CHARLES FREDERICK BOULTON
Charles Frederick Boulton was born 4 October 1897 in Woodchester, the son of William Boulton, a Sawyer, and his wife Emily Jane nee Wathan. He was baptised 2 January 1898 at St Mary's Church, Woodchester.
The family lived on Bospin Lane and in 1911, Charles was a 13 year old Printer (Lithograph) at a Pin Factory (Perkins and Marmont at Frogmarsh).
Charles enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner on 11 December 1915 serving in both 156 and 289 Siege Battery. He served abroad for 140 days and was reported in the Casualty List of 13 July 1917. This date coincides with the introduction of mustard gas bombardments at Ypres. The Germans fired 50,000 shells over the night of 12-13 July.
He was discharged from the Army on 15 March 1918 with a Silver War Badge. He died in January 1920, aged 22, and was buried in St Mary's Churchyard 10 January. The parish register records that he 'died of gas poisoning in the war'.
Medals Victory and British War
His brothers William Joseph and John Edward are also known to have served.
Mustard Gas
Mustard was adopted as a defensive agent which was suitable for the continuous poisoning of an area. Mustard gas, dichlorodiethyl sulphide, is in fact an oily liquid with a low boiling point, given the name mustard gas by the British owing to its odour of mustard or horseradish in its impure form. It became the most effective chemical agent used during WW1, not because of the numbers it killed but because of the temporary effects of skin blistering and severe conjunctivitis and its ability to render ground uninhabitable during the time it took to evaporate.
The family lived on Bospin Lane and in 1911, Charles was a 13 year old Printer (Lithograph) at a Pin Factory (Perkins and Marmont at Frogmarsh).
Charles enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner on 11 December 1915 serving in both 156 and 289 Siege Battery. He served abroad for 140 days and was reported in the Casualty List of 13 July 1917. This date coincides with the introduction of mustard gas bombardments at Ypres. The Germans fired 50,000 shells over the night of 12-13 July.
He was discharged from the Army on 15 March 1918 with a Silver War Badge. He died in January 1920, aged 22, and was buried in St Mary's Churchyard 10 January. The parish register records that he 'died of gas poisoning in the war'.
Medals Victory and British War
His brothers William Joseph and John Edward are also known to have served.
Mustard Gas
Mustard was adopted as a defensive agent which was suitable for the continuous poisoning of an area. Mustard gas, dichlorodiethyl sulphide, is in fact an oily liquid with a low boiling point, given the name mustard gas by the British owing to its odour of mustard or horseradish in its impure form. It became the most effective chemical agent used during WW1, not because of the numbers it killed but because of the temporary effects of skin blistering and severe conjunctivitis and its ability to render ground uninhabitable during the time it took to evaporate.