WEST MIDLANDS POLICE GREAT WAR MEMORIAL SITE
CHARLES LAMBERT HARRISON
Charles
was born in 1892 in Hackney, London and enlisted with the 1st Bttn of the
Grenadier Guards after leaving school, and having served his time he left the
army on reserve and became an asylum attendant. By 1911 Charles was still
in London, working as a cook, but moved to Birmingham to join the Birmingham
City Police on 10th June 1913 aged 22, serving on ‘A’ Division with warrant
number 8332. He was recalled to the Guards on 5th August 1914. The
1st Grendaier Guards left for France, from Southampton, on 4th October 1914
aboard the S.S. Armenia and the S.S. Turcoman, arriving in France the same day
and marching to billets at St Andre. On 9th October 1914 the battalion entrained
at Ostend and transferred to Ghent, moving by stages to Ypres arriving on 14th
October 1914. On 19th October 1914 the battalion attacked Kruiseecke but were
forced to retire to a line running from Kruiseecke to the Ypres-Menin
Crossroads. The following days these positions were continually attacked by the
Germans but the line was held until 27th October, when the battalion was moved
to bivouacs in Sanctuary Wood. It was during this withdrawal, undoubtedly
done under fire, that Charles was killed. He has no known grave and is
commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres.
CHARLES HOLTOM
Charles
was born in 1891 to Charles and Alice Holtom, residing at 14 Conybere Street,
Balsall Heath, Birmingham. His father was a carriage lamp maker and his
mother a seamstress. In 1901 they also had a lodger, Walter Cole, who
worked with Charles Snr.
Charles had a younger brother, Ernest, born in December 1892.
Charles joined the Birmingham City Police on 14th August 1914, at the age of 23,
appointed to the 1st Special Police Reserve and was assigned to work in the
Chief Constable's Office in Corporation Street, Birmingham.
His brother, Ernest, joined the army on 19th October 1916 and served in France
in the Motor Transport section of the Army Service Corps.
On St Georges Day in 1918 Charles enlisted in the army, joining the Grenadier
Guards. This was a month after the German Spring Offensive and St Georges
Day would have seen great efforts to recruit new soldiers, using the current
crisis to best effect. As Guardsman 33265 Charles enlisted in Chelsea
barracks, but served the remaining months of the war in the UK and never reached
France, thus did not qualify for any medals. He was demobbed on 22nd
February 1919, transferred to Z Army Reserve and rejoined the Birmingham City
Police.
Ernest also survived the war, albeit after fracturing his ribs when he fell off
a lorry in October 1918, being transferred to the Army Reserve in March 1919.
JESSE HUGHES
Jesse
was born in St Asaph, Henllan, Denbighshire in 1888 and was the son of the
Sexton of Henllan Church, Thomas Hughes and wife Jane. He had five brothers,
Robert, Hugh, Edward, Thomas and William, and a sister, Mary.
Jesse worked for the blacksmith, Mr Cartwright, at the Plough Inn, Denbigh until
he joined Birmingham City Police in 1913, aged 25. He served on the ‘D’ Division
with warrant number 8392 and collar number D239 and he resigned from the force
on 25th May 1915 to join his brither, Robert, in enlisting in the army, both
being assigned to 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. Jesse and Robert arrived in
France in August 1915, in time to be involved in the Battle of Loos, through
which they came unscathed.
By June 1916 the brothers were in the Ypres Salient and, on 21st June, a shell
explosion killed Robert instantly and slightly wounded Jesse. Robert is
buried in Brandhoek Military Cemetery, Ypres.
At the end of November 1917, Jesse's battalion was moved into Bourlon Wood
during the Battle of Cambrai, to act as close support to the Guards Division
attack on Fontaine-Notre-Dame on the 27th. The attack suffered heavy
losses, meaning all supporting battalions, including Jesse's, were sent forward
to reinforce the ground taken. Throughout the following day the battalion
retained possession of the lines although the Germans continually bombarded the
area causing numerous casualties, including Jesse, probably killed by the German
barrage. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial.