Charles Straker, SS Chevington
 

We've been given permission to publish on the other site a very nice photo of Charles Straker, who was killed when the SS Chevington was torpedoed during WW2. The photo was taken during WW1 and shows Charles in WW1 uniform. I believe he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery during that conflict.

Charles is recorded on the main town memorial and the Bede Street club memorial.

Now wouldn't it be nice to have a few more photographs of those listed put up on the site before we reach the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War?


http://www.fusilier.co.uk/military/c...gton_amble.htm

SS "Chevington"
 

I was very interested in the post about the ss Cheviington,as my father , Richard Dixon, was also lost when she was torpedoed in 1941. He was a stoker and is also remembered on the memorial clock and Bede St club
memorial

And the Tower Hill Memorial in London;
[image courtesy forum member Janwhin]

A short obituary from the Morpeth Herald of 24 October 1941: "Amble Seaman Lost
Charles R Straker of 10 Scott Street, Amble, a sea-going engineer and holder of the Military Medal has lost his life at sea as the result of enemy action.
He served in the Northumberland Fus. and was awarded the Military Medal in the Great War. He leaves a widow and nine children. His eldest son fought at Dunkirk and was later discharged from the Army as a result of exposure in the sea and on the beaches there. Another son is in the RAF and a daughter in the WAAF.
Another shipmate, James Blackett Murray, messroom steward, also went down with his ship, the result of enemy action. Murray, who was 30, was the son of Mr and Mrs S Murray, 51 Gordon Street, Amble. He was single."

Charles Straker
 

So glad to have seen this photo. Charles was my Grandfather, William Straker's brother and therefore my great uncle. Unfortunately I never knew him but my aunts all remembered him fondly.

Thank you.:o

I can find Charles and William (aged 22 and 24 respectively) with the rest of the family on the Wynd on the 1911 census. The father John Straker as “gas stoker”.


Looking at the photograph I’m convinced Charles is wearing the long shoulder titles of the Northumberland Fusiliers, probably the local 7th battalion. This is a 'T' over a '7' over a grenade with the letters 'NF' under. He is also wearing a brass arm badge which is a lyre with crown over – this is a bandsman’s proficiency badge.

Now his wife, I believe, has her collar closed with a sweetheart brooch of the Northumberland Fusiliers. Sweetheart brooches as the name suggests were given to girlfriends/ wives/ mothers from a soldier as a keepsake. These were normally small replicas of a soldiers cap badge in silver /silver plate or gilt/gold often with enamel. I’ve shown a picture of the full size soldier’s cap badge the sweethearts for the WW1 Northumberland Fusiliers brooches would be modelled off . (I have a couple of Northumberland Fusilier sweetheart brooches but can’t find them at the moment :o)



So…I’m certain this is a picture from when Charles was in the local territorial battalion; the 7th Northumberland Fusiliers. For some reason he did not go overseas until 1916 and then with Yorkshire Regiment, or the West Riding Regiment. We know he was with the West Riding Regiment at the end of the war, and received the Military Medal with the 5th battalion.


Interestingly Janwhin pointed out another local in the 5th battalion also winning the military medal in 1918; Although I suspect that Chapman’s was for events in Aug/Sep 1918 and Straker’s for November 1918

Apparently the Military Medals announced in the Gazette of the 23rd July 1919 contain a high percentage awarded for the 4th November 1918, the Battle of the Sambre.
The poet Wilfred Owen was killed on that day.

Should have read that more carefully - evidence in there to his Northumberland Fusiliers service - but this must mean his service before being sent overseas with a different regiment? He didn't receive the Military Medal for service with the Northumberland Fusiliers which would be an incorrect assumption you might come to from that obituary.

Charles straker
 

Hi

The information on Great Uncle Charles was fascinating. Yes John Straker was my great grandfather and my grandad, William was Charlie's brother. All the Straker boys were in the Northumberland Fusiliers during WW1 but, according to my Aunty Kitty, the ill health of John meant that the gasworks were too much for him to handle. It was therefore decided that one of the sons would have to come back from the front to take over - I believe it was poor old Charlie who was chosen for this dubious honour and he was indeed awarded a medal in 1918 before he returned home.

Maggie

Charles Straker MM
 

Hopefully I've uploaded these photo's Ok, these are Charles Robert's MM and service medal. Charles was also my wife's grandfather and his medals have passed down to her sister.

The inscription on the rim of the MM reads -238188 Pte C R Straker 5/W RID.R. On the other medal (the victory medal) is 33094 Pte C R Straker York R.

Nice to see them. First gallantry medal to an Amble man we've seen on here.
He would be entitled to another 4 medals.

I've not seen these I'm afraid, but I'll ask the rest of the family
Al

The Medal Card for Pte Charles R Straker shows that he served in two regiments

There is also a card for his WWII medals at
http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/D4325455

Possibly a family member could wear on right breast on Remembrance day , Would be an honour as a veteran to see them worn In Charles Strakers Honour and Memory!

I'll need to lean on my Sister-in-law, but I agree it would be fitting. I'll see what we can do for that. My own belief is that they should be carried, rather than worn (right or left) if they are not yours. But then, I'm old fashioned!

Medals worn by a family member in remembrance of a deceased or lost relative are worn on the right breast! this is the recognised and right way> wear them with pride. I don't have my fathers or my grandfathers. or they would be proudly worn on my right breast my own on my left! I wear on remembrance sunday a RAF Acklington station badge in my right lapel in memory of my father! I live and have done most of my life backing onto the Strakers house.

Yes Leslie, I am aware of the tradition of wearing a deceased family members medals on the right breast thanks, and if CR's are to be worn on Rememberance Sunday they will be worn the proper way.

I've photographed some medals here that would be representative of Charles Straker's group just out of interest. Sadly the WW2 medals would be awarded posthumously to his next of kin.

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...ers_medals.jpg

I did eventually come across an army bandsman's arm badge, same as the one he is wearing in the photo:


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...mans_badge.jpg


the brass backing plate would be hidden inside the sleeve of course.
(Straker's badge would be polished to the nines in the photo, not dull like this one!)

I think a nice set of period miniatures is an excellent substitute for the right breast for a descendant to wear. Especially if you're not in possession of the full size medals! And of course security wise, especially when it comes to gallantry and casualty groups like Straker's it might be the preferred option. (But I know the monetary value of family medals is probably not an issue much thought of)