CHARLES HENRY LIGHT
Born: 1888, Brambridge, Hampshire.
Baptised on the 3rd July 1887, at St. Matthew’s Church, Otterbourne, Hampshire – family home at Brambridge.
Died: 23rd March 1915; age 28; died of wounds to the hip at No. 2 Stationary Hospital. The wounds were received at Neuve Chapelle on the 23rd March 1915.
Evening Star – Friday, 19th March 1915 – Mrs. Eliza Light, of 35, Wellesley Road, has received a letter from France stating that her husband, Sergeant Charles Henry Light, B Company, 4th Suffolks, is wounded in the hip, and is in Boulogne Hospital.
Residence: 35, Wellesley Road, Ipswich.
Occupation: with Messrs. Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, Orwell Works, Ipswich.
Enlistment Location: Ipswich.
Date of Entry Therein: 8th November 1914.
Rank: Sergeant; Service Number: 79
Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 1st/4th Battalion.
Medals Awarded: Victory, British War & 1914 Star.
Grave Reference:
III.D.56.
France.
CENSUS
1891 8, Collingwood Road, Portsea, Hampshire.
Charles was 3 years old and living with his parents, sister & maternal aunt.
Charles Light, 30, a Jobbing Gardener, born Otterbourne, Hampshire.
Clara Agnes Light (nee Baker), 28, born Hinton Ampner, Hampshire.
Clara Harriet Light, 1, born Southsea, Hampshire.
Harriet Baker, 37, a Dressmaker, born Hinton Ampner.
1901 Mabel Villas, Camden Road, Ipswich.
Charles was 13 years old, a Telegraph Messenger – G.P.O. He was living with his parents & siblings.
Charles, 40, a Gardener – Domestic.
Clara, 38.
Clara, 11.
Albert James Light, 8, born Capel St. Mary, Suffolk.
Rosa May Light, 6, born Capel St. Mary.
Edith Amy Light, 5, born Capel St. Mary.
Elsie Florence Light, 3, born Capel St. Mary.
1911 35, Wellesley Road, Ipswich.
Charles was 23 years old and worked at an Iron Foundry. He was married and head of the household.
Eliza, 24.
Clara, 1.
Charles’s mother, Clara Agnes Light, died on the 29th June 1905, Ipswich and was buried in Section E at Ipswich Old Cemetery.
In 1909, Ipswich, Charles married Eliza Bale, born 1887, Roydon, Norfolk – daughter of Thomas Bale, a road labourer for the Norfolk County Council, and Ann Eliza Bale (nee Lancaster), of Banyard’s Green, Roydon.
Eliza and Charles had one daughter:
Clara Harriet Light, born May 1909, Ipswich and baptised on the 8th August 1909, at St. Remigius Church, Roydon, Norfolk – family home at 35, Wellesley Road, Ipswich.
Soldiers’ Effects to Eliza Light – widow.
Charles is also remembered on the Orwell Works Memorial Ransomes Sims & Jefferies Ipswich.
The Battle of Neuve Chapelle 10th – 13th March 1915 was the first planned British offensive of the war. The objective was to take the German line at the Village of Neueve Chapelle and break out and head towards the City of Lille, with the main objective taking the Aubers Ridge beyond which was of strategic value. The Battle started well with a heavy bombardment of the German line (more shells fired on this occasion than the entire Boer War) with an advance which successfully took most of the first and second line trenches, but due to poor communications stalled once the village had been taken. The Germans then had time to set up more defensive lines outside of the village and hold the British advance. 40,000 British and Indian troops took part in the Battle with over 10,000+ Casualties.
Suffolk Regiment, 4th Battalion
The 4th Battalion the Suffolk Regiment entered the battle on the 11th of March taking up positions on the out skirts of the Neuve Chapelle facing the Bois Du Biez which later were ordered to occupy. The 4th Battalion lost many men through shelling on their positions followed by a counter attack on the 12th by the Germans. In total the Battalion sustained 217 casualties.
Suffolk Regiment Battalion movements
SUFFOLK REGIMENT MUSEUM
Friends of The Suffolk Regiment
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