Pte 35125 Charles Bampton

Charles Bampton was born on 20th March 1890 at 3 Court Street, Everton, to Liverpool born brass finisher John Bampton and his Seaforth, Liverpool born wife Ellen Agnes (nee Dickinson). They married in the June quarter of 1889. They had one son, Charles born in 1890 and one daughter Mary Ellen born in 1891. Charles was baptised on 02nd April 1890 in Our Lady of Immaculate Conception R.C. Church, Everton. 

 

The 1891 Census confirms the family are still living at 3 Court Street with his grandfather Charles who is a widower. Mary Ellen had not yet been born.

 

In the June quarter of 1893 when Charles was only aged 3 his mother Ellen Agnes dies aged 27.

 

In the September quarter of 1895 his father John remarried to a widow Ellen Butler (nee Dumbell) in West Derby.  He, together with his son Charles and daughter Mary Ellen move into her home at 31 Fowler Street Everton with her children two boys and two girls.

 

The 1901 Census at this address confirms this and Ellen's children took on the Bampton surname.

 

The 1911 Census at 57 Faraday Street Everton shows 21 year old Charles  is a butcher living at home with his father, step mother and step sister Minnie.

 

Charles enlisted as Private 35125 joining the 20th Battalion (Pals) of The King's Liverpool Regiment but following the disbandment of the 20th Battalion in France in February 1918 he was transferred to the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment. He was killed in action on the 8^th May 1918 during the German Spring Offensive serving as a Machine Gunner.

The Battalion diary records:

 

 

Charles was one of the casualties, his body was never found and he was recorded as killed in action 08th May 1918 aged 28. 

He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. 

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

 

On 13th June 1918  a death notice was placed in the Liverpool Echo Roll of Honour by his father John, step sister Minnie and her husband Arthur D Jackson it stated he was aged 27 but he had his 28th birthday in March.

 

His Army Pay owing of £15:9s:8d was sent to his father on 31st August 1918 and later a War Gratuity of £9:10s was also sent to his father on 26th November 1919.

His father John died in March 1925 aged 58.