Biography:
Charles Percy Gwyer was born 20 April 1883, the elder son of Charles James Paul Gwyer, DL and Alice Losh Gwyer of Eywood Hall, Titley, Herefordshire. His brother was Lieutenant Cyril Gwyer (I 1900-1902), Grenadier Guards, who fell in August 1918 (see individual entry).
He came to Winchester College from Mr WF Rawnsley's school at Lyndhurst in September 1896 and was in I House, Turner's.
Charles left Winchester in March 1900 and he passed through Sandhurst, and was then posted to the 2nd Battalion Welch Regiment in 1903. At the outbreak of war he was attached to the 8th (Pioneer) Battalion of that regiment, and in 1915 went to the Dardanelles. He fell on 8 August 1915 during the assault on Hill Q at Chunuk Bair.
The Gwyer family was badly affected by the two world wars. As well as Charles Gwyer, his brother, Lieutenant Cyril Gwyer (I 1900-1902), Grenadier Guards, was killed in action in August 1918. Cyril Gwyer’s son –Captain Geoffrey Charles Francis Gwyer (I 1930-1934) – was killed in action with 6th Battalion, Grenadier Guards, at Mareth on 17 March 1943. To add to the tragedy, Cyril Gwyer’s widow Constance had re-married and had a son by this second relationship. This son – Flight Lieutenant John Kennedy, (I 1936- 1940) was shot down off Norway whilst flying a Mosquito of 248 Squadron, Coastal Command, on 16 December 1944. He froze to death in his dinghy and his body was never recovered.