Major Charles Pulley, CO, 68 Battery Royal Field Artillery was born 1882, the eldest son of Colonel C Pulley CBE, late of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles of Llanberis, Langton Green. Charles was educated at King William’s College and Bedford Grammar School (1897-1898), he then went to the Royal Military Academy and received a commission in May 1900.

In 1914 he was command of his battery. His unit disembarked in France.

He received shrapnel wounds to the head in fighting near Ypres and was evacuated back to a hospital in London. Two days before he died on the 26th of July, 1915 he became engaged to his sweetheart.

His funeral was reported in the Kent and Sussex Courier…

'Langton witnessed the mournful but imposing ceremonial of a military funeral on Friday afternoon. The gallant officer to whose remains honour was thus shown was Major Charles Pulley, Royal Field Artillery, eldest son Colonel Charles Pulley, C.B., and Mrs. Pulley, of Llanberis, Langton Green. Major Pulley died the previous Monday at Lady Mountgarret's Hospital for Officers, in London, from wounds received in action.

The coffin arrived by motor car from London at the S.E. and C.R. Station, Tunbridge Wells, at 2 p.m., and was placed on a gun carriage drawn by six horses. The khaki cap, sword and other accoutrements were placed on the coffin, which was covered by large Union Jack. Non-commissioned officers formed a guard of honour on either side of the gun carriage, behind which another soldier led the late Major Pulley's horse. The deceased's officer's riding boots and spurs, reversed, were placed in the stirrups.

A funeral party, furnished from the 2-3rd Home Counties' Brigade, R.F.A., Sevenoaks, under the command of Major Kenyon-Daniel, with the usual complement of officers, N.C.O.'s and men, marched slowly, with arms reversed, in front of the gun carriage, and a number of carriages and motor cars followed. The cortege proceeded via high street, London-road, and Major Yorke's-road to Langton Green, where the first part of the funeral service was conducted, commencing at 3.30.

Silent tributes of respect were paid by many onlookers, men standing with bared heads, and military officers and men saluting the coffin as the gun carriage passed on its way.

The coffin was met at the gate of Langton Green Church by the Vicar, the Rev. S. A. Vardon, who officiated at the first part of the service. The church was filled with mourners and sympathisers, and as they were assembling the organist. Mr. A. H. Fithyan. F.R.C.O., played Chopin's "Marche Funebre" and, as the coffin was borne within the portals, Mendelssohn's beautiful "O, Rest in the Lord." The choir gave impressive renderings of the hymns "O God, our help in ages past" and "On the Resurrection Morning." The Psalm was chanted, and as the mourners left the organ played the "Dead March" in "Saul."

The coffin, carried on the shoulders of eight gunners, was afterwards replaced on the gun carriage, and the soldiers marched at funeral pace to Speldhurst Churchyard, where the interment took place at 4.30 p.m. The firing party were drawn in line, and the trumpeters took up their position facing the mourners. The committal words were read by the Rev. H. Masters (Rector of Speldhurst), who was assisted by the Rev. Barclay Kitchin. The coffin was placed in a grave beautifully lined with evergreens and flowers.

After the interment an order rang sharply out, and the usual three volleys were fired over the grave, followed by the "Last Post" sounded by the trumpeters.'

He is interred next to his father in Speldhurst beneath a non-CWGC cross adorned with an officers sword and is remembered on the Bedford School Roll of Honour and St Andrews Church, Kimbolton Road, Bedford War Memorial. He is also remembered in Langton Church.

[The Pulley family have a full and long military history, represented to some extent by the graves and memorials in Speldhurst churchyard. Including. Colonel Charles Pulley, the 1st. Battalion, Queen Alexandra's Own 3rd. Gurkha Rifles, was the son of the late Major General C Pulley of the Madras Army. Lieutenant Colonel Pulley died on the 30th of October 1925 after seeing much active service in India. Buried Speldhurst. Major Harry Cuthbert Pulley OBE., 2nd Bombay Pioneers, Assistant, Military Adviser to the Ministry of Interior with the Iraq Government. He served with the 77th Regiment of Foot (Montgomery’s Highlanders) and the Middlesex Regiment. Major Harry Pully OBE died of pneumonia at his post at Baghdad, 8th of March 1925]