Charles Edgar Wykes was born on Sunday, 12th December 1886 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and baptised on Sunday, 20th March 1887 at St. Paul’s Church in the town. Charles was the child of Thomas Wykes and Alice Wells who had six children together, these were Leonard Graveney, Ernest William, Sydney Herbert, Arthur Edward, Charles Edgar and the youngest boy Ronald Arthur. Tragedy struck the family first in 1892 when both Sydney and Arthur succumbed to measles aged only four and one respectively. Ernest died in 1917 aged thirty-one in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, which meant that following Charles’ death in 1918, only two of Thomas and Alice’s six boys were left alive. Ernest had emigrated in 1911 and worked as a “Railway Clerk” and on his death he left a widow Daisy and two children, Alice and Winifred.

Charles’ father Thomas had original trained and worked as a “Carpenter, whilst his mother Alice was a “dressmaker”. By the time of the 1901 Census, both Thomas and Alice were recorded as “Dressmakers” and went on to build a successful drapery business from their home on Westview Road in Hemel. As their business grew and their wealth increased they moved into a substantial residence called “Iddesleigh" which stood on Westview Road where 61, Alexandra Road is situated today. Their next-door neighbours on Westview Road where the Christmas family, whose son Herbert was also killed in the Great War, indeed his death was officially confirmed only a few weeks after Charles was buried.

The Wykes boys, Leonard, Ernest, Charles and Ronald grew up at “Iddesleigh” and all four attended Watford Grammar School after completing their primary education in Hemel Hempstead. Charles entered Watford Grammar on the 5th February 1900 when he was thirteen years old and left in 1905 and matriculated at the University of London to train as an “Accountant”. Whilst up at university he was awarded the Accountancy Prize and on graduating in 1908, he joined the National Bank of India (NBI) at 26, Bishopgate in London, directly opposite the Bank of England. He remained employed at NBI until he joined the Royal Flying Corps.

Whilst growing up in Hemel Hempstead, Charles had met Mabel Christine Parsons, the daughter of Alfred John Parsons, a “Professor of Music” who lived not far away on Marlowes. Charles and Mabel subsequently became sweethearts and married in London in 1915. They took their vows on Saturday, 22nd May at St. Mark, Myddleton Square, Clerkenwell in London, close to where Mabel was working as a “School Mistress”.

Charles left his job at the beginning of 1917 when he applied for a commission with the Royal Flying Corps and he was “Gazetted” on the 9th March, a few weeks after enlistment, as Probationary 2nd Lieutenant. He was confirmed in the rank three months later and posted to No. 2 Stores Distributing Park Camp, Newcastle-upon-Tyne to take up his duties. For the next ten months he gained broad experience in his role and he was promoted Lieutenant on the 1st April 1918, but less than four months later and only three months before the end of the war, Charles was tragically killed. Fire broke out at the stores depot where he was based, and Charles was badly burned in the conflagration.

He died as a result of his injuries on 13th August 1918. Charles’ body was brought home to Hemel Hempstead and he was buried in Heath Lane Cemetery on Monday, 19th August 1918. Mabel remarried after Charles died and had a son Aubrey Paine who also went into banking and worked in the Bank of England.

Charles was commemorated on the War Memorial Plaque in St. Paul’s Church on Queen Street where he had been baptised. Sadly, this plaque was lost when the church was closed in 1961. It has been replaced by a Memorial Scroll now held in the new St. Paul’s Church in Highfield. He is also commemorated on the War Memorial Plaque in St. Mary’s Church in Hemel Hempstead Old Town and on the War Memorial Plaque in Watford Grammar School.

He is Remembered with Honour in the Hemel Hempstead (Heath Lane) Cemetery, United Kingdom, where he is interred in Grave MA. 12.

He was 31 years old when he died.

Charles was eligible for the British War Medal or the Allied Victory Medal.