Photo: CLS Heritage Group
34256 Gunner
C. Byrne
Royal Field Artillery
2nd January 1915 Age 31
R.I.P.
Charles was born at Berwick on Tweed and was the son of the late Michael and Maria Byrne, of Berwick-on-Tweed.
The Chester-le-Street Chronicle 08/01/1915 reports:-
No Blame attaching to Driver for Berwick Man's Death.
A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned at Chester-le- Street, yesterday, when Deputy Coroner Shepherd held an inquest concerning the death of Charles Byrne, aged 36, a farrier in the Royal Field Artillery, who was killed on Saturday night.
James Byrne, a postman, of Berwick, gave evidence of identification, and said his brother at one time had a business of his own at Berwick. He sold it seven years ago, and witness had not seen him since.
John Henry Lumley said on Saturday, the dead man went into a public house at Pity Me, about eight o'clock in the morning, and they stayed there drinking until six at night. Byrne paid for all of the drinks. They were drunk, but not incapable.
Byrne said he was going to Berwick to see his sisters. Later the man was warned by the driver of a motor bus to keep on the footpath or he would be run over. A few minutes later he was knocked down by a motor bus going at the rate of about six miles an hour.
Part of Byrne's head was cut off. A bottle of whisky was found in his pocket. The jury said there was no blame attaching to the driver.
Berwickshire News 12/01/1915 reports:-
The soldier who was killed on Saturday night between Chester-le-Street and Durham by a motor car has now been identified. He is Charles Byrne whose parents reside at Berwick and who for six years worked as a blacksmith for Mr Green, Spennymoor before he joined the Royal Field Artillery. He had formerly a blacksmith's shop in Weddell's Lane Berwick.
Charles Byrne is not remembered on a North East War Memorial.
