Medal Card
Tyneside Irish Badge
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
Peter Alexander Charters was born in 1896 at Gateshead, County Durham. His parents were Robert Charters from Galashiels, Scotland and Janet (Jessie) Alexander Charters (nee Hinshelwood) from Jedburgh Scotland.
In 1901, when Peter was 5 years old, his family lived at 32, Frank Street, Benwell, Northumberland where his father was a railway porter. Siblings in the house at this time included Robert James 6 and Elizabeth aged 3.
The 1911 Census shows his parents had been married for 18 years and were living at 13, Hewitt Street, Gateshead, County Durham, in three rooms where his father was employed as a railway porter. Peter at this time Peter was 15 years old and working in the coal mines as a pony driver.
Military records confirm Peter was born at Gateshead, enlisted at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 12/11/1914 and was a Lance Corporal in C Company. Peter took part in trench raids on 5/6 & 25/26 June 1916 and was also shown to be a Bomber in the 9th Battalion.
On his death his effects went to his mother, an indication he was probably not married. CWGC documents show Peter was ‘the son of R and Janet A Charters of 36, Gordon Street, Gateshead’. Information in the John Sheen book Tyneside Irish includes an address at 20, Gordon Street Gateshead. Additionally, his brother Robert James 24/882 was a Corporal also in C Company. He enlisted on the same day as Peter and died on 14 Feb 1917.
Peter Alexander Charters is remembered in Gateshead on G39.004 page 21 and in our list of Tyneside Irish
