HORNETT, Charles Walter - died 13th October 1918.
Charles Walter Hornett (right) pictured with his parents and siblings ca 1917/18
Charles Walter Hornett was born in St Pancras, London, on 18th December 1898, being the third child and 2nd son of George Richard Hornett, a 'stoker' working for a local council, and his wife who was born Alice Baker. George and Alice had a further 8 children although 5 of them died in infancy.
Charles' father had served as a private in the Oxfordshire Light Infantry for 12 years, spending considerable time in foreign parts but never being wounded. However, Charles was not so lucky. His service record has not survived but other documents indicate that he joined the Essex Regiment at Walthamstow on an unspecified date and later transferred to the Tank Corps. It is clear from his medal record that he did not see active service before 1916.
There is no record of Charles' service but the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that he died on 13th October 1918 while serving with the 10th Battalion of the Tank Corps; another database gives the date of his death as 23rd October, but this is presumed to be erroneous. He was aged 19 and is buried in the Crossroads Cemetery at Fontaine-Au-Bois, France. Charles was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
One of Charles' brothers, George Charles Francis Hornett, also served in the First World War, enlisting in December 1914 and becoming a Sergeant in the 5th Battalion of the London Regiment. George saw action in France from August 1916 and suffered a gunshot wound to the head, but he survived the war and lived to be nearly 83.
Charles Walter Hornett was my 1st cousin, twice removed.