Charles William Handley
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Charles William was the son of Charles William and Rachel Handley (née Goodwin).
His parents were married at Ilkeston Parish Church on 24 December 1906 and had five children: Gladys Ellen (1907, Ilkeston), Florence (1909, Sutton in Ashfield), Charles William (16 June 1912), Harold (1915) and Ada (1919).
Charles (b. 1884 Staffordshire) and Rachel (b. Ilkeston) were living at 10 Stoneyford Lane, Sutton in Ashfield, with their daughters Gladys and Florence in 1911.
Charles snr. enlisted in the Army in 1914, had a short period when he transferred to the Army Reserve to return to his civilian occupation of miner, and was then discharged in 1918. (See 'Extra information').
By 1921 the family had moved to Charles Street, Sutton in Ashfield: Charles, a coal miner hewer at Teversal Colliery, Rachel, Gladys who was assisting at home, Florence, Charles, Harold and Ada.
Rachel Handley died aged 34 in November 1921 and was buried in Sutton in Ashfield St Mary Magdalene churchyard.
Charles snr. married secondly Rose Annie Fensome (née Carbery b.1885), a widow, in 1939 (reg. OND Rother Valley).
Rose had had three daughters, Florence, Madeline and Dorothy, from her marriage in 1910 to Joseph James Fensome who died in February 1920. At the time of the 1921 Census, two of Rose's daughters were living with relatives - Florence with an aunt and uncle and Dorothy with her paternal grandparents - and Rose was recorded on the census as visitor in the household of a couple who had adopted Madeline. Rose's son Kenneth W Fensome was born in November 1922.
In 1939, Charles snr., a colliery hewer, and Rose were living in Maltby, Yorkshire. Also in the home were Kenneth Fensome, a colliery haulage hand, and Cyril Handley (b. 1927 reg. Doncaster/Carbery). The record of one other person in the household remains closed. Rose may also have had a daughter, Mabel Handley, who was born in 1925 (reg. Rotherham/Carbery).
Charles snr. died aged 67 in 1950 (reg. AMJ Rother Valley). Rose died in 1966 (reg. Rother Valley).
Charles jnr, his brother Harold and their sister Ada have not yet been traced after 1921, but registrations of marriage have been identified for their sisters, Gladys and Florence. Gladys married Harold Fennell in 1928 (widowed 1937, married secondly Frank Spencer at Maltby in 1943) and Florence married Horace Wilfred Padgett in 1930.
According to the CWGC record, Charles' wife, Isabella, lived in Nuncargate, a village near Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. No record of their marriage has yet been traced.
Charles Handley served with the 2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment.
The 2nd Battalion was sent to France shortly after the outbreak of war in September 1939 (2nd Infantry Brigade) and fought in the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940 (evacuated 1 June).
Charles died between 15 May 1940 and 4 June 1940 and is buried in Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, Belgium (grave ref. IV.DD.1)
CWGC History of Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery: During the First World War 'The "Oosttaverne Line" was a German work running northward from the river Lys to the Comines Canal, passing just east of Oosttaverne. It was captured on 7 June 1917, the first day of the Battle of Messines ... Two cemeteries, No.1 and No.2, were then made by the IX Corps Burial Officer on the present site and used until September 1917 ... Scattered among these [First World War] graves are 117 from the Second World War, five of them unidentified.' (www.cwgc.org)
WW1. Charles William Handley snr. attested on 22 December 1914 at Sutton in Ashfield and served with the Royal Artillery (63027). He joined at Newcastle (No. 1 Depot RFA) the same day and his first posting was on 4 January 1915 to 111th Battery RFA, Acting Bombardier and to Bombardier on 11 August the same year. He served with the BEF France from 26 September 1915 but was invalided to England in July 1916 (pleurisy) and admitted to 1st WG Hospital, Liverpool, on 20 July suffering from pneumonia, and was transferred to the Military Hospital Auxiliary West Derby (attached 1st WG Hospital) the following day. Charles was not discharged until 15 August and then had home postings until he was transferred to Class W Army Reserve 13 October 1916 to (-) in Class W Army Reserve, 'so long as it is necessary to (-) him in employment in Silver Hill Colliery.' He was recalled and posted (acting corporal) to RFA 9th Reserve Battery on 13 August 1917. Charles was transferred to the Army Reserve with effect from 13 November 1918 (Employer Stanton Ironworks Teversall) but the following month was 'discharged surplus to Military requirements.'
Service: Home 22 December 1914-25 September 1915 (278d), BEF France 26 September 1915-17 July 1916 (295d), Home 18 July 1916-14 December 1918 (2y 150d) Total 3y 358d. He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
WW2. Charles William Handley jnr.
WMR 52857. Maltby War Memorial, Blyth Road, Maltby S66 7HW. A Great War Memorial with bronze plaques with the names of WW2 casualties: 'Handley CW'.
CWGC: Son of Charles and Rose Handley; husband of Isabella Handley, of Nuncar Gate, Nottinghamshire
Note: Rose Handley was Charles Handley's second wife (m. 1939). His first wife, Rachel died in November 1921.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: ‘He that loseth his life for my sake, the same shall find it’ (Matthew 16:25, KJV)
Army ROH 1939-1945: 5047285 Private Charles W Handley The North Staffordshire Regt (The Prince of Wales) b. Nottinghamshire, residence Nottinghamshire. Death: ?date June 1940.
Note: Prisoners of War 1715-1945 (GB), 1941-42. List includes 5047285 Private Charles W Handley North Staffordshire Regiment: ‘Far East: Singapore; dead prisoners of war at Changi Hospital, list compiled by Reverend Chambers.’ Also named on ‘List of missing combatants - circulation among POW camps 1941.’ The 2nd Battalion fought in France in 1940, Tunisia and Italy in 1943 and finally Palestine in 1945. The 1st Battalion served in Burma from 1942 to 1943.
Photo of Charles William Handley
Buried in Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, Belgium (www.cwgc.org)