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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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Bridge on the Scheldt and Brave Uncle Charlieicon for Recommended story

by moonbeam

Contributed by听
moonbeam
People in story:听
Charles William Bull
Location of story:听
Gavarre in Belgium
Background to story:听
Army
Article ID:听
A1994006
Contributed on:听
08 November 2003

As children my brother and I were brought up on the story of our Uncle Charlie's bravery.

He was a Sergeant in the Tank Corps during World War Two, and apparently he stayed to defend the bridge over the River Scheldt at a small town in Belgium called Gavarre, not far from Gent. He stayed with his tank as the German Army was approaching the town, and defended the bridge while the people of the town fled. Eventually his tank was destroyed and he was killed. According to my Grandmother, most civilians escaped.

In his honour the Gavarre townspeople have named the new bridge over the river as the 'Charles William Bull Memorial Bridge', and in September 2003 my husband and I went to visit. The present bridge is quite modern-looking but proudly displays a plaque in both English and Belgian stating that the bridge is named in his honour. At the base of the plaque I was very touched to see that two poppies had been placed there in memory.

Granny always showed us the photographs of his grave in the military graveyard, as well as letters from the people who looked after the grave for her. Unfortuantely, over time and because of family squabbles, these have been lost. However, the memory and the legend of Uncle Charlie have been passed down through the generations and now my own grandchildren are aware his honour and bravery.

His name can also be found on the War Memorial in his home village of Tutbury, just outside Burton on Trent in Staffordshire.

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