Charles Arthur Lincoln
The soldier:
Charles Arthur (sometimes Arthur Charles) Lincoln enlisted on the 10th April 1917 in Kings Lynn, Norfolk at the age of 33.
He was given regimental number 204356 and assigned to the Bedfordshire Regiment. On the 21st June 1917 he left England with colleagues via Folkstone arriving in France on the 22nd.
On the 13th July 1917 he was transferred as a Private from the Bedfordshire Regiment’s 7th Brigade to the 12th East Surrey Regiment.
Charles was ‘killed in action’ on the 2nd August 1917. This was less than 5 months from the day he joined the army and left England. He is buried in Enclosure 4 X f.4 of the Bedford House Cemetery, west Vlaanderen, Belgium and his name is inscribed on both Snettisham’s memorials.
Despite some damage, A C Lincoln’s comprehensive military record from enlistment to correspondence with his family after his death has survived (spanning 21 pages).
The man:
Charles Arthur Lincoln was born on the 19th July 1884 in Snettisham, Norfolk to Arthur Lincoln (born Ingoldisthorpe) and Mary Ann Lincoln (born Bircham).
By the 1891 census, Charles, now 6 lives with his parents (who are now both 31) and siblings; Herbert W (11), Hannah (9), Alice R (3) and Minnie (1). All the children being born in Snettisham.
Charles (Chas) attended Snettisham School from the 8th June 1891 until the 14th February 1898 when he left for Grammar School. The school record shows his father, Arthur’s occupation as ‘Bricklayer’.
All of Charles siblings also attend Snettisham School.
By the 1901 census all the family lives in Church Road, Snettisham but with Charles younger siblings Gertrude (5) and Maurice (8 months) as additions.
In 1909, at the age of 25, Charles Arthur Lincoln married Florence Gertrude Edith Dodman in St. Mary’s church, Snettisham – registered at Docking.
In 1911, Charles Arthur Lincoln (now 26) and Florence (28) live in Station lane, Snettisham with their one year old son, Arnold Arthur born on the 15th June 1910 (in Snettisham). Charles was a Carpenter by trade at this time (On 1911 census and later enlistment papers).
Charles parents were still living in Snettisham in the 1911 census at an address in Church Road with all his siblings except Herbert (39) who had moved out to an address in Stranfield Place, Snettisham.
At the time of Charles death, Florence was residing at Kingsley Cottage, Snettisham with Arnold, who was now 7. At some point shortly afterwards they moved to Springfield Cottage, Station Road, Snettisham (CWGC).
Arnold was at Snettisham School when he lost his father, moving out of the village to Shernborne with his mother in 1918.
Florence did not re-marry after Charles death, dying on the 10th September 1959 in Wandsworth, London. Charles and Florence’s only child Arnold Arthur went on to become a minister of religion.
Pictures: Charles Arthur Lincoln proudly in uniform, family Lincoln group (circa 1901) and Florence (Charles’ wife) and Mary Ann (his mother) visiting his overseas grave (c.1920) – with thanks to John Austin via Ancestry.co.uk
