Charles Alfred Brittain

A Private with the 11th Battalion, Charles died on 22nd of March 1918 at the age of 23. 

Charles was born at Lowestoft on 9 November 1894, a son of Charles Alfred and Clara Elizabeth Brittain. He was baptised at Christchurch, Lowestoft, on 5 December 1894, and his family lived at 29 Queens Road, Lowestoft. In 1901 they lived at 10 Princes Road, Lowestoft. By 1911 they were living at 2 Alexandra Road, Lowestoft, and Charles was an iron monger’s assistant. Later his parents lived at Tresco, Corton Road, Lowestoft, and, at some point, Penderalis, Yarmouth Road, Lowestoft. 

Charles volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft in 1914. He joined the Suffolk Regiment and served with the 6th (Cyclist) Battalion. Charles was posted to the 7th Battalion, with service number 43176, and arrived in France in August 1916. He developed seborrhea and was sent to England, arriving at the County of Middlesex War Hospital, Napsbury, on 8 April 1917 for treatment. He was discharged on 26 April 1917 and went on furlough. Subsequently he was posted to the 9th Battalion before joining the 11th Battalion. (The 9th Battalion was disbanded in France and he may have been in the draft sent from the 9th to the 11th battalion on 5 February 1918). 

Charles was attached to the 101st Light Trench Mortar Battery of 101 Brigade which gave support to the 11th Battalion and the other battalions in the Brigade. On 21 March 1918 Charles unit were to provide support to the Brigade, near Croiselles, in the anticipated German attack. Four guns on the right fired continuously during the 21st and were eventually all destroyed, the surviving men of their gun crews joining the 15th Royal Scots as riflemen. The four guns on the right maintained fire throughout the 21st but the next day three guns were destroyed and the officer commanding ordered the remaining gun to be spiked and the surviving men to join the 11th Battalion as riflemen. 

Charles was reported missing and later presumed to have died on 22 March.  

His brother John served with the 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment and died in 1916.