9th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Charles Frederick Freebury was born at Cheltenham in the fourth quarter of 1885, the son of Charles Henry and Sarah Jane Freebury. His father was a paper hanger’s painter and in the 1911 census Charles reported his occupation as a bricklayer. He had married Mary Ann (Polly) Weaver in the fourth quarter of 1907 and at the time of the above census the couple had two children.
Charles was seriously wounded at the Battle of Doiran, on the Salonika Front, on 29 April 1917. He had originally enlisted into the Gloucestershire Regiment at Cheltenham and had been posted to the 9th Battalion. Following his wounding he was evacuated to England but died (presumably in hospital) at Chelsea, London on 7 March 1918, age 32. He was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery, with his grave being marked with a CWGC headstone.
At the time of his death the family lived at 6 Hermitage Street, Cheltenham and his wife continued to live there until at least 1974.
Researched by Graham Adams 3 September 2012
(Some information obtained from ‘Leaving all that was dear – Cheltenham in the Great War‘ ‘by Graham Sacker and Joe Devereux).