| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
The Hull Daily Mail of 8 Jul 1917 reported that Private Charles O’Connell, aged 27, had been returned home with “shattered nerves”, possibly a euphemism for shell shock. The Beverley Recorder of 24 Nov 1916 lists Charles as having been “wounded”. He was discharged from army service on 10 Mar 1917. He received the 1914-15 Star and the War and Victory Medals. Charles served in the 5th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment (50th Division) and had been in the Territorial Army for 8 years before becoming a regular. He “played the big drum in the band” according to the local paper. He arrived in France on 18 Apr 1915; on the 22nd the Germans launched a massive attack (with gas) at Ypres, Belgium and the 50th were rushed into frontline service. They took part in fierce actions at St Julien (24 Apr to 5 May), at Frezenberg, between the 8-13 May and at Bellewarde on the 24-25 May 1915.
Charles was born in Beverley the 31 Jul 1887 and baptised at St Nicholas’ Church the 12 Jan 1888. His father, Jonathan Pallister O’Connell of Market Weighton worked in the local tannery, his mother was Mary Priestman, they had four children. Mary died in 1895 and Jonathan married Alice Jackson in 1897; she died in 1901 and after this time he was confined to Beverley Workhouse where he may have died in 1917. The family lived at Taylor’s Row on Beckside and then at Brougham’s Row.
Charles was a tanners’ labourer and in the 1911 census is recorded as lodging at 82 Beaver Road. On 29 Jun 1912 he married Edith Clements at St Nicholas’ Church. They had five children, Lilian born 1912, Charles Percy born 1913, Edith born 1919, Joyce born 1925 and Alfred born 1934. They lived at 39 Flemingate, Beverley. Charles died in 1953, Edith in 1970.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |