Category: Military
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment or Ship: 20th Home Counties Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Service Number(s): 421; P/10380
Occupation: Porter
Date of Birth: 1892
Place of Birth: Twickenham, Middlesex
Date of Death: 22.03.1956
Place of Death: Highbury Hospital, Nottingham.
Address: 110 Windsor Road, Bexhill on Sea
Photos and newspaper articles
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Family Information
Parents: Gordon Charles Brett (1863-1907) and Elizabeth Jane Brett, nee Tegardine (1866-1892).
First World War Experience
Charles enlisted on 2nd April 1914. At the time he was 6’ tall, had a 35¼” chest (expanded by 2½), with poor vision but good physical development. He was employed as a Porter at Hampton’s, St. Leonards Road, Bexhill on Sea.
He was posted to France with the Expeditionary Forces on 21st December 1914 and returned to England on 1st May 1915 having been wounded. He sustained a shrapnel wound to his left thigh in 1915 and the following report was in a local newspaper:
“Gunner Charles Stuart Brett, formerly of the 6th Sussex Royal Field Artillery (T), now of the 20th Brigade RFA, has been through some heavy fighting at St. Eloi, Hill 60, Ypres, and was wounded at the latter place. His home is at Windsor-road, and he was formerly employed by Mr. Hampton, of St. Leonards-road.”
He was hospitalized for some time before being shipped home and he spent the rest of the war on home ground – staying in the army until 1920 when he was demobbed on 28h August of that year.
An interesting reference was given to him from the Central Hospital, Lichfield dated 12th December 1919 and it reads:
“I desire to bring to your notice the above mentioned N.C.O. as a result of observation of the manner in which he has carried out his duties in so far as this hospital is concerned.
Sgt. Brett is a most hard-working, conscientious and painstaking man. He is a thorough disciplinarian and well imbued with the true military spirit. He has always shown himself as most willing to do everything in his power and the manner in which he has carried out his duties has aided materially the presentation of discipline among the patients of this hospital.”
The researcher cannot find out what war medals Charles received but he was awarded the Good Conduct Badge on 5th August 1916. One assumes that he also received the usual ‘Pip, Squeak, and Wilfred’ as well as, maybe, the 1914/15 Star.
Charles’ probate record shows that he was living at 82 Lenton-boulevard, Nottingham, when he died and he left £1171-16s-2d to Kathleen Sheila Bell and Alan Robert Bell.