| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following informatio
Charlie was born in Beverley on 14 Jun 1888 and baptised at St Mary's church on 28 Nov of that year. Charlie was one of five children born to a local french polisher, John Robert Haddlesey and his wife Mary Ann (nee Care), born in Beverley in 1860. Charlie was brought up at various addresses on Pasture Terrace. Having attended St Mary's Boys' School he later became a shoeing smith. On 3 Sep 1911 he married at St Marys' church Beverley, Ethel May Foster, daughter of Thomas Foster, a butcher, of North Bar Within. Their first child Marjorie was born on 15 Jan 1912; Lillian and Betty followed in 1913 and 1917 respectively. In the period before the war the family spent some time in Driffield.
Charlie's wartime role began on 13 Nov 1916 when he joined the Royal Flying Corps, initially with the rank of Air Mechanic 1 but later of Air Mechanic 2. This possibly tied in with Charlie's smithing skills but it is also possible that he had already become a mechanic in civilian life. Charlie went to France on 7 Dec 1916 and spent the rest of the war there, only being transferred to the reserve at the start of Mar 1919. He would have played a key part in maintaining and repairing aircraft. The RFC were renamed the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918. He was awarded the War and Victory medals.
Very little is known of Charlie's life between the wars though his family appear to have been resident on Willow Grove. Charlie himself, still probably a mechanic, was recalled to the Air Force Reserve on 3 Mar 1939 and he may have been involved in WW2 but his papers for this period are unavailable so this cannot be verified.
Charlie spent the rest of his life in Beverley. On 16 Apr 1960 he died at the age of 71. He is buried in St Mary's Cemetery on New Walk.
Includes information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |