A résumé of this man's life can be found on the that shows that Private Herbert Charles Austin was originally known as Charles Herbert Austin.
He was born on 26 September 1887 in Spratton, Northamptonshire, a son of John William Austin (1865-1938) and Annie Austin née Taylor (1868-1956). His birth was registered as Charles Herbert Austin in the 4th quarter of 1887 in the Brixworth registration district, Northamptonshire.
On 19 August 1888 he was baptised in the Parish Church of St Andrew, Brixworth Road, Spratton, where the baptismal register again shows him as Charles Herbert Austin and that his father was a shoe rivetter. In the 1891 census he is shown as Charles Herbert Austin living at 6 School Road, Spratton, with his parents, his brother Sam Austin (1885-1965) and sister Bertha Austin (1889-1961). His father was described as a shoemaker.
He is listed as Charles H. Austin in the 1901 census, living in a four roomed property in Spratton with his parents and both siblings. His father was still shown as a shoemaker. In the 1911 census he was recorded as Charles H. Austin, a groom employed by the , one of eleven grooms boarding in five rooms at the Kennel Stables, Brixworth, Northamptonshire.
He joined the Highland Light Infantry in Northampton, service number 10591, as Herbert Charles Austin and entered France on 30 November 1914. He was serving in the regiment's 1st Battalion when he died of wounds, aged 27 years, on 25 May 1915 at Lewisham Military Hospital. He was in Plot D, Grave 3199 in the Ladywell Cemetery, Lewisham, and as he has no headstone he is .
On 7 December 1915 his army effects totalling £18-12s-10d were sent to his father who also received his £5-0s-0d war gratuity on 19 August 1919. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is also commemorated in the , on the , Brixworth Road, Spratton, Northampton, NN6 8HH and on a inside the church.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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