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Whilst sorting through some WW1 family papers I came across a postcard picture of the above, entitled "Hero of Mons Retreat". On the back is printed an extract from the Birmingham Evening Dispatch 24.8.1916. It seems he saved about 250 men from being taken prisoner at St. Quentin in 1914 by acting promptly and bringing reinforcements, despite many dangers.

It appears he was a Regular soldier, having been refused permission to go to the Boer War with his Regiment as he was only 17, but he stowed away in one of the first ships to go. For this he was punished in Cape Town (!) but went on to win the King's medal with 2 clasps and the Queen's medal with 5 clasps. In 1908 he took part in the Indian Frontier campaign for which he received a 3rd medal.

There is no mention of his family - is there anyone out there who recognises this brave character? He is not connected to me, but probably served with a relative of mine who was in the Royal Warks.

Have you looked to see if anyone has him in their tree by using the search boxes above?

I have looked at the Charman trees for around 1880-5 and they all seem to be in the south of england. Since this was published in a Birmingham newspaper, I thought that he was probably a local man.

here is a record in the right area, as you say, most are in the south

Marriages Mar 1911
> Charman Alfred Aston 6d 376
Davies George Aston 6d 376
Docker Emily Aston 6d 376
Ward Ada Aston 6d 376

only 1 Alfred Charman born 1881-1884 with no middle name

Births Jun 1883
CHARMAN Alfred Dorking 2a 137

which I think would fit the timeline?

This may be him in 1911



census - household transcription
Person: CHARMAN, Alfred
Institution: No 6 Regimental District Whittington Barracks, WHITTINGTON BARRACKS
Military details: Corporal 2 Bll R Warwickshire Regl

Cost:
You will be charged 10 credits for a transcript and 30 credits for an image, unless you have purchased a subscription for this set of records.


census search results all search results redefine current search
Name Relation Condition/
Yrs married Sex Age Birth
Year Occupation Where Born Original
census
image

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CHARMAN, Alfred Single ? 30 1881 Warwick Birmingham VIEW

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RG number:
RG14 Piece:
16889 Reference:
RG14PN16889 RD367 SD1 ED32 SN1

Registration District:
Lichfield Sub District:
Lichfield Enumeration District:
32 Parish:
Whittington

Address:
Whittington Lichfield County:
Staffordshire

a death in Birmingham

Name: Alfred Charman
Death Registration Month/Year: 1955
Age at death (estimated): 75
Registration district: Birmingham
Inferred County: Warwickshire
Volume: 9c
Page: 486

age at death is sometimes a round number if the informant was not sure

aha a birth that would match Ann's man and the death above

Births Sep 1880
CHARMAN Alfred Alcester 6d 637

Thank you all for the info. I think the Aston one is most likely him, as my relative in the Warks Reg. also came from Aston, so they maybe knew each other.

If that is him in Barracks 1911 on the night of 2nd April, then the March marriage does not fit??

Annx

Anyone got ancestry to search WW1 service records, they would hold the NOK if survived.

Annx

that is indeed true Ann ............. unless he didn't tell his superiors, or the person filling out the forms just didn't know, lol


if you will forgive me I am going to make that census info legible and succinct


CHARMAN, Arthur B Head Married M 26 1855 Needle Straightener Feckenham Worcestershire
CHARMAN, Ann Wife Married F 26 1855 Needle Maker Redditch Worcestershire
CHARMAN, John W Son Single M 4 1877 Feckenham Worcestershire
CHARMAN, Ada Daughter Single F 2 1879 Feckenham Worcestershire
CHARMAN, Alfred Son Single M 0 1881 Feckenham Worcestershire <<

Registration District: Alcester
Sub District: Feckenham
Civil Parish: Feckenham (Worcs)
Address: Redditch Road, Feckenham (Worcs)
County: Warwickshire


Carol those are names you can search familyi trees for here at this website

there are several Alfred Charmans in wwi service records but none with birth county or residence in the right area

there are two medal cards for him at Ancestry, with regimental numbers 6061 and 6856 (Royal Warwickshire Regiment)

nothing to match in service or pension records

there were births to the 1911 marriage

Births Dec 1912
CHARMAN Olga M Docker Aston 6d 835
Births Jun 1916
Charman Maisie Docker Aston 6d 988

and someone does have Olga in a tree here at this website

Crikey Chrissie.......bl**dy succinct! lol

I will now scurry away bone head bowed low and delete! sobs!

Annx

the delete key is your friend, lol

if only my house were as neat as my postings ...........

Phew you lot! You've certainly given me a plenty to go at. Meantime, I've found some Charman births in B'ham for the period 1914-1923, including one in Aston, by searching Charman trees, so now will endeavour to contact them and find out what happened to our hero (good-looking guy with lovely curly hair!).

Thanks everyone

You have limited your tree search to 1914-1923 .... Olga who appears to be daughter of (an) Alfred was born 1912 and is in a tree here as I noted above, just in case you didn't notice .........

Thanks - I did see her - and also an Olga in 1918 on someone's tree. Will have to call it a night - my bedtime is nigh - so will resume tomorrow.

Good night all and thanks again!

Carol,

If you are determined to unite the documents with the said family, why not send for the death cert which will at least bring you forward to 1955, maybe a useful address, or even perhaps a grandchild registering the death.

Annx

I also have the postcard of Alfred Charman, hero of the Mons retreat, with his story on the back from an article of his life written by the Birmingham Evening Mail. I picked it up in a thrift store in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada last year. With it are quite a few postcards written to a Phyllis McGuire who was living in Sparkhill, Birmingham in 1916, and later in Small Heath. By 1918 she had moved to Nelson, BC and the last card was sent to her in Moose Jaw, Sask. Canada. I am interested in knowing if Alfred Charman and Phyllis were related, since she had obviously kept all the cards for a very long time.As some of your replies indicate it seems that Alfred Charman was born in Aston, Birmingham in 1880, and was married there in 1911. I understand that a Phyllis McGuire was also born in Aston in 1902.

I also was born in Birmingham, went to school in Sparkhill and later taught in Aston. After I emigrated to Canada in 1966 my husband and I lived for several years in Nelson, a town with a population of only 10,000. Then I lived in Abbotsford, where I picked up the cards, for many years. It almost seems as though Phyllis a I went along the same paths, though I went fifty years after she did. Strange.