My Grandfather's eldest brother, William Charles Lucas, known as Charlie was born in Kirkdale, Liverpool in June 1888.
When Charlie was a child, the family moved to St Asaph in North Wales, and as an adult, Charlie worked there as a groom. He was also a member of the Territorial Force, a private in the 5th (Flintshire) battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
He'd served his 4 years in the battalion by the time war broke out and he enlisted in the 3/1st Denbighshire Hussars Yeomamry in July 1915. A training and depot unit, where I'm sure his skills as a groom were used.
After his unit was disbanded in November 1916, he was transferred to the 4th (reserve) battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who were based at Park Hall, Oswestry.
It was at the military hospital there that he died of peritinitus on the 6th of February 1917. He was laid to rest on the 10th and now lies in the same grave as his parents at Mount Road cemetery in St Asaph.
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