Charles Imber

Story:
Charles Imber was born on 31st January 1875 in Semley, Wiltshire, and baptised there on 28th February 1875, the son of Harry Imber and Marian Hodder Imber (née Flood).  He lived with his parents in Semley and later on Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  He trained as a Tailor which came in useful during his military career.  Charles enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment on 7th January 1895 (Service No. 4607).  He served in Malta, Crete, South Africa and Gibraltar, during which time he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal (5 Clasps), the King's South African Medal (2 Clasps) and the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.  He had married Susannah Grummitt at Christ Church, Highbury, London, on 18th February 1905 and they went on to have six children.  He was transferred to the South Staffordshire Regiment on 15th December 1915 (Service No. SS8506).  He held the rank of Sergeant Tailor, serving in the UK.  He took his full pension on 7th January 1917 but was not discharged until 3rd December 1919 when his term of engagement had terminated.  He was awarded the British War Medal.  The 1921 Census shows him living at the Council Cottage, Botany Bay, Litchfield, Staffordshire, working as a Tailor but by the 1939 Register he had moved to 12 Harbour Hill Road, Poole, Dorset, now described as a Master Tailor (Army Retired) and as an ARP Warden.  He died in Poole on 5th September 1952.