William Charles Barnes

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher. Photo source: soilsister, FindaGrave.com

William Charles Barnes was born on the 19th May 1914, in the Alverstoke Registration District, Hampshire, the son of Henry George & Elizabeth Mary Barnes (née Smith), who had married in the Parish Church in the Parish of Alverstoke in the County of Southampton on the 1st of June 1903. They were both living at 33, Henry Street, Gosport prior to their marriage.

We see the couple for the first time on the 1911 census. They had moved down the road and were now living at 59 Henry Street, Gosport, Alverstoke, Hampshire. Henry was working as a Stoker in the Royal Clarence Yard, one of two principal victualling establishments of the Royal Navy. They now had four children: Elizabeth Grace Barnes, 7, George Henry Barnes, 5, Celia Eliza Barnes, 3 and Agnes Ida Barnes, 1 year old, all born in Gosport.

The 1921 census which was taken on the 19th of June 1921, shows the family were still living at 59, Henry Street. Henry was now working as a Labourer in the Clothing Section at Royal Clarence Yard and the family had grown as Henry and Elizabeth now had six children: George Henry Barnes, 15 years and working as an ‘Errand Boy’ for Liptons Ltd., 115, High Street Gosport; Cecilia Eliza Barnes, 13 years; Agnes Ida Barnes, 10 years; Winifred Amy Barnes, 8 years; and William Charles Barnes, 7 years. The eldest child, Elizabeth Grace, had left home as she had married Francis George Wing.

Sadly, I have no other information on William Barnes, neither his early or teen years. But the Hampshire Telegraph, dated the 18th of March 1938, tells us about Charles' employment before he joined up. He was working as a Bus Conductor when he was a witness to a fatal accident when a female passenger was hit by a car shortly after she got of his bus. He was called to give evidence at Gosport Police Court about the incident.

William married Irene Vera Gates in the December quarter of 1938 in the Gosport Registration District. The 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 29th of September 1939, tell us that they were living at 71 Stoke Road, Gosport, Hampshire. There are two redacted records but is is not known who they may be.

I do not know when William was to enlist but he was to find himself fighting on D-Day in the same regiment, the Hampshire Regiment, that his paternal grandfather had served in as a Sergeant Major. The British Army Casualty List tells us that he was wounded on the 11th July and died of wounds on the 21st July 1944. He was given immediate medical attention at one of the Casualty Clearing Stations and then evacuated by air to Burntwood Emergency Hospital, Lichfield, Staffordshire. He was buried five days later in St Ann's Hill Cemetery in his hometown of Gosport.

His headstone was inscribed by these words:

HE DIED
SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE
BUT IN GOD’S OWN TIME
WE SHALL MEET AGAIN

Irene did not re-marry and died in Beechcroft Nursing Home, Beechcroft Road, Alverstoke, Gosport on 23 August 1988.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of William Barnes. If you are aware of one, or you are related to William, we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.