Biography:
Charles Selwyn Awdry was born 23 March 1877, the son of Charles Awdry (College 1861-1865). He was one of three Wykehamist brothers and nephew of the Right Reverend William Awdry, Bishop of Tokyo (Second Master, 1868-1872). His mother, Margaret, was the daughter of the Right Reverend George Moberly, Headmaster of Winchester College.
Charles came to Winchester College from Wayneflete School in May 1890. He was in C House, Du Boulay's. He played cricket and rackets for this house, and cricket for the school in Lords XI in 1896 - he was described a powerful bat, a fair fast bowler and a hard working cricketer. He also played in OTH XV in 1896.
Charles left Winchester in the summer of 1896 for New College, Oxford. On the outbreak of the South African War he went to the Cape with the Imperial Yeomanry and was mentioned in Despatches. In 1904 he became a partner in the firm of WH Smith & Son where his father was acting senior partner and from 1905 served as JP for Wiltshire. For some years before the war he held a commission in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry.
When war came he was acting Colonel and the official history of the Regiment The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Prince of Wales's Own) 1907 - 1967 by Brigadier J R I Platt, gives an account of their mobilisation: 'On August 12th the Regiment moved by train to Winchester... The Regiment was billeted in Winchester College. The men slept in the classrooms and gymnasium and found the floors the hardest beds of the whole war. The officers were in tutors’ houses with their mess in the prefects’ and dons’ common rooms. There were four old Wykehamists among the officers including Lieutenant E.P. Awdry (sic) who remembered that the last time troops had been billeted at the college Oliver Cromwell had insisted on tying up his horses in the cloisters. When asked where the horses were to be stabled, he replied to the temporary consternation of the Bursar, 'In the cloisters, of course, to preserve history'. In a buttress outside the west door of the chapel is a horseshoe set there by the Farrier Sergeant with the words: 'Wilts Yeomanry camped here, 1914'.
In 1917 Awdry was appointed to command 6th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment. In this capacity he rendered conspicuous service, receiving the DSO and being twice mentioned in Despatches. They were heavily engaged in March 1918 at Bapaume during the Allied retreat of that month, and on 25 March Major Awdry was reported missing. He is presumed to have fallen then.
His family, like so many others at that time, placed an advertisement in The Times, asking for information: 'Missing – Major C.S. Awdry, Wilts. Regiment, missing since March 25th, believed to be wounded. – Any information gratefully received by Mrs C.S. Awdry, Hitchambury, Taplow, or Miss M.F. Awdry, Post Office Hospital, 20 Kensington Palace Gardens, WS. Telephone No. Park 2361'. Four months later they reported that they believed he was alive and had been captured. In January 1919 the family were still hopeful, as another advertisement appeared saying that he was believed to have been admitted to Lazarette [an isolation hospital] in March 1918, and asking for further information. However, no more was heard and it was presumed he had been killed in action. He is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.
Charles Awdry married Constance Lilias Bateson, of Heston, Middlesex in October 1903. Four of their sons came to Winchester - Charles in 1919, Selwyn in 1921, Henry in 1924 and Ambrose in 1927. Charles and Ambrose also played in Lords XI.