Service Number 200057
Service Army
Battalion 1/5th Battalion
Regiment West Yorkshire Regiment
Rank | Number | Unit |
Lance Corporal | 1094 | 1/5th West Yorkshire Regiment |
Private | 1094 | Attd 3rd Entrenching Battalion |
Private | 1094 | 1/5th West Yorkshire Regiment |
Biography
Charles Percy Lister was born in 1891 in Doncaster, the son of George Lister.
In 1911, Charles was boarding at 1 Church Street, Wetherby and was working for the post office as a letter carrier.
Charles enlisted for service and on the 15th April 1915 he went to France to serve. On the 3rd September 1915, The Wetherby News reported that "Corporal Percy Lister of the 1st/5th West Yorkshire Regiment, an employee of Wetherby Post Office, had been officially reported as being wounded in both legs." This information has allowed us to identify Charles' service. He served initially as a private in the 1/5th West Yorkshire Regiment with a service number of 1094. He was later attached to the 3rd Entrenching Battalion of the West Yorkshires before rejoining the 1/5th Battalion. He later served in the same Battalion with a service number of 200057 - this might mark his return to service after his wounding. However this renumbering might also indicate that Charles had been a Territorial Soldier before the war, and would tie in with the early date at which Charles started service overseas as TF men were called to arms or volunteered early in the war. Men serving in the Territorial Force (TF) got new numbers in 1917. One block of numbers for the West Yorkshire Regiment (from number 200001 to 240000, which would include Charles' number, 200057) was allocated to renumbering of TF men into the 5th Battalion where Charles served.
On the 10th December 1917, Charles married Mary Lizzie Burnett in St Oswald's Church in Collingham. His trade or profession at the time was given as soldier. The following year, Charles was shown on the electoral roll for Collingham with a address in Railway Cottages, Collingham, although he was marked as an Absent Voter due to Naval or Military service.
After the war Charles returned to Wetherby and his work for the Post Office. In 1939 he was living at 3, Fairfield Villas, 18 Deighton Road, Wetherby and was employed as a postman. Later, around 1953 to 1957 he lived at Swinnow Lodge on York Road, Wetherby.
Biography last updated 08 January 2021 17:04:12.
Sources
1911 Census. The National Archives. Class RG14 Piece 25944
The Wetherby News 3/9/1915
First World War Medal Index Cards. The National Archives (WO372).
First World War Medal Index Rolls. The National Archives (WO329).
If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info