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21090 1st (Garrison) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
Charles Spalding was born in 1884 in Ballingdon, the only child of Charles James and Rosehanna Spalding. His father worked on the railway as a platelayer and the family lived at 1 Grover’s Yard in Girling Street before moving to 5 Harp Close. At the age of 17 Charles was employed as a labourer for a local blacksmith.
Charles married Fanny Mansfield at Bulmer Church on 16 January 1904 and they had a son; Charles James. Charles and Fanny lived at one time in the parish of Chilton at 3 Rose Cottages before moving to 3 Bacon’s Yard in Sudbury.
Charles was a Territorial and served with the Suffolk Regiment (formerly 3/5593) enlisting in 1908, his service record describes him as 5 ft 5¾ ins in height, weighing 119lbs with a 32½ inch chest; he had brown eyes and light brown hair with a scar on the right side of his nose and chin. He re-enlisted for further service with the special reserve and at the outbreak of war was mobilised with the 2nd Battalion and landed in France in September 1914. He was admitted to hospital in St Omer in October 1914 (not from wounds) and returned to England serving with the 3rd Battalion until he transferred to the Northamptonshire Regiment and was posted to Egypt with the battalion in October 1915. The battalion was moved eventually to Palestine and then Salonika. Charles was promoted to Sergeant on 27 December 1916.
Charles died of influenza at the 43 General Hospital, Salonika on 5 November 1918, he was aged 35. He lies buried in Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria, Greece. A Cross of Remembrance was laid by his grave on the author’s behalf in August 2014.
Charles was awarded the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He is also remembered on Baptist Church Memorial in Church Street.
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