Wiltshire Regiment cap badge
Charles Henry Ballard. Died 1918.
Charles was born in Baulking in Berkshire to Giles and Mary, about 1900. He was the 6th of their 9 children. His father Giles was a cowman. His parents lived in Baulking in 1911. Charles is recorded as Henry Charles in this census.
Charles joined the Army during the war, although he was young so to do. He served in the Wiltshire Regiment, 4th Battalion and was killed in Ireland on 4th August 1918. We do not know why he was there or sadly what his connection is to Wokingham. He is buried in Grangegorman, Ireland.
We have found a small article in the Reading Mercury dated 17th November 1917 telling us that,
“Mrs Ballard of 5 Gipsy lane has received news that her son Private W E Ballard ( Canadians ) has been wounded. Mrs Ballard has 3 sons serving and 1 has been killed at the front”
This is a little confusing for us! The Mrs Ballard living at that address in 1911 had by then re-married a Mr Evean John Atkins, who also served during the war. She certainly had 3 sons living with them and also some children of that second marriage. None called Charles and no record of who many children she had had. Its possible that Charles was living in London by then though this is not certain.
Can anyone shed any light on the Ballard family ?
Name: BALLARD, CHARLES HENRY
Initials: C H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Wiltshire Regiment
Unit Text: 4th Reserve Bn.
Date of Death: 04/08/1918
Service No: 48438
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: CE. 688.
Cemetery: GRANGEGORMAN MILITARY CEMETERY
Baulking.
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