Charles was born in 1871 in Kew, Surrey [Birth
Cert regn. #1871, Jun Q, Richmond, S., 2a 304]. He was the son
of Charles Henry BURT & Mary Ann ALDRIDGE. His father was a Carpenter.
On the 13th August 1888 Charles joined the Scots Guards at London. His
attestation record's his occupation as Gardener. [Copies of his
attestation papers are filed under British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
held by The National Archives, Kew.]
Appointed Lance-Corporal 1891. Corporal 1893. In
December 1895 he was one of 18 men of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards
to be selected to go on the Ashanti Expedition. The Graphic (7 Dec.
1895) published a picture on its front page captioned : "The
detachment of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards who volunteered for
service in Ashanti consists of Sergeant Arkinstall, Corporal Burt
and fifteen privates and is under the command of Captain I.G.
Drummond. Before embarking they were inspected by Queen Victoria at
Windsor Castle." He was awarded the Ashanti Star. [Medal roll Burt
8063]
25 May 1896 during a display at the Military
Tournament he was injured when a blank cartridge struck him in the
left eye. A court of enquiry found that he was not to blame and that
the injury would not affect his sight. Promoted Sergeant June 1896.
Colour Sergeant April 1898.
The Irish Guards were formed 1st
April 1900 and Burt transferred to the regiment and appointed its
first Sergeant-Major. [The picture of him in an Irish Guards RSM uniform
dates to about 1901.] He served in South Africa and was awarded the
Queen's South Africa Medal with five clasps (copy roll included). He
was awarded the 1902 Coronation Medal (copy medal roll confirms: 1st
Irish Guards, Sgt.Maj. C.A. Burt) and the Army Long Service & Good
Conduct Medal in 1906.
12 January 1905 he was posted to the 26th Middlesex
Volunteer Rifle Corps as Sergeant-Instructor and in 1908 to the 25th
(County of London) Cyclists as Color-Sergeant-Instrctor. In
September 1909 he was appointed Acting Sergeant-Major of the same
regiment. He was awarded the 1911 Coronation Medal (copy roll
included: 350 Sgt:Maj: Burt, C.A., 25th London Regt). He was
discharged in London, 27 January 1916: "He served in an expemplary
manner as a NCO & Warrant Officer from 1891 onwards. Was Sergt.
Major to the 1st Battn Irish Guards on its formation & afterwards.
Sergt. Major to the 25th County of London Battn. Is in possession of
the merdal for long service & good conduct. Has now been appointed
Qr.Mr. to the 25th County of London Regt."
He was given a
Territorial Commission as Hon. Lieutenant & Quartermaster in the
25th Londons, 28 January 1916 and embarked at Devonport 4 February
1917. Arrived in Bombay 26 February 1916 and was posted to the
Waziristan Field Force "Summer Campaign" 26 May 1917 to 16 August
1917. He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals. His Medal
Index Card has note on back: "Dept. of The King's Body Guard of the
Yeoman of the Guards submits Medal Roll." Appointed Captain & QM, 1
May 1919 and served in Afghanistan 1919, receiving the medal.
He resigned his commission 12 May 1920. In tEmbarked
at Bombay 15 November 1919 and retrned to England. He resigned his
commission 12 May 1920. In the same year he joined The King's Body
Guard of the Yeoman of the Guards. He was awarded the Meritorious
Service Medal 2 October 1946, as 350 W.O.Cl.II, Irish Guards (copy
medal card included).
The Yeoman of the Guard rolls show Charles from 1921 to
1949 when it records his death. [http://yeomenoftheguard.com/roll.htm]
He married Clara Rallings (Rawlings) in 1903. [Marriage
registration - 1903, Dec Q, Epsom District, 2a 55]. Clara
was a servant in Charles parent's household at Kew [1901
census], no doubt how they met. Clara was born in Royston,
Hertfordshire in 1873. She was the daughter of Alfred Rallings, a
wheelwright, and Rebecca (nee Cane), of Royston, Herts. He died 11
December 1949 at the West Middlesex Hospital, Isleworth, leaving a
widow, Clara Burt.
WW1 Medal card : (1) Lt. & Q.Mr. - 25th London
Regt; (2) Capt. - London Regt. India .G.S. Medal Afghan 1919.
Medal card
addresses - (1) c/o Cox & Co., 14 Charing Cross Rd, London. (2)
Friary Court, St. James Palace, S.W. (3) 25 Cross Lances Rd, Hounslow,
Middlesex.
Charles is mentioned several times in the
Bn magazine
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[Photo courtesy of Henry Trull] |
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