Charles William Southeran 1875-1916

I post here a piece sent to me by John Nichols with the story of his grandfather.  The jolly photograph seems particularly poignant:

The face behind a name on the Hutton Rudby War Memorial

“Private Charles William Southeran, 5705. 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, formerly 28674 Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 5 November 1916.
Born Stokesley (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Hutton Rudby RSO
Buried WARLENCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY”

Charles William Southeran 1875-1916

Charles William (centre) was my maternal grandfather. He was born in Stokesley in 1875 so the time of Attestation on the 16th December 1915 he was 39 years and six months old.

In 1881 He was living at Enterpen but by 1891 he was at Hill House, Middleton on Leven where he was farming with his father Robert. It appears he was one of seven children, one of whom, Robert Wetherill, is shown at right. Charles’ father Robert (Snr) was married to Isabella, née Wetherill.

In 1908 Charles William married Mary (Polly) Bellerby who had moved to Hutton Rudby from Seaham Harbour sometime after 1901.

In 1911 they were living at North Side, Hutton Rudby and they went on to have three girls:
Mary (who married John Henry (Jack) Bainbridge from Hutton), Emily (who married Arthur Henry Wilson and farmed at Tanton) and my mother Dorothy born in, 1914, (who married Arthur Norman Nichols from Seamer).

Charles was Mobilised on 13th June 1916, Posted on 14th June when he had a medical at Richmond. He was age 40, stood 5ft 4in high and weighed 10 stone. He was posted to the 3rd Btn Yorkshire Regiment on 28th August 1916.

His short career went as follows: Posted 10th October 1916, transferred to 7 6th Dirham Light Infantry on 18th October and Killed in Action 5th November 1916.

Brother Robert Attested 12th November 1914 aged 35yrs nine months. He and his wife Mary Jane lived on Rudby Hill, Hutton Rudby. He survived service with the Bedford Regiment in 1915, the Essex regiment in 1916 and the Northumberland Fusiliers from May 1917. It is believed he served in Mesopotamia and is recorded as embarking for UK from India in June 1919 and being Demobilised in August 1919. He was awarded a 5% disablement allowance due to “Nervous debility” due to service in Mesopotamia.