Description
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, VR, 646 Sergeant Charles Roberts, 1st 22nd Cheshire Regiment of Foot, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, after retirement returned to Wales to be Colour Sergeant of the South Wales Borderers
Officially impressed: “646. Sergt. C. Roberts, 1-22nd Foot.”
Colour Sergeant Charles Roberts, Royal Scots Fusiliers and South Wales Borderers was born in the Parish of Llanfrothen near Portmadoc (now Porthmadog), Meriothen, Wales during 1838.
He was a Groom and Gardener when he enlisted aged 20 on 10th February 1858 for the Cheshire Regiment at Chester.
He went on to serve 21 years in the Army, followed by another few years in the Militia.
During his 21 years and 5 days of service, he spent 7 years and 345 days stationed overseas.
This consisted of 5 years 325 days in Malta, and 2 Years 20 days in New Brunswick, Canada.
The 22nd were posted to Malta from 1860-65, followed by New Brunswick, Canada from 1866 for 2 years, where they were garrisoned at Fredericton, during the turbulent period of the Fenian Raids and neighbouring American Civil War.
Following them leaving Canada they became the final British Regiment to be quartered in Fredericton.
Dr Meg Tasker writes briefly of this service in her book, “Struggle and Storm The Life and Death of Francis Adams”:
“The 22nd Cheshire Regiment as the last British Regiment to be quartered in Fredericton, in the period just after the American Civil War, during the amalgamation of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with Canada.
One of it’s chief duties was to prevent British Soldiers from deserting across the Border to join the Yankees, who were offering large incentives in an effort to recruit instructor for their own depleted army, but it can’t have been too difficult a mission.
For the men, the New Brunswick station was an idyllic one, ‘Sport was cheap and plentiful for rod and gun and there was little or no military fussiness.”
The Malta services are detailed here:
https://www.maltaramc.com/regmltgar/22nd.html
However not long after joining up he Deserted the Army on 2nd July 1858.
He returned the next day, however the punishment was severe leading to him being imprisoned from 4th July to 3rd September 1858.
His conduct improved, being promoted to Corporal on 1st January 1862.
Followed by Sergeant on 1st August 1864.
However after his years of good service he slipped up due to “Gross neglect of duty” and was reduced all the way down to private on 11th April 1871, leaving him to rise back once again.
He was promoted back to Corporal no 1st February 1872, and then Sergeant on 17th April 1874.
For the last few years of his service he was detached to be Sergeant to the 6th Lancashire Militia from 21st October 1875 – 19th April 1879.
After 21 years of service, with a few bumps over the decades he was discharged after 21 years of service on 19th April 1879.
During his service he married Ellen an Irish widow during 1873, and remained married to her until his death.
Having to leave the Army after 21 years he did not appear to be done yet, having spent a whole 2 years in retirement, back home in Welshpool, Wales, he would take on the role of Colour Sergeant to the 4th South Wales Borderers from 4th October 1881 – 12th October 1885 as a member of the “Permanent Staff of the Auxiliary Forces”.
Charles at that time ran the Angel Inn in Welshpool.
After leaving the Militia he moved a little eastward to England and settled in Chester, when he ran another Inn shown as an “Inn-Keeper Pub” on the 1891 Census at the “Bulls Head” in Clotton.
By 1901 he still lived in Chester “Living on his own means”, his son John was shown as a soldier in the 5th Manchester Regiment
In 1911 he was listed as an “Army Pensioner”.
Charles later died on 15th May 1919 in Chester, Cheshire, and was buried in Overleigh Old Cemetery.
