Letters from the front line to the fiancee soldier left behind
A WOULD-be relative of a soldier from Burbage who died in World War One is honouring his memory.
Martin Cooper, 76, placed a picture of Private Charles Bradbury by his plaque in St Catherine’s Church and some of Charles’ wartime letters were read out at a Remembrance Day service there.
Charles, of 1st batallion of the Leicester Regiment, would have become Mr Cooper’s great uncle had he survived the war and married his fiancée Nellie Ghent.
Mr Cooper said: “There’s a lot of talk about people in World War One at the moment.
“I thought that as I have photos of Charles, why not share them.”
Mr Cooper has several letters sent by Charles in late 1915 while he was fighting in the trenches in Ypres to the cottage in Three Pots Road where his beloved Nellie lived.
Charles, or ‘Charlie’ as he always signs off his letters, describes the hard work and horrors of battle on the front line while reassuring Nellie that he is receiving the cigarettes she keeps sending.
In a letter dated October 19, Charles said: “You ought to see the town of Ypres, there is not a single house left untouched in the place.
“We saw one of the German main shells hit one big house and clear it absolutely away.
“I don’t know what an earthquake is like but by Jove when one of those bursts it makes one wonder if it can be any worse.
“Our regiment seems very lucky, we did 12 days in the trenches and hardly saw a German, and then as soon as we came out they made an attack.
“It is a bit rotten in the trenchs, especially when you are on sentry at night, you know the Germans are near to you and yet you cannot see them.”
The last of the letters is dated just four days before Charles died aged 27 on December 21 1915 and wishes Nellie a merry Christmas.
Mr Cooper has the letter sent to Nellie by her cousin John on New Year’s Day 2016 to inform her of Charles’ death.
It said in tribute: “Charlie was a chap who was liked by all who came into contact with him, always merry and bright and generous and no doubt he has attained that peace and happiness which he so richly deserves.”
Mr Cooper hopes to pass on the letters to a larger collection or to donate them to Hinckley and District Museum.