was a Cheif Petty Officer by the time he left. Serving in many ships such as HMS Achilles and the Victory. He was awarded the Long Service and Good conduct Medal as well and the Kings […]
Thomas Theophilus George Hignell Died 1937 aged 73 Thomas was a Boer War veteran, enlisting into the Royal Marines in 1881. Not much more could be found out about Thomas but he was the local Ironmonger in Charfield in 1925. This grave, which is in the old churchyard at St James’s Churchend, Charfield, was restored […]
29401 Private Ernest Albert Berry CLARK 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry Killed in action on 30 August 1918. Aged 19 yrs old. No Known Grave – commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial to the Missing Ernest Clark was born in early 1899 at Charfield. He was one of two sons and a daughter born to Ernest […]
This research and story is thanks to Graham Adams from Woodlands Road, found in archived material. The MILLARD family of Mill Lane also lost two sons. The elder JOE, a 32-year-old gunner with heavy artillery got cramp when swimming in a river behind the lines on 26 May 1917 and drowned. A keen member of […]
178447 Leading Seaman Francis George NEAL Royal Navy – HMS Monmouth Drowned at sea in action on 1 November 1914, aged 37. One of all 738 sailors of the ships company died that day. Probably known in the family as George, Francis George Neal was born at Tortworth on 17 December 1877: his parents were […]
511144 or 1311144, Gunner Percy William George Colborn, 85th Anti Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery Died as a Prisoner of War on the building of the Burma Railway, aged 24, 11th September 1942 Buried/Commemorated at Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand and commemorated on Charfield War memorial Percy’s father was a tile worker and he lived with his […]
17778 Private Albert Alexander HUGHES 17777 Private Harry HUGHES 2ndBattalion (A Company), Gloucestershire Regiment Aged 18 and 19. Killed in action on 9 May 1915 No known grave–commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing The stories of the Hughes brother are virtually inseparable. Albert Alexander, known as ‘Alex’, was the elder of the […]