BROOKES Charles A son of Edward & Annie E. Brookes, Northfield,

[Captain Tuba]

Folks
I am trying to find some biographical background and trace family and friends of Charles A BROOKES of Northfield.

'Charlie' was one of my uncle's Lancaster bomber crew and they were killed whilst on operations on 22nd March 1944.

These are the details I have so far for Charles BROOKES:

Charles A Brookes
Service number 955093
Northfield,
Birmingham
(SW Birmingham)

Son of Edward Brookes and Mrs Annie E. Brookes, of Northfield, Birmingham

From FreeBMD

Birth Dec 1917
Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page
Brookes Charles A Mills Birmingham 6d 412​

Parents:

Married Sep 1916 Birmingham
Could be Edward BROOKES d Sep 1941 Birmingham
Could be Annie Elizabeth MILLS b Sep 1892 Birmingham​

Siblings:

Birth DEC 1916
Brookes May Mills Birmingham 6d 441
May could have married a Mr Field 1938 or Mr Stanley 1939

Birth Sep 1920
Brookes Lilian Mills Birmingham 6d 579​

From CWGC:

Name: BROOKES, CHARLES ALBERT
Initials: C A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 100 Sqdn.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 22/03/1944
Service No: 955093
Additional information: Son of Mrs A. Brookes, of Northfield, Birmingham.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 1. B. 3-5.
Cemetery: DURNBACH WAR CEMETERY​

https://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2079873

Any information gratefully received.
Thanks
C.T.

 

[mikejee]

Re: Charles A BROOKES son of Edward Brookes and Mrs Annie E. Brookes, of Northfield,

According to the electoral roll, in 1929 Charles Albert Brookes was living with Edward and Annie Elizabeth Brookes at 52 Wilden Close, Northfield. Only annie & Lilian (his sister?) were there in 1945. In 1950 it was Annie, Lilian & Doris H Brookes, and in 1955 annie, Lilian & Edward Brookes

 

[Captain Tuba]

Re: Charles A BROOKES son of Edward Brookes and Mrs Annie E. Brookes, of Northfield,

Many thanks Mike

I wonder if Doris H is another sister. FreeBMD shows a Doris H BROOKES born Mar 1925 Birmingham N.

Where next?
Is there a war memorial in Northfield?
How do I find out what school he went to?

Thanks
C.T.

 

[mikejee]

Re: Charles A BROOKES son of Edward Brookes and Mrs Annie E. Brookes, of Northfield,

Try the war memorial site at https://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.002

 

[penfriend3]

Re: Charles A BROOKES son of Edward Brookes and Mrs Annie E. Brookes, of Northfield,

Hello, Charles Brookes was my Great Uncle. May Field was Brookes is my nan and although 96 still alive. Her sisters were Lilian,Doris, Joan who(died at the aged of 7) and Ivy and brothers Edward and Charlie were all children of Annie Brookes. All from Northfield, Birmingham. If you would like to make contact with me please do. My name is Louise (42). I await you reply with much excitment.

 

[Captain Tuba]

Re: Charles A BROOKES son of Edward Brookes and Mrs Annie E. Brookes, of Northfield,

Hi Louise
Many thanks for making the connection
I've sent you a private message.
C.T.

 

[Titch131182]

Re: Charles A BROOKES son of Edward Brookes and Mrs Annie E. Brookes, of Northfield,

Hello, Charles Brookes was my Great Uncle. May Field was Brookes is my nan and although 96 still alive. Her sisters were Lilian,Doris, Joan who(died at the aged of 7) and Ivy and brothers Edward and Charlie were all children of Annie Brookes. All from Northfield, Birmingham. If you would like to make contact with me please do. My name is Louise (42). I await you reply with much excitment.

Hello louise, I currently live at no.40 we’ve just discovered some brickwork below house level but nowhere near the property, hunting for history of Wilden close I’ve come across you, would any of your relatives at all remember what the street looked like back then x

 

[pjmburns]

I don't think "penfriend2" has been on the site for quite a while so you may not get a reply.
However, as the house obviously existed in WW2 it is quite possible that the brickwork has something to do with a air raid shelter as some of those were partly underground and covered with soil and/or grass to help protect them.
See post #176 on link

Air raid shelters

If my memory serves me correctly I think the smell depended on how close the bombs were falling. Kind regards, David.I was talking to my Cousin the other day about air raid shelters, she recalled going into one underneath the Museum and Art Gallery. She said she didn't like it it much, there...

birminghamhistory.co.uk