Family group:

Pair: Able Seaman C. W. Uzell, Benbow Battalion, Royal Naval Division

1914 Star (234692 A.B., Benbow Bttn., R.N.D.); Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (234692 (CH.B.13908) A.B., R.F.R.); together with related (damaged) bronze sweetheart brooch

Three: Lance-Corporal E. F. Uzell, Lincolnshire Regiment, who died of wounds on 6 May 1915

1914-15 Star (1465 Pte., Linc. R.); British War and Victory Medals (1465 Pte., Linc. R.) generally very fine or better (6) £200-240

Charles William Uzzell was born in Wantage, Berkshire on 12 November 1889. A Van Boy by occupation, he joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 5 September 1905 and was advanced to Boy 1st Class in March 1906. He was promoted to Ordinary Seaman when on the Albermarle in November 1907 and Able Seaman when on St. George in June 1912. With the onset of war he was posted to the Benbow Battalion Royal Naval Division. Serving with the battalion in Belgium, he ended up being interned in the Netherlands for the duration of the war. Postwar he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve in December 1919 and was demobilized in June 1921. Sold with copied service paper. Able Seaman C. W. Uzell was entitled to the clasp to his 1914 Star.

Ernest Frederick Uzell was born at Wantage, Berkshire in 1893, and lived at West Wickham, Kent. He died of wounds in France and Flanders on 6 May 1915 whilst serving with the 5th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment and is buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France. In an obituary in the Beckenham and District Times, several letters from his officers and N.C.O. were reprinted. That from Sergeant J. T. Ely read:

‘I deeply regret to tell you that your son Fred is dead. On the night of May 5th a party of us had to put up some wire entanglements between our lines and the Germans. We had not been at it long when Fred was hit with a bullet in the head. We got him and attended to him at once, but it was of no use, and by what I can learn he only lived about twelve hours. The dear lad had a decent burial, and was laid to rest by the side of some of his comrades in the cemetery .... ‘

The above were brothers, sons of Stephen Uzzell of 3 Hope Cottages, West Wickham, formerly of Southlands Road, Bromley Common. Both with copied research.