Early Life
25581 Lance Corporal Charles Henry Payne of the 6th Battalion, the Somerset Light Infantry was the son of John and Ellen Louise Payne, of Cockhaven Road, Bishopsteignton. Charles was born in Shaldon in 1889.
At the age of 1 year old he was living at Ashwell House, Bishopsteignton where his father was registered as an agricultural labourer.
The family moved to Cockhaven in Bishopsteignton by the time of the 1901 census.
Charles married Sarah Jane (née Smith?) in Tiverton in 1909.
In 1911 Charles Henry is registered as living with his parents and 9 younger siblings in Cockhaven Road, Bishopsteignton. His father John was a “stone maker” and Charles Henry was a gardener and married at this point. Perhaps he was visiting?
Military Experience
Charles Henry enlisted in Taunton (residence 88, Orchard Portman, Somerset) with the Somerset Light Infantry 6th Battalion as a Lance Corporal, Service No 25581.
Death and Burial
Charles was killed in action in France on the 16th September 1916 aged 27 years.
He is buried at Combles Communal Cemetery Plot E Grave 25. II. AA. 25. In the cemetery he was initially listed as an unknown soldier but this was crossed out and his name, rank and number handwritten in.[1] According to his medical record he was assumed to have died 16 Sep 1916.
The large village of Combles is 16 kilometres east of Albert and 13 kilometres south of Bapaume in the Somme area of France.
The inscription on his grave is as follows
“SLEEP HUSBAND DEAR THY WORK IS DONE THY TROUBLE IS OVER THY CROWN IS WON.”
Burial document for Charles Henry Payne Origin www.cwcg.org.
Charles H Payne memorial document
Descendants
On the family verification form for the war grave commission Sarah wrote that she was living at Highbridge, Somerset and in her own handwriting to the question – Relationship put “Wife, Sorry to say suffering from cancer”.