
Obituary for Charles Benford
Charles was born on 12 July 1919 in South Fambridge, the second child of nine.
At the age of six, he went to live with his grandparents in Plaistow where he was brought up and loved as an only child.
In 1934 when he was 14, his grandfather died suddenly of a heart attack, and dad eventually returned to Southend to live with his mother. From then he worked as a butcher’s boy until the outbreak of WW2.
At that time he was required to register, along with all those who were 18 years and over. He actually stated a preference for the Navy, but on 15 January 1940 he was called up to report to Warley Barracks – home of the Essex Regiment. So “Private C. Benford 6019174” began his military career with the army. After four months training, he was due to go from Dover to join the British Expeditionary force in France. The evacuation of Dunkirk, however, prevented this from happening. As a result, he spent time at Newcastle under Lyme, then near Hereford and the Brecon Beacons. During subsequent time at Lancing in Sussex, and then on the Isle of Wight, he was involved in erecting steel framework defences along the South Coast. Eventually he ended up with the Support Company, in the Carrier Platoon, having learnt to drive and maintain a bren gun carrier.
His active service, following months of training, started when he landed on Gold Beach on D-Day at around 1pm. He was by then a Sergeant with a Bren Gun Carrier platoon. He saw Bayeux liberated, and the taking of Tilly-sur-Seulles, which changed hands between the Allies and Germany no fewer than 19 times; dad survived some ferocious action in Normandy, and progressed to the campaign to liberate Le Havre; during autumn 1944 he fought across Belgium and the Netherlands, culminating in the liberation of Arnhem in April 1945.
Having transferred from the 2nd Essex to the 1st Suffolk Regt., he was due to go to the Far East – but as WW2 ended, he thought he would be returning home – but he was sent to Palestine instead, where he spent the last 10 months of his military career in Haifa and Beirut as Acting Company Sergeant Major.
Early in 1943, dad had started corresponding with Doreen Turvey, who at that time worked in the Stratford Co-Op store. The introduction was through the “pals away” scheme run by the Co-Op during the war. Their first meeting was during a 48 hour leave from which blossomed a romance. A further 48 hour leave was granted three months later and that was the last time they met until January 1945 when, during an eleven day leave, Charles proposed to Doreen. They were married at St John’s Church, Leytonstone High Road on 15th July 1945. Despite having been together for only a few weeks before they were married, they would be together for 66 years.
Over the next 40 years, Charles graduated from being a milkman, to working in the office – culminating in being Chief Cashier at the Co-op department store in Romford where he worked for many years. Commuting daily by car from Leigh to Romford was tiring, however, and he eventually left to start work for Southend Borough Council – in the Education, Housing and Environmental Health departments, retiring in 1984.
His life at St James was immense. As well as over 20 years running the Sunday School with Doreen, he was church treasurer – a post he held for 49 years. As with all “voluntary” posts, he was not to relax, however – he continued as Assistant Treasurer until the age of 97!! Dad also loved singing in the choir, and was an altar server from the 1950s right until he was well over 90 years old. He felt privileged also to be a Eucharistic Minister.
Dad always said that the reason he had given so much of his life to God in the Church was because he had survived the war – when so many of his friends had not.
I must mention his return, in later life, to his military experiences. For years when we were children, dad never wanted to talk about his war years. Around the 50th Anniversary of WW2, he was contacted by his former regiment, and encouraged to be involved in the memory of fallen comrades. As a result, he joined the Essex Regiment Association, and also the 49th West Riding Infantry Division Association – the Polar Bears. The 2nd Essex Regiment which dad served in was part of the Polar Bears – and dad and mum went on many trips with the Association to Normandy, Belgium and Holland.
Dad used to say the prayers during ceremonies at the various memorials and cemeteries we visited – he became unofficial padre of the Polar Bear Association! A particular highlight for Dad was when he was in Normandy on his 95th birthday, and he met Prince Edward, who was leading the officials. Not many people can say that a Prince has sung you happy birthday! Dad was also very proud to be awarded the Legion d’Honneur – the French Government’s highest honour, for his participation in the Normandy campaign.
At home, dad joined the Royal British Legion, and took an active role, attending regular meetings at the Moose Hall in Leigh.
This brings me to the last great achievement in dad’s life – reaching 100 years on July 12th. A splendid celebration was held, with family, friends, local dignitaries, LOMVC choir members, the Royal British Legion, and military representatives. It is of course sad that he only managed 13 more days, – but the fact that he died on St. James Day, the 25th July, was providential, given his life here. So ends 100 years – a full and happy life.
John Benford (son)