HOWELL, Charles

Charles Howell was born in Brierley Hill and married Anne Leighton in 1902, after which they lived at 2 White Court, Amblecote. He worked as a platelayer on the Great Western Railway for about 15 years and volunteered for the Worcesters in 1914. He joined the 4th Battalion which was sent to Gallipoli in April 1915. Even after three battles at Krithia, the village which blocked routes from Cape Helles, the Allied forces failed to break through. The campaign turned into stalemate and when the appalling weather arrived in November the men suffered badly. Private Charles Howell died of exposure on the 30th November and is buried in Hill 10 Cemetery (V C 8). He was 34 years of age and is commemorated on the Amblecote Memorial and on his mother’s grave in Amblecote churchyard. The grave carries the inscription from his children: ‘Also our dear father Charles Howell killed in action 1915 aged 34 years. His wife’s brother, George Leighton of the RAMC, died in 1919 and is also buried in the church-yard.