Samuel James Charman was born in Beckenham, Kent, one of the nine children of David Charman (1838-1912) and Sarah Charman née Wilson (184-1920), whose birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1891 in the Bromley registration district, Kent.
In the 1901 census he is shown as living at 143 Ravenscroft Road, Beckenham, with his mother and five sisters, Mary Ann M. Charman (1872-1926), Ruth Louise Charman (1878-1932), Maud Beatrice Charman (1882-1973), Eliza Elizabeth Charman (1885-1940) and Esther Alice Charman (1889-1961). His mother and sisters were all described as laundresses apart from Mary who was listed as a domestic servant.
When his mother completed her 1911 census return form he was described as a drapery porter living in a six roomed house at 143 Ravenscroft Road, Beckenham with his mother who was shown as laundress, his sister Esther Alice Owen née Charman and his brother-in-law, William Owen, who was listed as a coachman. His father had been admitted into Kent County Asylum on 31 July 1901 where he died on 20 September 1912.
On 8 December 1915 he enlisted as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, service number 149486, and placed in the Army Reserve. In his Army Service Records he confirmed that he was aged 25 years 7 months when he was attested (but we know he was actually aged 24 years), that his address was 143 Ravenscroft Road, Beckenham and that he was platelayer employed by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. He was mobilised on 26 January 1916 and was posted to the 119th Railway Company, Royal Engineers, at Longmoor Military Camp, Hampshire, before joining the British Expeditionary Force and entering France on 30 May 1916. His army service number was later changed to WR/2553982.
On 25 August 1918 he married Ethel Harrison (1891-1969) at St Michael's Church, Beckenham, and his wife continued to live at his family home 143 Ravenscroft Road, Beckenham.
He was admitted to the No.58 Casualty Clearing Station, Tincourt, France, on 22 November 1918 suffering with pains in the back, joints and head. His temperature was 103.4F on the date of admission and continued persistently high. His lungs were seriously affected and in spite of treatment he became worse, dying, aged 27 years, at 2.30am on 1 December 1918 from influenza and pneumonia.
He was buried in Plot 8, Row G, Grave 9 in the Tincourt New British Cemetery, 12 Rue de la Flaque, 80240 Tincourt-Boucly, France.
He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal which were sent to his widow at 10 Tennyson Road, Penge, Kent.
In addition to being mentioned on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway war memorial at Victoria Station, he is also commemorated on the Beckenham War Memorial, on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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