BRETTELL, Charles

Charles Brettell (sometimes Brettle) was a pre-war regular soldier, born in Wollescote and living in Lye. He was probably called up from the Reserve to his old Battalion, the 2nd Worcesters, in Aldershot where it was part of the British Expeditionary Force. They were sent to France on the 12th August and advanced to Mons to face the first German attack and then took part in the long retreat which forced the BEF back to the Marne. After losing the decisive battle of the Marne the German forces were obliged to retreat to the Aisne where several small actions were fought near the village of Vailly. In one of these on the wooded heights above the river a contested German advance led to many casualties among the Worcesters. Among those killed in action was Private Charles Brettell on the 29th September. He is buried at Vailly Cemetery (II A 26) and commemorated on the Lye and Wollescote Memorial.