Charles Bennett was born 12th December 1891 in Great Torrington. His father, also called Charles, and mother Eliza, both born in the town would have six children in total and Charles would be the youngest. He was just too young to be included in the 1891 census, but at the time we find the family living at New Street, Great Torrington, although no precise house number is provided. As well as the two parents, children Elizabeth, Gertrude and Bertie are present. The first we see of Charles is from his school record where he enrols at the Great Torrington Blue Coat School in 1899; his father is recorded at the parent.

 

The 1901 provides some clearer information and we get more of an insight into the families lifestyles. The address is now logged as “Weck Cottage, 95, Great Torrington”. As well as his parents, his father’s occupation is noted as a farm labourer, his older sister, Lucy, works as a “household domestic”, while his two younger sisters, Lizzie and Gertrude are now employed as “shirt collar makers”. Charles, who appears on a census for the first time, and his older brother Bertie, are both of school age at 9 and 11 years of age.

 

As we get to 1911 Charles is the only child left at the family home.  Instead of “Weck Cottage”, this has been updated to “Week Cottage”. Like his father Charles now works as a farm labourer, although the census does go further and includes the “horseman” duty. Although Charles’ brothers and sisters have left the home, they are now joined by a lodger, James Crayton, aged 75 years old, who is a widower who was also born in Great Torrington.

 

The next few years of Charles’ life are a little more difficult to piece together and the chain of events take some degree of imagination to draw a conclusion. For the purposes of this book I shall report the facts and allow you to make your speculations.

 

At some point between the latter part of 1911 and 1916 Charles emigrated to Canada. The first evidence we have of this are his attestation papers from his enlistment in Canada. Charles’ address is listed as 155 Perth Avenue. The question of “Are you married” is answered “No”. His mother, Eliza Bennett, living at “95 Week Cottage, Torrington, England” is listed as his next of kin. As an aside, his medical revealed that he was 5ft 10ins, had blue eyes, brown hair and was considered “fit”. These details were taken and signed for of February 11th 1916. His subsequent will was signed on September 13th 1916 with his mother being the benefactor. His Regimental Number was 679023 and at the time he was serving with the 169th Battalion.

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Further to this, we can see that the battalion left Canadian shores on October 17th 1916 and arrived in England eleven days later on October 28th 1916. They sailed on the SS Metagama, which was built for the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, but was used for troop transport during the First World War.   We also know that in the last quarter of 1916 that Charles was married to Elizabeth Jane Copp from St Giles in the Wood, near Great Torrington. Her address, as it was in the 1911 census, is listed as High Bullen Lodge, St Giles in the Wood, where the Copp family resided. The couple were married in Barnstaple.

 

After initially being stationed at Bramshott Camp, he was transferred to the 116th Battalion, with a date of December 31st 1916. On the same day the 116th were moved to Witley Camp near Aldershot as a preparation for the move to France and by February 11th 1917 they had reached French shores.