War hero Dick dies, aged 103

A WAR hero who survived five years in a German prisoner of war camp has died, aged 103.

Dick Charlton, a lifelong Henley resident, passed away in his sleep at the Chiltern Court care centre, off York Road, on Tuesday, five days before his birthday.

He served in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry during the Second World War and is thought to have been the last surviving member of his battalion.

Mr Charlton was called up to fight when war broke out in 1939.

In May 1940, he was captured at the battle of Cassel, near Dunkirk, and was put to work in Lamsdorf, a Nazi prison camp in what is now south-west Poland, before he was freed five years later.

The centenarian, who joined the Royal British Legion in 1946, collected for the Poppy Appeal and attended the annual Remembrance Day service in Henley. He was awarded the Henley Town Medal for service to the community in 2018.

Mr Charlton was born in Wargrave in 1920 and soon afterwards moved with his family to Henley.

After the war, he worked as a gardener. He married his wife Doris in 1961 and the couple lived in Luker Avenue, where they raised two daughters, Linda (Gibson) and Shirley (Green).

Town councillor Ken Arlett, who knew Mr Charlton for about 20 years, said: “There were very few people I knew who wanted to talk about the war. Dick always did.

“He told me about his part in the Second World War and he was there with four of my uncles who were in the same battalion. Two of my uncles were prisoners of war but Dick was the only one who would talk about it. He told us some amazing stories. When it was so cold, he used to wear a balaclava and would never take it off.

“They worked every day, mainly building or repairing roads. Dick was very graphic with the incidents that happened. He always felt that he was lucky to survive the war and he would be happy to talk about it. Anything going back 60, 70 or 80 years, he could remember it like it was yesterday.”

In January 1945, the Germans cleared the camp to destroy all traces of its existence and delay the prisoners’ liberation. Mr Charlton was one of more than 80,000 prisoners who were marched westwards, walking up to 40km a day.

He was kept in a camp outside Munich from late April, where he remained until it was liberated by American troops in May.

When he returned to his home town, he joined the Harpsden branch of the Royal British Legion. He played for Henley Town Football Club and was in the 1947 team which won the Oxfordshire Senior Cup.

Mr Arlett said: “Dick had some great stories about the football club. His long-term memory was absolutely brilliant.

“I would go up and see him most weekends and we would never stop talking. There was always something to discuss. That is what I will remember.

“He was a Henley lad and could recall parts of the town and what they were like years ago.

“He was a real local gentleman. I never heard him complain about anything.”

Mr Charlton had 10 siblings called William, Fred, Charlie, Jack, Jim, Nellie, Evelyn, Margaret, Joan and Jean. His brothers also fought in the war and survived.

Richard Pinches, a photographer and videographer and an amateur historian from Henley, recorded Mr Charlton talking about his life three years ago.

He said: “Dick was one in a million. I found him a very happy, smiley and a wonderful chap. I am very lucky to have known him.

“He was very keen to recall his memories, which he did when I went to video him.”

Mr Pinches, who organises the Henley Poppy Appeal, said: “Dick was a keen member of the Legion and I often got him to do a little video for the appeal. He was very proud to support it.

“I was able to visit him quite regularly. I was keen to chat about his time in the war, even the part when he was in the prison and when the Germans marched 1,000km.”

In an interview with Mr Pinches in 2021, Mr Charlton spoke about his time as a PoW,

He said: “After capture we lay on a bank and they took belts of ammunition from us and moved us off to another place, from which we walked to the German border.

“Then we were put in cattle trucks holding 28 men and travelled for three days to the Polish border.

“I was a prisoner for five years until January 17, 1945.”

Mr Pinches said: “Dickie was such a character. He had this wonderful turn of phrase when he could not remember something. He would say “doings”, when he could not think of what he was meant to say. He was very happy. He was smiley and cheerful and we had lots of giggles.”

He added: “Sir, your duty is done. Thank you for your service, Dickie, and thanks for being my friend.”

John Green, 88, president of the Henley and Peppard branch of the Legion, said: “I first got to know Dick many years ago when he and his late wife Doris used to sit at Waitrose holding court.

“He was always happy to talk about his wartime experiences, especially as he knew I was an officer for the Sherwood Foresters regiment. We had plenty of military banter.

“I was able to accompany Dick as guest of honour at a parade of the Dunkirk Little Ships last year.

“My abiding memory will be of the last time I saw Dick on May 16. His face lit up as he said to me: ‘Sherwood Forest has come to rescue me again but I do not think I will last much longer’.

“I told him it was against army regulations to go AWOL and I took a firm handshake with my old friend for the last time. May he rest in peace.”

• On Thursday at 9.15pm, the beacon at Makins recreation ground, off Greys Road, Henley, will be lit by town councillor David Eggleton to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Visitors are welcome to attend from 8.30pm.