CHARLES HAROLD WILDNEY

Charles is not remembered on the war memorial at Christchurch Park.

Born: 16th October 1909, Ipswich.

Baptised: 5th December 1909, at St. Edmund King and Martyr Church, Tendring, Essex.

Died: 15th March 1945; age 35; as a German Prisoner of War.

Originally taken Prisoner of War in Italy. Later, Charles was held at Stalag VIII-C Konin Zaganski, Poland – POW number: 86796.

Residence: Great Holland, Essex.

Occupation: Carpenter.

Rank: Private; Service Number: 14371065.

Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Regiment, 7th Battalion.

The body was originally buried at Orbke Cemetery, Fallingbostel, Germany. On the 24th June 1947, the body was exhumed, identified and reburied at Hamburg Cemetery.

Grave Reference:

8A.E.9.

Hamburg Cemetery,

Hamburg,

Germany.

CENSUS

1911   Dillon Street, Clonmel East Urban, Tipperary, Ireland.

Charles was a year and 5 months old and lived with his parents.

Urban Wildney, 28, a Corporal – Royal Irish Regiment, born St. Oysth, Essex.

Annie Wildney (nee Barton), 31, born 1880, Tendring, Essex.

Both Urban and Annie could read and write, and were CofE.

1921   Laburnum Cottages, Lower Kirby, Essex.

Charles was 11 years and 8 months old. He attended Kirby Council School and lived with his widowed mother and brothers.

Annie Wildney, 41 years & 6 months old, Home Duties.

Urban William Wildney, 8 years & 11 months old, attended Kirby Council School, born Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland.

Ernest George Wildney, 7 years & 9 months old, attended Kirby Council School, born Camelford, Cornwall.

Charles’s father, Urban Wildney, was KiA on the 16th August 1915, aged 31. He was ranked a Sergeant, service number 8408, for the Royal Irish Regiment, 5th Battalion. Urban is remembered on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli.

In 1934, Tendring, Essex, Charles married Eva Lilian Wolton, born January 1911, Great Holland, Essex – daughter of Noah Wolton, a farm labourer, and Mary Ann Wolton (nee Mower), of 2, The Crescent, Pork Lane, Great Holland, Essex.

Eva and Charles had two sons:

Dennis Harold Wildney, born March 1935, Tendring.

John Wildney, born March 1939, Tendring.

ENGLAND and WALES REGISTER 1939.

Charles was a carpenter and lived with his family at the home of his in-laws – 2, The Crescent, Pork Lane, Great Holland, Essex.

Noah Wolton, an old age pensioner, born August 1885.

Mary Ann Wolton, unpaid Domestic Duties, born August 1871.

Eva Wildney, unpaid Domestic Duties.

Dennis Wildney.

John Wildney.

plus 2 guests.

Charles is remembered on the war memorial plaque inside All Saints’ Church, Great Holland, Essex.