Born on the 4th October 1890 Charles Disney Pender was the son of Charles Stein, O.B.E., M.D., and Mary McKenzie Stein, A.R.R.C., of Park House, Shipston-on-Stour.   The 1891 census shows the Steins living in Church Street, Shipston.  They were both doctors and living comfortably with two housekeepers and a cook all living in.  Disney, as he was known, and his older sister Ellen were also present. The 1901 census shows the family, still living in Church Street, but Disney is not present and can be found at the View Park Preparatory School, Spylaw Road, in the Morningside area of Edinburgh. Later he continued his education at Epsom College, where he was a member of the school O.T.C. and it is expected that he played cricket. In 1910, aged nearly 20, Disney emigrated to Canada, having previously served 1 year in the 2nd East Surrey Regiment and 21/2 years in the 6th Field Engineers.  He emigrated on the Empress of Ireland, a Canadian Pacific Line ship that sailed on the 6th May 1910.  The ships manifest shows that his previous occupation was Scholar and his future occupation was clerk.  Disney joined North Vancouver, British Columbia branch of Royal Bank of Canada on the 1st April 1911 and it was from this job that he enlisted in September 1914, his attestation papers showing that he was a clerk. Quickly settling into his new life, Disney Stein played cricket for Lynn Valley Cricket Club in British Columbia, and can be found in Wisden’s list of cricketers killed during the war, along with another six club players who died in the Great War. Sadly no club records exist, so no more than this is known about his exploits with bat and ball. Disney underwent his medical for the Canadian Expeditionary Force on the 9th September 1914, was signed up on the 26th September and was immediately posted to the 3rd Field Company, Canadian Engineers, who were on the very first convoy to travel from Canada to Europe. The convoy sailed in three columns named X, Y and Z. Setting sail on the 1st October Disney’s ship, the Arcadian, was second in Z column and arrived at Devonport on the 15th October 1914. On arrival the Canadians were given a warm welcome by the people of Plymouth and moved off by train to Salisbury Plain, their home for the next fourteen weeks.  In weather terms it was not to be a happy time, with lower than average temperatures and rainfall totalling 24 inches falling on average two days out of every three between late October and February.    King George V and Lord Kitchener inspected the Canadians on the 4th February 1915 and they left by train for Avonmouth on the 7th February in a deluge of rain. Sailing to St Nazaire the whole Division had disembarked by the 16th February. By the 2nd March 1915 each Canadian Brigade had spent time in the front line near Armentieres. To build experience each Brigade was attached to a British Army Division.   Subsequently they were involved in all of the major Battles of 1915, Neuve Chapelle, the 2nd Ypres and Givenchy. In early 1916 they were still in the front line near Ypres, with Battalions taking part in a rolling 6-day cycle of frontline, support trenches and reserve.  From the end March to the middle April the Canadians were involved in the fighting at the St. Eloi Craters where conditions were truly appalling. The Evesham Journal of the 10th June reported: Mrs. Stein, of Shipston-on-Stour, has received a letter signed “D. E. D. Robertson, No 3 Field Ambulance, C.E.F.” stating that her son has lost his life, but news is very meagre, and no further intimation has at present been received. The letter is dated May 27, and is as follows:- Dear Madam, - I wish to send you just a few lines of sympathy as from one who stood at your son’s graveside out here in Belgium, and who officiated at his funeral. A large company of his fellows, officers and men were there, and you will find some small comfort in this expression of their sorrow for one whom they liked so well and had lost. I am sure that they all wish to join me in this expression of my own distress for you.”  Sapper Charles Disney Pender Stein was born on 4 October 1890 and was educated at View Park Preparatory School, Edinburgh, and later at Epsom College, where he was a member of the school Officer Training Corps. He chose to go in for a colonial life, and in May 1910 he sailed for Canada, and settled in Vancouver, British Columbia.  He joined the Vancouver Company of the Canadian Engineers, and on the day war was declared, along with other members of the Company, he volunteered for active service in France. After a short period of further training at Valcartier, he sailed this country on October 3, 1914, with the 1st Canadian Contingent, and remained on Salisbury Plain till they went to France on February 8, 1915. He came home for a short leave on May 1 and returned to Belgium on May 8, 1916. The Stratford Herald of the 16th June 1916 reported: Sapper C D P (Disney) Stein of the Canadian forces and eldest son of Dr C. Stein of Park House, Shipston died in France on or about May 27th.  No official notification has yet been received. Dr Stein received the information by a letter from the front and as he has not recently received any communication from his son there appears to be little doubt as to the accuracy of the sad news. He was 25 years of age and went out to Canada 6 years ago and was engaged with the Royal Bank of Canada. Shortly after the outbreak of war a new branch of the bank was opened in North Vancouver and he was appointed as the first manager. He was one of the first to enrol when the call for volunteers was made.  Only about 3 weeks before his death he was home on leave and left to return to the front on May 8th. The official records note Disney as being killed on the 24th May 1916. He is buried in Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium and is remembered on the Town Memorial, Wisden’s Roll of Honour and the Royal Bank of Canada Roll of Honour. During the war the Steins ran a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) from Park House in Shipston. It opened on the 11th December 1914 and was formally recorded as Warwickshire VAD 34.  It was attached to the 1st Southern General Hospital, the Army designation of the University Hospital Birmingham. On the 18th June 1918 Mary McKenzie Stein was awarded the Royal Red Cross 2nd Class. This award was listed in the London Gazette of 21st June 1918 and entitled her to use the post-nominal letters ARRC.

Mike Wells