8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
12/04/1919
Died:
19/11/1941 (Killed in Action)
Age:
22
Summary
Francis Richard Charles was the son of Dr. Richard Charles of Ipswich, Suffolk. He was the Grandson of Mr and Mrs. Richard Charles, Loy Hill, Cookstown, County Tyrone. Francis Richard Charles received a commission with the 8th Royal Irish Hussars on 1st July 1939 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1st January 1941. The 8th Royal Irish Hussars were part of the 7th Armoured Division, better known as the Desert Rats. On 18th November 1941, Operation Crusader was launched. The objective was to relieve Tobruk. It was during this action that Lieutenant Francis Richard Charles was killed in action on 19th November.
Alamein is a village, bypassed by the main coast road, approximately 130 kilometres west of Alexandria on the road to Mersa Matruh. The first Commission road direction sign is located just beyond the Alamein police checkpoint and all cemetery visitors should turn off from the main road onto the parallel old coast road. The cemetery lies off the road beyond the ridge, and road direction signs are in place approximately 25 metres before the low metal gates and stone wing walls which are situated centrally at the road edge at the head of the access path into the cemetery. The Cross of Sacrifice feature may be seen from the road.
