Charles was the son of Henry, a Brewer’s Carter, and Eliza Barrett and was born in Fifield, Gloucestershire in the summer of 1884. Henry continued his association with horses as the 1891 census shows him as being a Horse Waggoner.  The family lived in Blackford Hill, Wootton Wawen.

The Barrett family arrived in Shipston in the autumn of 1898, and Charles’ younger brother Lionel joined the School on the 14th October of that year. It is clear from his presence on the Adult School plaque that Charles did receive some schooling in Shipston.  A couple of years later the 1901 census shows Charles working as a Grocer’s Porter and living in the family home in Station Road.

On the 21st June 1908 Charles married Annie Sumners in St Edmunds church and the parish registers show Charles as being a soldier who was living in Surrey.  Annie was a Shipston girl and had joined the Infants School on the 10th May 1886 and moved up to the Girls School on the 15th July 1889. In her childhood she had lived in Husbandsmans End, which was soon to be renamed Station Road. 

Having previously served 8 years with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment Charles was a reservist and was called back to serve with the 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment at the outbreak of war. The Battalion was at full strength by the 7th August having called back some 500 to 600 other reservists and fully kitted them out at Blackdown Camp.

Their first move was not to France, but to Strensall Camp near York where they marched and exercised. After a week in York they were ordered to Southampton and early on the morning of the 22nd August 1914 boarded the SS Caledonia arriving in Boulogne that evening. 

By mid April 1915, after an awful winter in the trenches, the Battalion was relaxing and training at Oultersteen for a week. Orders to move came on the 23rd April and the Battalion marched to Locre and then on to Ypres. The war diary for 25th of April, the day of Charles’ death reports:

Left YPRES at 12 midnight for VIELJE where orders were received for the attack. The Brigade attacked at 4.30am. We attacked wood on the left of the line with 7th ARG & SUTH HIGHLNDRS in support, the SEA. HIGHLNDRS., R. IRISH FUS., R. DUB FUS attacked on our right on ST JULIEN. Owing to the German trenches being insufficiently shelled and supports unable to come up the line retired at about   7am   to trenches near farm and consolidated our position. Our casualties were very heavy, 17 Officers, 500 other ranks, killed, wounded and missing.

Charles was killed in this attack and on the 4th June 1915 the Stratford Herald reported:

Official notification has now been received of the death of Sgt Charles Barrett of the 1st Royal Warwickshires who was shot through the head in the action at St Julien on Sunday April 25th.  The deceased leaves a widow and 2 children. Sgt Barrett was the eldest son of Mr & Mrs Henry Barrett of Husbandman`s End and had served 8 years with the colours before going on the reserve. He landed in France on August 23rd and was present in the retreat from Mons and a number of succeeding actions and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on October 30th. The deceased was well known and very popular in the Shipston district and the news of his death will be read with regret by a large number of friends.  Mr & Mrs Barrett’s youngest son, who served with the 2nd Royal Warwickshires and is now a prisoner in Germany, frequently writes home and encloses urgent demands for food. Their other son is an engine room artificer in the Royal Navy.

The Evesham Journal also reported Charles’ death:

Official news has now been received by the wife of Sergt C Barrett, of Shipston-on-Stour that he has met with his death at the front on April 25, owing to a shot in the head. Sergt Barrett was originally attached to 2nd Warwicks, having served for them for eight years. He had nearly completed four years with the reserves and his time was up last December. He left the Army with the rank of corporal, but on the reserves being mobilised on August 5 he rejoined, was promoted to the rank of sergeant, and attached to the 1st Warwicks, going almost immediately to France. He had been through most of the fighting and until April 25 had escaped unhurt. He leaves a widow and two young children. Sergt Barrett had latterly, until the outbreak of war, been employed by Messers Mayo and Sons, timber merchants.

Charles is buried at the New Irish Farm Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium, and is remembered on the Town Memorial and the Adult School Memorial.

Mike Wells