BORN: 27 Jan 1880, Skilgate, Somerset, England.
UNIT: 1/5th Bn. Devonshire Regiment (Prince of Wales) Territorials.
DIED: 12 Mar 1918, Palestine, killed in an enemy air raid.
BURIED: Commemorated in Ramleh War Cemetery, Ramla, Israel. S.28.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS: Common-y-Coed, Undy.
Early life
Andrew Charles BRICE is listed as Charles on the Magor war memorial. He was born on 27 Jan 1880 in Skilgate, Somerset, England. Charles was the one of 8 children of John BRICE, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Sarah. He grew up at Shute Cottage just outside Skilgate and attended the local school from the age of 4.
By 1901, aged 21, Charles had left his family to work as a coal miner in Llangeinor, Glamorgan, Wales. Meanwhile, his family moved from Skilgate to nearby Morebath, Devon, where his father died in 1907. In 1911, Charles lived at Morrells Cottage, Morebath with his widowed mother and 7 siblings. He worked as a farm labourer.
A year later, on 13 Apr 1912, he married Mary Jane BAYLISS in her home parish church at St. Arvans, near Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales. Their marriage record says that he lived in Morebath, where he worked as a gardener.
Charles’ military records show that Mary lived at Holly Cottage, Common-Y-Coed, Undy, Monmouthshire when Charles was overseas. She later moved back to St. Arvans and lived at Oakgrove Lodge.
Charles and WW1
Charles was a solider with the 1/5 Battalion, Devonshire (Prince of Wales) Regiment. His service records have not been found. They are probably among the 70% of records that have not survived. Many of these were lost during the Blitz of WW2. However, calculations based on the War Gratuity received by his widow indicate that he enlisted in the month from 13 Jul 1916.
This Territorial battalion of the ‘Devons’ was formed in 1914 at Plymouth. They sailed for India later that year to relieve the regular Army garrisoned there. On 04 April 1917 they transferred to Suez, Egypt as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Shortly after Charles died, the battalion was called to the Western Front. They sailed to Marseilles and landed there on 01 June 1918.
Charles' death & burial
Charles died in an enemy air raid on 12 Mar 1918. The regimental war diaries to March 1918 have not yet been digitised by the National Archives. So the exact details of that day have not yet been uncovered. However, later sources describe his battalion’s participation in the Battle of Tell ‘Asur between 08-12 Mar 1918.
Battle of Tell 'Asur
The Battle of Tell’ Asur was an Allied victory over the Ottoman 8th Army. It was part of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of WW1. It was fought over a front that ran from the Mediterranean Sea to the edge of the Jordan Valley.
By the end of 1917, the Ottoman army was down to its reserves and British moral was high. The Allies had already achieved decisive victories in the Battle of Jerusalem and the Capture of Jericho. This pushed the Ottoman Army northwards. The Allied advance continued on 08 Mar 1918. The 1/5th Devons’ objective was Deir Ballut and Majdal Yaba, fighting against the Ottoman 8th Army.
By 11.00 am on 11 Mar the Ottoman forces had fully retreated, leaving behind 112 prisoners and 40 dead. The British General Allenby found his new position overlooked. So they retreated slightly to the south to higher ground.
Sometime the day after this Charles was killed in an enemy air raid. He was one of 104 British soldiers killed in the battle.
His burial
Charles is commemorated at the Ramleh War Cemetery, Ramla, Israel at plot S.28. He is also commemorated by a plaque in St. George’s church, Morebath, which was unveiled at Easter 1920 by Mothers’ Union members.
Medals and Pension
Mary received an initial sum of £11 0s 1d and then an additional War Gratuity of £3 1s 0d. She received a widows’ pension of 13s 9d per week from 23 Sep 1918.
Charles was awarded the British War and Victory campaign medals.
What happened to his family?
Mary lived out her life in St. Arvans
Charles’ widow Mary never remarried. She lived with her elder sister Alice BAYLISS, who also never married. In 1939 they were at 1 The Row, St. Arvans. She died in 1953.
The Brice Boys
Charles was one of 6 sons of John and Sarah BRICE. Tragically, the youngest son Ernest also died in WW1. He died on 22 Sep 1917 and was buried in Cement House Cemetery, Langemark-Poelkapelle, Belgium. He is commemorated on the same plaque as his brother in Morebath church.
The next youngest, Henry Albert BRICE served with 9 Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. However, he came home from the war, got married, had a family and settled in Shillingford, Devon. He died in 1936.
Another brother, Francis BRICE, served with the Royal Army Service Corps. He also returned home to Devon, eventually settling in the house next door to where he grew up. He also married and had children.
No military records have been found for his other brothers, George and James, who both remained in Devon
