219657 Charles Norman Laxon British Army 14th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment from:Coventry, Warwickshire My grandfather Charles Laxon was one of the Birmingham Pals who was called up in 1915. He was originally conscripted into what was 14th Service Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, according to his recruitment form dated 1915. This later became 13th Brigade, 5th Division. He had served a voluntary role with the Imperial Warwickshire Yeomanry prior to this according to the call-up papers I have seen.
Grandad was a 28-year-old solicitor's clerk working at the City Hall in Coventry in 1915, and was married with two young children (my father being his only son aged 7 at the time).
He was gassed in the 3rd Battle of Ypres and sent back to Blighty in very poor health.
I have a small silver teaspoon engraved with the word 'YPRES' which he somehow managed to collect (or even buy). He had brought it home as a gift for my grandmother; his beloved wife. I visited Ypres this year 2014, and was heartbroken to see acres and acres of headstones at each cemetery I visited.
What a shocking price these men all paid for us to have our freedom today.
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