Charles Alfred Crew

Story:
Charles Alfred Crew was born in 1892 in Melplash, Dorset, and baptised at Melplash Church on 14th August, 1892. He was the son of Charles William Crew, a blacksmith, and Bessie Crew (née Lane). The family lived in Melplash, Netherbury, Dorset. At the time of the 1911 Census Charles was single, working as an Elementary School Teacher and living at Melplash, Netherbury. After this he may have moved to Shaftesbury, Dorset, as his name appears on the Park Walk War Memorial. He enlisted in Dorchester in the 1st/4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 2223) and served in Mesopotamia. At the time of his death from cholera on 11th July 1917 he held the rank Corporal. He was buried at Basra War Cemetery, Iraq (grave id. VI.L.11). He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His name also appears on the Melplash War Memorial. Charles was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the Territorial Force War Medal, which suggests that he joined the Army as a Territorial prior to 1914.  Following his death his father was in receipt of his financial effects as well as a dependent's pension which was transferred to Charles's mother when his father died in 1929.