PLEASE ARCHIVE - Gravestone of Charles Joseph Brookes

[mallosa]

Connects to Mumbles

https://www.tribalpages.com/tribe/brows ... =709777638

[mallosa]

according to the inscription, he died on the 18th July 1937

Mumbles, his Will has his birth as the 19th July

[mumbles]

I knew his mother Susan quite well as used to see her in Malt Mill Lane every Sunday with my father . We used to call her Old Aunt Sue as against young Aunt Sue who was my fathers sister. My father used to walk past her house quickly as he was frightened to death of her
I cannot understand point you are making about date of birth as bcc has 1913 which ties up with 25 years on grave

[mumbles]

His fathers War Record has his date of Birth as 23/1/1913

[mallosa]

according to the inscription, he died on the 18th July 1937

Mumbles, his Will has his birth as the 19th July

So sorry Mumbles, I meant say.....
The information you added from his Will has his date of death as the 19th July 1937 and not the 18th as stated on the inscription. It could be a mistake of course, don't you think?

[mumbles]

Charles Joseph Brookes father Charles Edward Brookes died in WW1 and his sister Sarah Brookes married a Stephen Henshaw who also died in WW1 ,
All are on Bcc. I have a lot of info about Henshaw and Brookes family since Sarah lived to a good age and family exchanged info with me.
Eldest brother of Charles Edward and Sarah was Edward Brookes who died in Coal Mine in 1928 and he was my grandfather

[mallosa]

yes Mumbles and here he is - https://www.tribalpages.com/tribe/brows ... ver=513714

[mallosa]

Charles Joseph Brookes father Charles Edward Brookes died in WW1 and his sister Sarah Brookes married a Stephen Henshaw who also died in WW1 ,
All are on Bcc. I have a lot of info about Henshaw and Brookes family since Sarah lived to a good age and family exchanged info with me.
Eldest brother of Charles Edward and Sarah was Edward Brookes who died in Coal Mine in 1928 and he was my grandfather

Stephen Henshaw Died in Battle of Langemark Flanders and was wounded on 16/8/1917 and lay on Battlefield for 6 days before removed to Casualty Clearing Station where he died of wounds

How sad!

[mumbles]

From Family records

Stephen Henshaw died of his wounds, but not before having been found by his nephew who was a Stretcher Bearer in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Always wondered who his nephew was

[mallosa]

It would be amazing if you could find out!

[mumbles]

Just found in family records a A4 picture of Charles Edward Brookes in Army Uniform
and a A4 picture of him in Uniform with his wife Susan and son Ted and a daughter aged about 3 and his sister Emma Louisa Brookes in a garden
Charles Edward Brookes married Susan Parsons and her sister Ellen Parsons married Charles Edward Brookes brother Edward Brookes my grandfather

[mallosa]

That's fantastic Mumbles!!

https://www.tribalpages.com/tribe/brows ... ver=514252

Do you have access to those photos?

[mumbles]

Yes and Photo of Stephen Henshaw and his family in his army uniform with wife and three small children . All photos are paper copies but good quality

[mumbles]

HENSHAW
First name: STEPHEN
Date of Birth:
Date of death: 23/08/1917
Title: Private
Extra information: STEPHEN HENSHAW
Buckinghamhire Battallion OX
Bucks Light Infantry
who was wounded in the Battle Langemark August 16th 1917.
He lay wounded on these fields for six days.
He was found on August 22nd, 1917.
He was moved to Casualty Clearing Station 61, Dozinghem near the abbaye Sint-Sixtus at Westvleteren.
He died of his wounds on August 23rd 1917.
Aged 30 years.
He is buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery Plot III Row H 7.
Lovingly remembered by all his family.

Stephen Henshaw 204232

1/1 Buckinghamshire Battalion
Ox & Bucks Light Infantry

February 1917
Stephen Henshaw called to the Colours.

February to June 1917
In training at Hipswell Camp, Catterick, Yorkshire.

June/July 1917
Travelled to Rouen, France. Transferred from 2/4 Ox & Bucks
to 1/1 Bucks Battn on July 12th 1917.

July12th 1917
Joined Battn encamped at Bailleulval. Spent a week here, training for Third Ypres.

July 22nd 1917
Left camp at Bailleulval and marched to Mondicourt.
Travelled by train to Godwaersvelte on French Belgian border.
They then marched on to Houtkerque where they arrived
after a journey of over 19 hours. Here they spent one week reorganising for the forthcoming battle.

July 30th 1917
The Battn moved to School Camp, St Jan ter Biezin and arrived just as the artillery opened fire nearby at the start of the battle for Pilkem Ridge.

August 4th 1917
Battn moved via Poperinge to Dambre Camp, one mile north of Vlamertinghe. Described as “little field furrowed with deep channels, full of water, with knolls and shell holes everywhere
and a few leaky tents”.

5th August 1917
The battn went forward to relieve the Hertfordshires and Cheshires in the region of Hampshire Farm.

7th August 1917
Battn relieved 5th Gloucesters on the outskirts of St Juliaan and held the front line until they were relieved at 02.00, 9th August 1917. This short time in the trenches resulted
in the following casualties :- 2 Officers and 67 OR.

15th August 1917
Battn left Dambre camp and began their march to the front.
After “resting” at the banks of the Yser Canal, the battn continued on their way in pitch dark, through mud and under constant shell fire.

16th August 1917
The Battn arrived at the assembly tapes on the banks of the Steenbeek at 20 minutes before zero hour, which was at 04.45hrs. They had been on the move for 18 hours, through
appalling conditions and they were expected to go over the top and fight for their lives.
Much of the battalion was annihilated in the early stages. It seems Stephen Henshaw survived and was sent forth in a party of some 25 survivors to try and take Springfield Farm. Many were seen to fall as they passed Hillock Farm and a line of Gunpits. Six men (approx) were seen to reach Springfield Farm and four were seen to be led away as prisoners.

A letter to my Grandmother from a comrade reads:
“He was reported as missing,but is now reported as having died. He was a good soldier, he and the soldiers with him went right on to their objective and there they fought until only the
last one or two taken prisoner. I sympathise much with you in your sad loss and hope you find comfort in his gallant death.
Casualties for 16th August in Bucks Battn: 54 OR killed
35 missing
193 wounded
5 slightly wounded

Stephen Henshaw was hit by shrapnel which shattered his right leg. He took cover in a shell hole and there he lay for six days.

22nd August 1917
Stephen Henshaw was found alive and taken to the 1/3 South Midlands Field Ambulance based at Gwalia Farm.
Transferred to Casualty Clearing Station 61 Dozinghem (near St Sixtus Abbey, north west of Poperinge)

23rd August 1917
Stephen Henshaw died of his wounds, but not before having been found by his nephew who was a Stretcher Bearer in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Stephen is buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery.

He left a wife, Sarah, and three children, the youngest a baby aged eight months. Sarah Henshaw never remarried and died in 1971 aged 84 years. Of his children, Harold is now aged
95 years and the youngest child, Dora is 89 years. Ethel sadly died in 1998, aged 83 years, before this research began.

Sarah never saw her husband’s grave until she was given a photograph in the 1960’s. However, she never truly recovered from the grief of losing her husband.

[mallosa]

Yes and Photo of Stephen Henshaw and his family in his army uniform with wife and three small children . All photos are paper copies but good quality

Would you like those to be added to BCC?