Photo : Bacon and Co
Photo : International War Graves Project
Medal Index Card
George was born in 1891 at Choppington, Morpeth, Northumberland. He was the eldest son of John Charlton, and Ann Fenwick Charlton (née Hedley). They were married in 1884 in the Hexham area. His father was a teacher, and the family lived at the School House, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland.
In 1901 they were residing at Willow Bridge Cottage, Choppington, Northumberland and in 1911 at the School House, Seaton Deleval, Northumberland.
He had one brother, William Godfrey and two sisters, Martha Hilda and Elizabeth Armstrong. William also fought in the war, and died near Warlencourt, Somme, on the 26th August 1918.
Reg. Hornsby has provided the following:
Captain George Fenwick Hedley Charlton
Unit: 10th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, 115th Brigade, 38th Division
Home / Base prior to enlistment: Seaton Delaval,
Killed in action aged 24 on Friday, 6th October 1916
Interred Bedford House Cemetery, Zillebeke, Ieper (Ypres), Belgium
Supplementary Notes:
1. The only brother of Capt. Charlton fell near Warlencourt (Somme) on 26th August 1918
2. The 10th Battalion (the 1st Gwent [Colliers and Ironworkers] Pals) was operating in the Ypres Salient at the time of Capt. Charlton’s death.
Morpeth Herald 22/12/1916 carries an obituary:
Official intimation has been received to the effect that Captain G.F.H. Charlton, South Wales Borderers, elder son of Mr and Mrs John Charlton, School House, Seaton Delaval, was killed in action on October 7.
Captain Charlton was educated at Morpeth Grammar School, where he held a Governors Exhibition and graduated at Durham University, taking his degree of BSc in mining engineering at Armstrong College in 1913, where he was also a member of the Officers’ Training Corps.
When war broke out he held a mining appointment in South Wales, and joined the South Wales Borderers as a private. In two months he had his commission, and three months later was gazetted Captain. He obtained his company command just prior to the battalion’s departure for the front, riding at the head of his men of [sic] the first time when Queen Mary reviewed the division at Winchester.
He was in the recent severe fighting and lost his life at the head of his men while on a night raid on the German trenches.
While at Armstrong College he obtained his colours for cricket and athletics, taking part in a sensational finish for the three miles team race. He also played in the winning Engineers team for the Engineering Football Cup.
He was 24 years of age, and a grandson of the late Mr G.F. Hedley of Hexham.
George Fenwick Hedley Charlton is remembered at Seaton Delaval on S7.03S7.04 and S7.10 at Durham in D47.151 page 17, and at Newcastle on NUT009 and NUT063
