Cemeteries and graveyards, full of love, betrayal, tragic deaths, murder, and suicide. What will you find?

Wednesday 12 December 2012

War Grave Wednesday - Frederick James and Charles Stevens - Brothers


"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them".
 
 
Frederick James Stevens and Charles Stevens were born in Maidenhead, Berkshire in 1895 and 1893 to Charles W Stevens, a labourer in a sewage works and his wife Elizabeth Susan Cole.
 
In 1901 Frederick aged 5 and Charles aged 7 are living with their parents and sister Lily at No 5 Dolman's Buildings, King Street in Maidenhead Berkshire.
 
1911 and Frederick, now 15 and a caddy at a local golf course, is still living with his parents at No 5 Dolman's Buildings.  Charles, now a private in The Royal Berkshire Regiment, however can be found at Fort Burgoyne, The Red Huts, Military Quarters At Castle Hill And Broadlees in Dover.
 
Sometime afterwards Frederick joined his brother in 1st Battalion of The Royal Berkshire Regiment.
 
Unfortunately I have been unable to locate any military records for either Frederick or Charles.
 
Sadly Private Frederick was the first of the two brothers to die as a result of wounds received in action on January 12th 1915, aged just 21 years.
 
Charles rose to the rank of Lance Sergeant before he too was killed as a result of enemy action on 29th November 1917, aged just 25 years.  Charles in buried in the Moeuvers Communal Cemetery in France.
 
Charles Stevens Sr died around the same time as Charles Jr in the last quarter of 1917.  Perhaps it was the death of his two sons that led him to his grave.  How heartbreaking for Elizabeth to lose two sons to war and then her husband not long afterwards.  Such a sacrifice.
 
 


3 comments:

  1. that is a sad story. both were so young!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really appreciate that you do these posts. Very touching. :)

    ReplyDelete

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