Charles Edward HOUSDEN

Private Charles Edward Housden
2nd Bedfordshire Regiment

Regiment number: 14092

Private Housden’s granddaughter, Liz Housden, writes: 

He lost a leg in the war and was given a tin one. It had a lever at the knee, on the side, that he had to adjust when he wanted to sit down or stand up. When I was a little girl, this used to intrigue me and I spent a lot of time making him show me how it worked. Of course, I had no appreciation of how difficult this made his life. I simply thought he was an exceptionally special grandfather because none of my friends had grandfathers with tin legs.

When my father died, nearly twenty years ago now, I found in his belongings a piece of needlepoint, depicting a flag and the years 1914-1918. I was always perplexed by it because, of course, my own father served in the Second World War, not the First. My father periodically did needlepoint and embroidery (usually when he was trying to give up smoking) but I don’t believe he did this particular piece. I think it must come from my grandfather, but I only learned of his involvement in the St Paul’s tapestry recently, from my brother.

It’s strange how these things pass down through families because I now also do needlepoint. I’m not as good at it as my father was, but I thoroughly enjoy it nonetheless.

Charles Housden was treated at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London.

Housden, Private Charles Edward 1
Housden, Private Charles Edward 2
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Housden, Private Charles Edward - recovering in hospital