Lt. Charles Paulet "Paul" Chamberlain
British Army Royal Artillery
Charles Chamberlain aka Paul was born on 4th of October 1917 at The Vineries, Aldborough, Boroughbridge North Yorkshire. He was the middle child of Charles Reginald Chamberlin and his wife Annie Weston Wadsworth. He was twin to Margaret Mary, younger brother of Reginald Arthur and older brother of Elliott Percival, and my paternal Uncle. Charles was educated at the Royal Grammar School Clitheroe and aged 11, he was awarded the following books: “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson. In 1933, and aged 16, he was awarded “The three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas, for success at the school certificate examination of the Northern Universities. In 1934, aged 17, he was awarded “The Count of Monte Cristo” Volumes I & II by Alexandre Dumas, for success in the Matriculation Examination of the Northern Universities 1934. He then went to Keble College at Oxford University.
After the war in 1949 Charles was a Lieutenant, Acting Major in the Territorial Army. He went back to Keble House, Oxford, where he gained an honours degree in Geography part 1, Bachelor of Arts in 1947 and part 2 Geography in 1948. He was Assistant Master at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh and was promoted to House Master. Charles married Sheila Prosser Mackintosh, daughter of Lord and Lady MacIntosh in 1955 in St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh.
Many years later, his widow, Sheila, told me that, During World War II, Charles was a Second Lieutenant, Royal Artillery in 1940, then became a Lieutenant in 1941. He spent the first year of his war career in India, via Middle Eastern countries, to North Africa, back and forth across the desert before General Montgomery arrived. He served in the Royal Tank Regiment in the Indian Army in India, Iraq, Persia and North Africa. Charles was thought missing in action but was later found to be a Prisoner of War between 1942 to 1945. He was captured by Italians who threatened to set fire to the tank, with the men inside, if they didn’t surrender. A tank crew member said, "there was no point in being burnt alive" so they surrendered and were taken prisoner, sent to camp number 75, Torre Tresca in Italy via Crete or Rhodes.
In 1942, Charles and his men escaped and were on the run for 3 weeks, hoping to make contact with the allies as they made their way north in Italy. Unfortunately, progress was slower than expected and Charles and 2 others were recaptured, this time by Germans and were packed off to the prisoner of war camp Oflag 79 in Germany where he was held for 3 years before being liberated by the Americans in 1945.
Charles died August 1986 and was cremated at Morton Hall Crematorium, Edinburgh, where his ashes were buried.
