Charles Beresford

• 27 Celynen Terrace, Newbridge, Monmouthshire

• English

Family Charles Beresford was born in Birmingham in 1875, the first child of Christopher and Elizabeth Beresford. In 1881 the family was living at 25 Barr St. West in Birmingham and the six year old Charles had a baby sister Clara. By 1891 the family had moved to 390 Lodge Road, Birmingham. Charles and his father were both working in a brass foundry whilst his mother was a draper, Clara was still at school. Charles was married to Minnie Ellen Pugh in 1897 and Harry Arthur, their first child, was subsequently born in 1898. In 1901 the family were living at 163 Hunters Road in Handsworth, Birmingham and Charles was still employed as a brass founder. Whilst in Birmingham, Charles and Minnie had a further two children, Ellen Elizabeth and Elsie May By 1911 the Beresfords had left their native Birmingham and moved to 27 Celynen Terrace, Newbridge, Mon. where Charles took a job in the local colliery working as an underground labourer. Whilst in Newbridge they had another daughter Minnie Irene who was born in 1912. Military Charles Beresford enlisted in the army and served as a Private (15174) with the 2nd Bn. South Wales Borderers. The 2nd Bn. South Wales Borderers was a regular battalion and in August 1914 it had nearly completed its two year tour of duty at Tientsin in northern China. On 12th January 1915 the battalion returned to the UK and joined the 87th Brigade of the 29th Division billeted in and around Coventry. It was at some point after their return to the UK that Charles Beresford was posted to the battalion and he arrived in the Balkans on 10th May 1915. Two weeks previously, as part of the 29th Division, the 2nd SWB took part in the historic ‘Landing at Helles’ on 25th April 1915. The 2nd Bn. served throughout the rest of the Gallipoli campaign taking part in the efforts to advance from Cape Helles in May and June. In August it moved round, with the rest of the 29th Division, to Suvla Bay to support five fresh Divisions from England who had been fought to a standstill. In one final effort the 29th Division made a gallant, but unsuccessful , attack on Scimitar Hill (Hill 70) in which the 2nd Bn. suffered nearly 300 casualties. One of these casualties was Private Charles Beresford. Private Charles Beresford’s body was not identified after the battle and so he does not have an individual grave marker. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial which serves the dual function of Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and place of commemoration for 20,886 of those Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave.