2nd Cpl. Charles Eastty MM, 85864, 212th Field Coy Royal Engineers.

[Ivor Anderson]

2nd Cpl. Charles Eastty MM, 85864, 212th Field Coy Royal Engineers

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Royal_Engineers

"On 11 February 1915 the War Office authorised the Tottenham Local Representative Committee, based at Tottenham Town Hall, to raise a field company of the Royal Engineers (RE), to be designated 212th (Field) Company (Tottenham). Soon this recruitment effort was expanded to the full RE complement for a division and then two Army Troops Companies in addition:

33rd Divisional Engineers HQ

212th (Tottenham) Field Company, RE

222nd (Tottenham) Field Company, RE

226th (Tottenham) Field Company, RE

33rd (Tottenham) Divisional Signal Company, RE

230th (Tottenham) Army Troops Company, RE

238th (Tottenham) Army Troops Company, RE

"After routine service in the trenches, 33rd Division's first offensive operations came during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. It was in Corps Reserve during the Battle of Albert (12–13 July 1916), but was committed during the Battle of Bazentin Ridge and subsequent Attacks on High Wood (14–21 July). The division's first attack on High Wood on 15 July was a costly failure, but 19th Brigade made a second attempt on 20 July. 1st and 5th/6th Battalions Scottish Rifles led, supported by 20th (3rd Public Schools) Bn Royal Fusiliers with three sections of 11th Field Company and two companies of 18th (1st Public Works) Bn Middlesex Regiment (the divisional pioneers). Initially, the attack was a success, but it became held up by enemy machine guns. With the supports thrown in, the brigade managed to take most of the wood and the pioneers dug in. Holding the gains over the following weeks under heavy shellfire was very costly. In early August the division was withdrawn for a period of rest before returning to the High Wood–Delville Wood sector on 18 August."

Charles Eastty entered France 17 Nov. 1915 (MIC) - Discharged 22 Feb 1919 - entitled to the service trio.

His MM in LG 11 Oct 1916 was for the Somme in July 1916. Ref 68/121/57 Schedule no. 32790

 

Edited 20 February , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

Charles Eastty was born in Tottenham on 13th May 1894.

Parents: Charles James Eastty & Caroline Mary Beadle - married 3rd June 1888. Living 5 Brunswick Road, Tottenham in 1911.

He married his wife Ida Muriel Pentin on 22nd July 1922 in St Mary Magdalene Parish Church, Norwich. Then living 107 Northcote St., Norwich.

Son Charles born 14th June 1923 in Norwich.

1939 Census 27 Hertingford Bury Road, Hertford. He was a foreman printer.

He died 27th April 1968 aged 73. 19 Castle Mead Gardens, Hertford.

Edited 20 February , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

Others in 212th FC RE? Also entered France on 17 Nov. 1915:

85861 Spr. Sydney Evans

85862 Pnr. Albert Dale - Surviving Service Record - enlisted 23 March 1915, 212th FC.

           To reserve 22 Feb 1919 (24th BP Coy RE) 27 Highcross Rd., Tottenham. Service record page below (Ancestry image).

85863 Cpl. Harry Lofts

85864 2nd Cpl. Charles Eastty

85865 Spr Henry James Mitchell - died 14 July 1917 at 32 Stationary Hospital, France (10th Reinforcement Coy. RE) born Smethwick, Staffs. Enlisted Tottenham.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/84407/h-j-mitchell/

85866 Spr Joseph Mitchell

Edited 20 February , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

Two deaths during July 1916:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/798547/walter-charles-kirbyshire/

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/75815/stuart-carrs/

Two during August 1916:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/272852/colin-robert-jamieson-watt/

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/77533/edward-alfred-peerless/

[PRC]

I see on the 1911 Census of England and Wales he was a still living with his parents at Brunswick Road, Tottenham and was working at the age of 16 as a Monotype Caster Operative for the Government Printer - presumably the H.M.S.O.

