Special thanks to Norfolk Libraries
Lance Corporal Charles Francis Stephens
1/6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, later Military Foot Police (M.F.P.)
Died by enemy action
Date of Birth: 1878
Place of Birth: Teignmouth, Devon
Date of Death: 10th January 1943
Buried: Teignmouth Old Cemetery QQ124
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Charles Francis Stephens was born in 1878.
In 1881, Francis is shown to be at 5 Quay Road, Teignmouth with his mother, Ellen, who is shown as a 'Sailors Wife'.
1901, Charles Stephens is in the Royal Navy and aboard HMS Hood. His rank or occupation is shown as 'Domestic 3rd Class'.
Devonshire Regimentcap badge
In 1912, Charles married Nellie L Dart. Later that year their daughter Emma was born and in 1913, Kathleen.
Charles initially served with the 1/6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment then transferred to the Military Foot Police (M.F.P.) in May 1917.
Devons in warm weather uniform
Charles' Military history for WW1 is shown as:
| France | 24/08/1915 | - | 28/09/1915 |
| I.E.F.D. | 16/02/1916 | - | 20/06/1916 |
| India | 21/06/1916 | - | 25/10/1916 |
| Indian Ex. force | 26/10/1916 | - | 19/04/1919 |
Cap Badge of the Military Foot Police
More about the Indian Expeditionary Force "D" (I.E.F.D.)
Steve Discombe with new grave markers for Charles Francis Stephens QQ124
Charles' daughter Emma married John W Gower in 1936.
In the 1939 census, Charles is living at 9 Willey Lane with his wife Nellie and daughters Emma and Kathleen.
Charles was killed by enemy action during WW2 at 21 Saxe Street when the house was bombed by the Luftwaffe on 10th January 1943.
Charles Francis Stephens is buried in Teignmouth Cemetery. On 25th October 2019, a grave marker was placed to remember him.
The Seige of Kut
In December 1915, in Mesopotamia (Modern Iraq), a British-Indian garrison in the town of Kut was put under siege by the Turks. The already weakened defenders were soon starving and sickness became rife.
Men of the 1/6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment joined the force sent to relieve the garrison.
A view across part of Kut. A bomb damaged minaret and a British Union Jack flying from a flagpole. © IWM (Art.IWM ART 2436)
The relief force was called the Tigris Corps, Charles's battalion were in the 35th Infantry Brigade of the 7th Division.
They marched 300 miles to Kut through swamps, marshes and deserts, suffering sickness and attacks from from the enemy.
In early March, they attempted to relieve the garrison, but an artillery bombardment warned the Turks of their advance and heavy shell and machine gun fire forced them to retreat. The 1/6th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment lost 201 casualties.
In April they were in the battle of Sannaiyat and in May attacked the Dujullah Redoubt.
Many men died of thirst and heatstroke and despite drafts of 180 men from the 2/5th and 2/6th, by July their total remaining strength was only 7 officers and 180 men.
Mounds of earth marking the graves of the British in Kut. Bluejackets of the Royal Navy stationed at Kut have collected empty shrapnel cases from the old trenches and placed one on all known spots where dead are buried. © IWM (Q 24534)
The Tigris Corps made several attempts between January and March 1916, to lift the siege of Kut al-Amara; all of which were unsuccessful.
The garrison surrended on the 29 April 1916 and 13,000 men were taken into captivity and marched away. A third died from disease, maltreatment and malnutrition.
"None of them fit to march five miles ... full of dysentery, beri-beri, scurvy, malaria and enteritis; they had no doctors, no medical stores and no transport.
The hot weather, just beginning, would have meant much sickness and many deaths, even among troops who were fit, well-cared for and well supplied.".
Geoffrey Elton, historian and war poet
(He saw the men being marched away)
This emaciated Indian soldier was photographed after he had been liberated during an exchange of prisoners. © IWM (Q 79446)
We know of seven local men who were at Kut, 3500 miles from home.
Six were in the Tigris Corps, the force sent to relieve the garrison:
Private Alfred Albert Vicary of Teignmouth, aged 16, died of wounds.
Private Robert Dewhurst of Teignmouth died of disease four days after the garrison surrendered.
Major Ernest Bird Barratt of Teignmouth was wounded in the battle, taken prisoner and died of his wounds.
Major Frederick William Birch of Shaldon died of wounds in the Battle of Hanna.
Private James Lambe of Shaldon, was believed to have been taken prisoner when the garrison surrrended and died later.
Private William Alfred Prowse of Teignmouth, was part of the Garrison force when Kut had been retaken in 1917, William died of heatstroke.
Lance Corporal Charles Francis Stephens of Teignmouth was part of the relief force. Charles survived WW1 but was killed in WW2 when Teignmouth was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe.
