Heslop's Local Advertiser
Vlamertinge New Military Cemetery
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Charles George Alderson was born at West Hartlepool, County Durham, in 1885 the youngest of 2 sons and a daughter, born to George Alderson born 1856 at West Hartlepool and Hannah Spencer of Pakefield, Suffolk born 1861. They were married at West Hartlepool in 1883 and living at 13, Back Stranton Place, Stranton in 1901, where George was employed as a butcher. Charles George did not take up his father’s trade, he chose instead to work as a labourer. In 1902 their daughter Winifred born in 1897 died aged 4 years old, George Alderson died in 1906. In 1911 his brother James William was a cadet studying at the Salvation Army Congress Hall, Lower Clapham, London.
Charles George was living at 12, Durham Street, West Hartlepool when he enlisted, March 2nd 1916. He was part of the reserves until he was called up, February 28th 1917, assigned as Private 42598 to the 20th Territorial Battalion and by March 2nd 1917 he had been transferred to the 80th Territorial Battalion. Soon after, April 7th 1917, he married at Christ Church, Felling, Dorothy Jane Barnes, known as Dora, native of Felling and where they lived at 10, Redmayne Street. June 8th 1916 he departed as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France, via Folkestone landing at Boulogne and was at the depot at Etaples by the 19th. June 24th 1917 he was transferred as Private 27791 to the 1st/4th Battalion King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment attached to the 164th Brigade, 55th Division. The regiment had been on the Western Front since 1914, he joined them July 20th 1917 in the field on the salient in Belgium where they participated July 31st-August 2nd at the Battle of Pilkem Ridge, the opening attack of the 3rd Battle of Ypres and at the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, September 20th-26th 1917.
Private 27791 Charles George Alderson was killed in action September 16th 1917 during day to day trench warfare. His body was taken to Vlamertinghe and buried at the Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, 5 kilometres from Ypres, Belgium, which had been begun in anticipation of the Allied offensive launched on that part of the front line in July 1917. He is at rest grave IX. G. 3. and was 37 years old.
March 22nd 1918 his widow had returned to her his personal possessions consisting of; 1 wallet, letters, photographs, card, cloth bound book. April 8th 1918 she was given a pension of 13 shillings 9 pence a week. Private Alderson was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to Dora who was still living at 10, Redmayne Street, Felling, County Durham.
There were no children born from their union, she may have remarried in 1920 to George O. Young at Gateshead.
Charles George’s brotherJames William Alderson also served on the Western Front, having enlisted and served in the South African campaign he was an experienced soldier and left with the first wave on the declaration of war, August 14th 1914. Assigned as Private 8726 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, 9th Brigade, 3rd Division, he was killed in action November 11th 1914 during the First Battle of Ypres, October 19th-November 30th 1914. His name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ypres, Belgium, commemorating those who died on the salient 1914 to August 15th 1917. Awards 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He was 31 years old and single.
At the conclusion of WW1 Hannah Alderson nee Spencer was the only surviving member of her direct family. She did not remarry and died in 1939, registered in the district of West Hartlepool.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop's Local Advertiser for Dec. 1917 carries an "In Memoriam" notice:
"Private Charles George Alderson, King's Own Royal Lancasters, killed in action, Sept. 16th, aged 31 years. Husband of Dora Alderson (nee Barnes), Felling.
Charles George Alderson is remembered at Hartlepool on H115.30 and at West Hartlepool on W111.54 and W111.86 He is not found on a Felling Memorial
