Charles Edwin Lee was born in Apsley on Friday, 27th September 1895 the youngest son and child of William Lee and Ellen Pitts. William and Ellen had ten children three of whom died in infancy. The surviving children were: William Henry, Francis John, Ernest Patrick, Walter, Edith Susan, Ellen and Charles Edwin.

Charles’ father William came from Devon where he had worked as a Blacksmith in Crediton and he brought his family to Hemel Hempstead in 1890 settling at 10 Durrant’s Hill Road, also known as ‘Frogmore Cottages, in Apsley End. William was still recorded as a ‘Blacksmith’ on the 1891 Census but it is likely that he came to work for John Dickinson & Co. Limited in Apsley Mills where he is later recorded as a ‘Millwright’. A Millwright was a high precision craftsman or tradesman who installed, dismantled, repaired, reassembled, and moved machinery in factories such as the Dickinsons Mills in Apsley.

Charles joined Dickinsons after leaving school aged thirteen and worked in the Book Binding department where he was apprenticed as a ‘Vellum Binder’. His job did not actually involve binding vellum but was an an older term used to describe someone who bound account books, as well as other stationery bindings. It derives from the time when vellum was the only practical and lasting medium for books and documents and pre-dates John Dicknson’s invention of a continuous mechanized paper-making process.

Almost all of Charles’ family worked in Apsley Mills at one time or another and on the 1911 Census his father, two brothers and a sister as well as fifteen-year-old Charles were recorded as employees of Dickinsons.

Charles’ apprenticeship indentured him to Dickinsons for seven years and at the time he was not permitted, for instance, to marry until he was either discharged or successfully completed his training. This prohibition extended to joining the Colours on the outbreak of war and as a result, Charles had to wait until late 1915 when his seven-year term was successfully concluded before he could enlist.

He did so when he enrolled in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) on the 18th December 1915 aged twenty and was called up for service on the 15th June 1916 to undergo his basic training. He was described on enrolment as 5ft 4ins tall, with brown hair and blue eyes and had a 34in chest, which was average height and build at the time.

Charles was posted initially to HMS Victory IX, the name given to the Navy’s Portsmouth shore training establishment and he was assigned to the 4th Reserve Battalion RNVR. His surviving service records show his character and ability were rated ‘Very Good’ and after transferring to the 3rd Reserve Battalion he successfully completed his training and was promoted ‘Able Seaman’ in October 1916.

The following month Charles was drafted for the British Expeditionary Force on 21st November 1916 and posted to Drake Battalion RNVR and went to France, disembarking at Calais on the 23rd November. He joined his Battalion from ‘Calais Base Camp’ on the 12th December 1916 but before he saw any action, he contract influenza and was hospitalised on the 3rd January 1917. He returned to his unit four days later, but his recovery was not complete, and he was readmitted to a Field Ambulance on the 12th February before being discharged to join his unit for a second time eight days later.

It was to be April before Charles saw action and on the 21st, Drake Battalion relieved ‘Hood’ Battalion on the right of the Arras-Gavrelle Road in preparation for an attack on Gavrelle. Two days later Drake Battalion attacked at the Second Battle of the Scarpe, in support of the main assault, and quickly reached its objectives before digging in to consolidate the position gained. The ground was successfully held despite strong German counter-attacks later in the day and continuous heavy bombardment and machine gun fire from the enemy’s position. The Battalion’s efforts came at a high cost though and the War Diary records the casualties as follows:

“Officers Killed 4,   Died of Wounds 1, Wounded 5 Missing 0, Total 10.

Men Killed 23, Died of Wounds 2, Wounded 232, Missing 36, Total 293”

Charles was one of the unfortunate men killed in the actions and he died on Monday, 23rd April 1917 having fought for less than one day during his whole service.

His death was reported in the Hemel Gazette a month after he was killed.

He is commemorated on the memorial plaque in St Mary’s Church, Apsley-End where he had been a member of the congregation.

Charles is Remembered with Honour on the Arras Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France, Bay 1.

He was 21 years old when he died.

Charles was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.