Thank you to Jane Anthony for the following research.
Rifleman Charles Bravery proved to be somewhat of a mystery. The details from the Commonwealth Graves Commission just give “Son of Mr and Mrs Bravery of Root Hill Brockham”, and the sole legatee is given as Hannah, but unusually no relationship is given. There were two people called Charles Bravery both born in Ockley in 1896; one the son of William, a painter and decorator; the other of Jesse, a farm labourer, who later moved to Leatherhead. Neither of them appeared to have married or had any female relatives called Hannah.
On checking out the 1911 census it would appear that Charles was in fact Charles Monk. Charles’ mother, Hannah, had previously been married and had at least one child. A son, John, by her first husband, did not appear to have lived with his mother after her second marriage but, with his aunt and uncle the Rapleys in Dorking. John joined the navy at the age of 12 in 1896, about the same time as Charles was born. Robert and Hannah Bravery had three children, Albert, Bertha and Frederick. Charles was only three years younger than Frederick and it looks likely that he was the son of a daughter from Hannah’s previous marriage. Although he is registered on both the 1901 and 1911 as under the name of Charles Monk and being a grandson; it is probable that he was bought up as their son using the family name to avoid the stigma of illegitimacy.
At the outbreak of War Charles Bravery tried to enlist but was rejected on account of his lack of height. He was eventually allowed to enlist in the Royal West Surrey Regiment and was stationed in England for two years. In August 1916 he was transferred to the 1st/6th Battalion of the London Regiment, The Westminster Rifles. He was sent to Southampton prior to embarkation to France on 1st September 1916, so was only serving there for about six weeks prior to being killed.
ANOTHER BROCKHAM LAD KILLED
Mr. and Mrs. R. Bravery, of Root Hill, received official notice on Monday last week that their son, Rifleman Charles Bravery, London Regiment, had been killed in action on October 8th. When war broke out, the deceased, who was of short stature, made several attempts to enlist but without success; he, however, persevered, and was at last accepted in the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. For many reasons he remained in England for nearly two years, but in the latter part of August in the present year he was transferred to the London Regiment
Charles Bravery Death Notice © Dorking Advertiser findmypast.co.uk
RIFLEMAN C. BRAVERY
and sailed on Sept. 1st from Southampton to France; he thus had only been at the Front for about five weeks before losing his life. He made no intimate acquaintances among his new comrades, and that is most probably the reason why no private communication of his death had reached his parents. Rifleman Bravery was in his 21st year; a brother, Pte. F Bravery, three years older, is with the 5th Queen’s in Mesopotamia, while a step-brother, Mr. John Monk (Mrs. Bravery’s son by a former husband) has seen over 20 years service in the Royal Navy. The death of Rifleman Bravery brings the Brockham total to 10 men who have made the supreme sacrifice.
Charles Bravery Death Notice © Dorking Advertiser findmypast.co.uk
On that day, fighting was at its most severely around the Cuinchy area of the Somme. At the time of his death Rifleman Charles Bravery was aged just 20; his body was not recovered and he is remembered on the memorial at Theipval, as well as on Brockham Memorial.
| Lived | Brockham, Surrey | |
|---|---|---|
| Son of | Robert and Hannah Bravery of Root Hill, Brockham | |
| Regiment | 1st/6th Battalion, London Regiment (City of London Rifles) | |
| Number | 6347 | |
| Previous Regiment | 3105 5th Battalion. Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment | |
| Date of Death | 8th October 1916 | |
| Place of Death | Somme, France | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in action | |
| Age | 20 | |
| Memorial | Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France |
