Trafford

Born at 11 Cowen Terace, Rowlands Gill, near Gateshead, Co. Durham on the
15th June 1920, the son of Albert & Edith Charlton. (nee Colquahoun).

1921 Census - 5 Bake, Rectory Lane, Winlaton, Durham, the home of his
maternal Colquahoun grandparents.    Son - aged: 1 - born: Winlanton,
Durham.     Albert Charlton - Son-in-Law - Married - aged: 28 - occ:
Butcher at the Laydon Co-operative Society - born: Winlanton.   Also -Edith
Charlton - daughter - aged: 26 - born: Winlanton.   Plus his eder brother -
John Colquahoun Charlton - aged: 5 - born: Winlanton.

1939 Natioal Registration - 12 Basford Road, Old Trafford.    Edward C.
Charlton - Son - born on the 5th June 1920 - Single - occ:
Butcher/Slaughterman.    Albert Charlton - Head - born on the 12th June
1893 - Married - occ: Meat Food Instector.   Edith W. Charlton - Wife -
born on the 19th December 1895 - Married - occ: Unpaid Domestic Dutir=es.

Courtesy of Wikipedia - On 21 April 1945 Guardsman Charlton was a co-driver
of one tank of a troop that was supporting an infantry platoon. They
occupied the village of Wistedt, Germany, which the German army then
attempted to re-take. The numerically superior German forces consisted
largely of officer cadets under the command of experienced instructor
officers, supported by two or three self-propelled guns. Three of the four
Irish Guards tanks were badly hit, while Charlton's had been disabled by a
complete electrical failure before the attack began. Charlton had been
ordered to dismount the turret 0.30 Browning machine gun and support the
infantry.

The Irish Guards were in danger of being overrun by the Germans. Charlton,
on his own authority, took the machine gun and advanced in full view of the
attacking Germans, firing the weapon from his hip as he did so and
inflicting heavy German casualties. The lead German company was halted and
this allowed the rest of the Guards a respite in which to reorganise and
retire. He continued his bold attack, even when he was wounded in his left
arm. Charlton placed the machine-gun on a fence where he launched a further
attack before his left arm was hit again by further enemy fire becoming
shattered and useless. Charlton, now with just one usable arm, carried on
his attack until a further wound and loss of blood resulted in the
Guardsman collapsing. His courageous and selfless disregard for his own
safety allowed the rest of the Irish Guards troop and infantry to escape.
He later died of the wounds in enemy hands at the Bremervorde Prisoner of
War Camp, 

He was Gazetted on the 2nd May 1945 and his parents received his Victorias
Cross from King George VI at Buckingham Palace on the 29th October 1946.

Also commemorated on St. Pauls Memorial, Winlanton, Co. Durham.