John Charters was the son of William and Mary Jane Charters. John Charters was born in Bellaghy on 2nd February 1894. He was the sixth of seven sons. He had two sisters. The family lived in Mullaghboy, Bellaghy, County Londonderry. His father and brother were both bricklayers. John was a bricklayer’s labourer. David and John Charters emigrated to New Zealand in 1912. John Charters worked as a driver before he enlisted. He was working and living at Dufferin Street, Hastings, John Charters enlisted at Trentham Military Camp on 24th August 1915. He named his next of kin as his mother Mrs M Charters, who was also living at Dufferin Street, Hastings. Private John Charters was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Otago Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force when he died of gunshot wounds to his back on 15th July 1916. He was 22 years old.
Further Information
John Charters was the son of William and Mary Jane Charters. William Charters married Mary Jane Brown on 28th August 1873 in the Magherafelt area.
John Charters was born in Bellaghy on 2nd February 1894. He was the sixth of seven sons. He had three sisters.
Family: William Charters, Mary Jane Charters, William Charters (born 11th March 1877), James Charters (born 24th April 1879), Mary Charters (born 3rd January 1881), David Charters (born 2nd May 1883), Margaret Charters (born 4th February 1885), Robert Charters (born 28th August 1886), Thomas Charters (born 1st April 1890), Sarah Charters (born 17th January 1892), John Charters (born 2nd February 1894), Samuel Charters (born 25th January 1897).
The 1901 census lists John as age 7 living with the family at house 12 in Mullaghboy, Bellaghy, County Londonderry. His mother was a farmer. It incorrectly states that his mother was a widow.
The 1911 census lists John as age 17 living with the family at house 36 in Mullaghboy, Bellaghy, County Londonderry. His father and brother were both bricklayers. John was a bricklayer’s labourer. His parents were recorded as being married for 38 years.
John Charters emigrated to New Zealand. he arrived in Wellington on the Arawa on 15th May 1912.
John Charters worked as a driver for David G Doole (from Portglenone) before he enlisted. David G Doole was his brother-in-law. John’s sister Minnie had married David.
John Charters enlisted at Trentham Military Camp on 24th August 1915. He named his next of kin as his mother Mrs M Charters, who was also living at Dufferin Street, Hastings. He gave his age as 23 years old.
After training, on 13 November 1915, Private Charters embarked from Wellington with the 8th Reinforcements for Suez, Egypt.
Private John Charters was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Otago Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force when he died of gunshot wounds to his back on 15th July 1916. He was 22 years old.
Private Charters is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension. Bailleul is a large town in France, near the Belgian border, 14.5 kilometres south-west of Ieper and on the main road from St. Omer to Lille.
John’s brother, Private Samuel Charters, also died as a result of the war. Samuel died of an illness incurred whilst serving at Napier Hospital, New Zealand on the eve of Christmas on 23rd December 1920. He was 23 years old.
The CWGC record Private John Charters as the son of William Charters, of Bellaghy, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, and the late M. Charters of Hastings, New Zealand.