However not spotting any references to him in connection with his civil service role in The London Gazette.

His parents, Charles James and Caroline Mary state they have been married 23 years and the marriage has produced 6 children, all then still alive. All six were also still living at home and are recorded on that census.

A high level check of the 1921 Census of Wales shows a Charles Eastty, born Middlesex c1894, recorded in Norwich, so that places him in the city at the start of June 1921. He is the only Eastty showing up in Norwich so seems unlikely he moved with family.

His future wife Ida Muriel Pentin, born 14th May 1895 - (source GRO death record Hertford District Q4 1973) - had her birth registered in the Norwich District in Q2 1895. 1911 Census of England & Wales records her living at 11 Morley Street, Norwich. The 1914/15 Electoral Register puts father Edward Henry Pention as still living there. If they were still there postwar then Morley Street and Northcote Road are in the same part of town - at their closest no more more than 150 yards apart and separated by Silver Road. FindMyPast have transcribed her as Ida Muriel Penton on the 1921 Census, although it does place her in Norwich.

On the 1911 Census Ida has a 12 year old brother, Paul Herbert David Pentin, born Norwich. J34800 Paul Herbert David Pentin, born Norwich 1st March 1899, served in the Royal Navy as a Boy Sailor from the 26th January 1915. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6933749
I was just checking that angle out in case he too served with the Royal Engineers.

So I'm left wondering what brought Charles up to Norwich - the H.M.S.O. didn't set up shop here until the end of the sixties as part of a Labour Government attempt to move jobs out of London. Do you have his occupation from the marriage record?

Cheers,
Peter

[Ivor Anderson]

Thanks for all that research Peter. He was a 'monotype charge hand' at his marriage in 1922 (Ancestry image):

And a 'monotype mechanic printer foreman' in 1939. His wife Ida b. 14th May 1895.

His father d.1938 aged 73 (Rochford district, Essex). Mother d. 9th May 1954, of 'Sandhurst', Arnold Avenue, Southend on Sea.

Charles had a younger brother Francis Edward George Eastty of 3 Berwick Avenue, Hayes Bridge, Middlesex, who died 8 Dec 1941. (b. 23 Jan 1898)

Edited 20 February , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[PRC]

107 Northcote Road is at the Silver Road end and joins it at the flat bit at the top of a hill. Turn right and the hill descends toward the river at about a 1 in 5 rate, taking you pass the church of St Mary Magdalene where the couple were married and then past the alleys that allow you to cut through into Morley Street without having to go the long way round. At the bottom of the hill was a brewery, the administration block of the cavalry barracks and Jarrolds printing works.

Can't guarantee he was working at Jarrolds, but they did a lot of government contract work during the war and so Charles may have heard of them that way.

Cheers,
Peter

[Ivor Anderson]

No mention of him (or MMs) in the 212th Field Coy, war diary: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353809

I don't see him in any MM list in the 33rd Division A&QMG diary either. May have been a Corps award.

[charlie962]

A google brings up his BWM for sale/sold?

[Ivor Anderson]

I noticed that.

[charlie962]

4 minutes ago, Ivor Anderson said:

I noticed that

presumably a little while ago?

[Ivor Anderson]

Yes. Nice to see that his silver BWM survived previous meltdowns. He had a good first name! 

On route to a good home for now. Hopefully his MM or its current owner will surface at some point.

His son, Charles Edward Eastty, died in 2004 aged 80. I presume the medals were together until then?

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=7579&h=12484723&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=61596

Edited 20 February , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

The son https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80023544

Edited 20 February , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

MM Index card from the National Archives' reference WO 372/23/102425

[Ivor Anderson]

212th FC RE war diary entries for July 1916:

[Ivor Anderson]

The 212th were party to a trench raid on the night of the 30th June/1st July:

[Ivor Anderson]

Medals presented by GOC 33rd Division on 30th July 1916: