When Buriton-born Margaret Davis recently found a five-inch bronze plaque, inscribed in honour of Charles Lee, amongst family possessions, she had no idea of the sad stories it might be harbouring.
The memorial plaque is one of over a million which was issued after the First World War to the next-of-kin of all British and Empire service personnel who were killed as a result of the war.
The plaques were popularly known as the "Dead Man's Penny", because of the similarity in appearance to the somewhat smaller penny coin at that time.
Margaret, now living in Petersfield, took the plaque to the Buriton Heritage Bank team, from where the detective work began.
It was already known that Charles Lee had been killed at the Battle of the Somme in July 1916, and one of the researchers had even found a copy of his will.
The handwritten, battlefield will bequeathed the whole of Corporal Lee's effects to Miss Mabel Harfield of the Maple Public House, Buriton - and, rather unusually, not to any parents or siblings.
Further research revealed that Charles Lee had been the sixth and final child of George Fielder Lee and his wife Mary who had been living at Lawn View, North Lane, Buriton at the time of the 1911 Census.
Sadly, it appears that all Charles' brothers and sisters had died by the time that he was ten years old and that his mother died in 1912 when he was eighteen. By 1916 Charles' father was living in Weston where he had worked as a wheelwright on the Seward's family farm.
Charles had worked as a clerk in the Buriton Lime Works and as a gardener for Lothian Bonham Carter but enlisted into the 12th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery at the outbreak of war. He was soon serving at the front in France in the same unit at fellow villager, and cricketing team-mate, Lindsay Harfield.
Both men were part of a unit of 192 men and six officers who were responsible for four 60 pounder guns.
Charles had been injured in February 1916 when the enemy had shelled his Battery but by July he was back with the unit on the front line of the Somme, involved in the bombardments intended to allow other Regiments to advance.
Unfortunately the Battery took more casualties on 24th and 26th July and Charles Lee died of his wounds at No. 21 Casualty Clearing Station, at La Neuville, on 27th July 1916. He was 22 years old.
The Buriton research team, who are trying to find information about all of the 200 men from the parish who took part in the First World War, then turned their attention to Miss Mabel Harfield. What had happened to her after the war and what was her relationship with Charles Lee?
Further research has revealed that Mabel had remained single for a number of years after the war but had married Albert Durrant in 1925. The couple's daughter, Monica, still lives in Buriton today.
When asked if she knew anything about the name 'Charles Lee', Monica had told the Buriton Heritage Bank: "Ah, I think he had been my mother's boyfriend. She mentioned his name a few times over the years, but I don't know whether they were actually engaged?".
It has now been possible to re-unite the bronze memorial plaque with the family of the young lady to whom Charles would probably have wished it to be awarded.
"I'm delighted to be able to see this special plaque," said Monica, "and I'm very grateful to Margaret for finding it. It seems as though, with Charles having already lost all his brothers and sisters, it had passed to Gladys Harfield, niece of Lindsay. Gladys had remained a spinster and, when she died, her possessions were left to Margaret and her sister who had lived next door to Gladys for many years."
The Buriton research is suggesting that about 25 men from the parish were involved in the Battle of The Somme with five others, as well as Charles Lee, also being killed before fighting paused in November when both sides dug in for another winter.
There are still a number of the 200 men from the parish who took part in the First World War for whom the Buriton researchers have yet to find much information.
If anyone thinks that they might be able to help in any way, please contact Doug Jones on 01730 231326 or email to heritage@buriton.org.uk
There will be a special talk in Buriton Village Hall on Wednesday 27th July (7.30pm) about the Battle of the Somme and the role of men from the village in it - exactly 100 years, to the day, after Charles Lee lost his life. Anyone is welcome.
