Charles Burley Ward VC

Ever since we moved to Whitchurch, we’ve heard stories about Charles Burley Ward, the last man to receive the Victoria Cross from Queen Victoria. A man who is buried in St Mary’s Churchyard

Apart from the VC, nobody seems to know much about him. In fact, after he was buried in 1921, his grave was forgotten and lost in the undergrowth for the next 60 years. It was only after a local family history group in 1986 started checking that they found the plot, and persuaded the Commonwealth Graves Commission to erect the beautiful white headstone there

But who was Charles Burley Ward, and what was his connection to Whitchurch? There’s lots of information online, but his whole life seems to be a catalogue of sadness

CBW was born in Hunslet, Leeds in 1877 in absolute poverty. It’s not strange that CBW joined the army as a young man to escape all this and was sent to fight the Boers in South Africa. It was there in June 1900 that his piquet found themselves surrounded by 500 Boers and he volunteered to run across open ground to seek reinforcements. Even though he sustained severe injuries, he ran back to report matters and the post was subsequently relieved. For this, he was awarded the Victoria Cross (see coloured photo below with his VC)

It’s recorded that at his investiture at Windsor Castle in December 1900, CBW was the last person to receive the VC from the queen herself (she died just 5 weeks later). In fact, CBW was discharged from the army only 3 weeks after the investiture as ‘medically unfit due to wounds received in action’

He returned to Leeds, aged 24, as a deserved hero and was feted by the city. He was given a special gold medal and presented with a cheque for £600 (about £60k in today’s money). He bought a newsagent’s shop nearby and married his girlfriend, Emily. They had 3 children whilst in Hunslet, and then moved to Cardiff where they had a fourth child

But why Cardiff? The local story goes that CBW moved to Whitchurch (even the internet stories tell this) and, from December 1904, worked for the Glamorgan County Council as a Physical Instructor with an annual salary of £140

The 1911 census finds CBW, Emily and their 4 children living in Whitchurch with George, CBW’s father. Except, they weren’t living in Whitchurch at all, the census finds them at number 3 Soberton Avenue, Whitchurch Road!

CBW re-enlisted in the army (in his old regiment) in September 1914, at the beginning of WW1, even though he’d been discharged from the army in 1901 as unfit. Re-enlisting with the rank of Private, within 5 weeks, he’d been promoted 5 times to become Company Sergeant Major, and spent much of the war as an instructor. He was then discharged for a second time just 3 weeks after the end of the war in November 1918 as being ‘no longer medically fit’

It is suggested that he was suffering from mental issues; today they would probably suggest PTSD. And, if fighting through 2 horrific wars weren’t enough, things got really bad. CBW returned to Cardiff (back to Soberton Avenue?) to his family, but relations became much worse. His wife Emily died on a level crossing at Gabalfa in February 1919

Later that same year, CBW re-married, to Annie McNally (who was his cousin) and she moved into the family home and they had a child, Eric in 1920

CBW was obviously suffering from some form of breakdown as he was next found in the County Asylum in Bridgend, where he sadly died of ‘myelitis and mania’ in December 1921, at the age of only 44. He was buried with full military honours in St Mary’s Churchyard in January 1922

As a postscript, the widow of CBW was refused a war pension because he had not died of injuries directly in connection with his duties as a soldier! Even though he’d been discharged twice from the military and carried his wounds for the rest of his life. In fact, there’s an exhibit in the military museum in Doncaster showing his army jacket (see photo below) riddled with all of the bulletholes!

So, where is the connection between CBW and Whitchurch? There doesn’t seem to be one, except that he’s buried in our local parish churchyard

Nonetheless, this tragic story of an incredibly heroic man who died in such sad circumstances, bears telling and re-telling. Perhaps when we’re next in the village we should seek out his grave and give thanks to such a special ‘Whitchurch’ man

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