Category: Military
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment or Ship: 2nd Home Counties Field Company Royal Engineers
Service Number(s): (T) 964
Occupation: Omnibus Driver
Date of Birth: 1891
Place of Birth: Soho, London
Date of Death: 30.06.1915
Place of Death: France
Place of Burial / Memorials:
Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord. I.D. 73
The Memorial details read:- “Son of Joshua and Maria Barlow, of London; husband of Lilian Barlow, of 49 Hawarden Road, Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow, Essex.”
Address: 6 Church Street, Bexhill Old Town
Photos and newspaper articles
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Family Information
Parents: Joshua Barlow (1857-1913) and Maria Barlow (1854-1932).
In 1911 Joshua, Maria, and Charles were living at 33 Deans Street, Soho. Joshua was working as a Caretaker in a church and Charles was working as a Theatre Attendant.
Charles married Lilian Kett in the first quarter of 1914 in West Ham, Essex. They had one child, a daughter, Marie Lilian.
First World War Experience
Charles’ service records have not survived but we can glean quite a lot about him from an article in one of the local newspapers. It reads:-
“Death of Lance Corporal Barlow
We regret to state that on Sunday morning news was received of the death of Lance Corporal Barlow, of the 2nd Home Counties, Royal Engineers – Major A. C. Ticehurst’s regiment – from wounds received on June 29th. Death occurred on June 30th, the wounds having been received from shrapnel. The news of his death was contained in a communication received by his widow, from Private Arthur Cross, who was in the same regiment. Before his enlistment in Ticehurst’s regiment, L/C Barlow, a driver of the Sidley and Little Common omnibus, and having previously served in the Territorial’s (in a electrical engineering company) responded promptly to the call, joined ‘The Terriers’ and left for France with them from Southampton on December 22nd.
Mr. Barlow, who was 24 years of age, was only recently married. The last letter his young wife received from him was a cheery one, hoping he should soon be home, and speaking of their little daughter, Marie Lilian, 3½ months old, who he had never seen, she having been born after he left for France. Mrs. Barlow lives with Mrs. Barlow, senior, who was dependant also on the deceased, at 6 Church Road, Old Town.
A communication has been received by Mrs. Barlow from one of the chaplains of the hospital in which death took place. He states that the injuries the deceased received paralyzed him, and he was not able to speak much, but he (the chaplain) prayed with him to the last, and the dying man tried so far as he could, to join in.
The following has been received from Major Ticehurst, R.E., by Mrs. Barlow. It was evidently written before the dangerous nature of the wounds was understood.
‘I do not know the nature of the wound, but understand that it is not very serious. Cross, one of my men, has seen him, and written to you. I sincerely trust he will be all right, and you can rest assured that everything possible will be done for him by the hospital authorities. If I can possibly find out anything as t how he is getting on I will let you know as I am always doing my utmost to look after the welfare of all the men in my command.
Hope you will hear good news of him and if so shall be extremely pleased to hear from you so to how he gets on. We hear very little up here when once they leave us.
Yours very sincerely A. Cecil Ticehurst, Major R.E. ‘
Charles received the Victory Medal, the British War Medal, and the 15 Star.