Charles Tucker was born in 1884 at Bromley-by-Bow, in Middlesex, the seventh of fourteen known children to a William Henry Tucker, variously a gas works labourer and coal porter, and Emily Charlotte Tucker (formerly Cuttriss). He had three brothers and ten sisters: William Henry (1874); Ada Elizabeth (1875); Emily (1877); Eliza (1879); Sydney (1881); Elizabeth (1883); Florence Ellen (1886); Rose (1887); Daisy (1888); Edith (1888); George Edgar (1890); Millicent (1891); and Maud Edith (1895).

In 1881 the family had lived at 9 Tibbatts Road in Bromley St. Leonards, in Poplar, and ten years later at 35 Hearn Street, in Canning Town, West Ham. By 1901 the family had moved back to Bromley, where it lived at 48 Flint Street, with the father then employed as a painter.

In 1901 Charles Tucker was a boarder, living at 33 Charlotte Street, in West Ham, with his sister Rose: he was then 17 years old and employed as a dock labourer.

Charles Tucker married Louisa Felicia Wapshott at Holy Trinity Church, in Canning Town, on 3 August, 1903. At that time Charles lived at 12 Tyas Road. They were to have eight children, three of whom died in infancy: Louisa Florence (1903); William Charles (1904, who died the following year); Lillian Maud (1906); Alice Maud (1908, who died the following year); Florence Emily (1909); William Henry (1912); Rose Elizabeth (1916); and Elizabeth Emily (1917, who died the following year).

By 1911 Charles and his family were living at 14 Hoy Street, in Tidal Basin, London, and he was then employed as a labourer.

Following Charles Tucker's death his widow was living at 3 Huntingdon Street, Tidal Basin, before going to live at 18 Vincent Road in Canning Town.

Charles Tucker's service record has not survived, and what is known has been extrapolated from other sources.

He enlisted at Canning Town, in London, in about January, 1915, as a private, no. 16661, joining the Essex Regiment. He initially joined the 11th (Service) Battalion, which had been formed at Warley in September, 1914. It moved to Shoreham and became part of the 71st Brigade in the 14th Division. After a few more moves in England it landed at Boulogne, in France, in August, 1915.

Charles Tucker landed in France on 4 October, 1915, and would have joined the battalion in one of the early drafts of reinforcements. On 11 October, 1915, the 71st Brigade was transferred to the 6th Division, and later the battalion transferred to the 18th Brigade.

By January, 1916, the battalion was in the line at Potijze, in Belgium, and when out of the line was in Ypres. It remained in that sector through to the end of February, sustaining a few casualties on most days.

Charles Tucker received a gunshot wound to his arm in late February, 1916, clearly whilst he was in the Ypres sector. It resulted in his evacuation to England, where he was admitted to Millbank Hospital, in London, on 5 March, 1916, and remained until discharged on 22 March.

Once he was declared fit for overseas service again he returned to France, where he joined the 13th (Service) (West Ham) Battalion, of the Essex Regiment. The 13th Battalion had been formed at West Ham in December, 1914 by the mayor and borough of West Ham. Originally in the 100th Brigade of the 33rd Division, it landed in France in November, 1915, and the next month became part of the 6th Brigade in the 2nd Division.

By August, 1917, the 13th Battalion was serving in the Givenchy sector, and when not in the line, withdrew to Gorre, where it rested and carried out training.

It remained in the same sector in September and when relieved withdrew to Bethune, cleaned up and carried out more training. In late September it moved to the support area at Windy Corner, before moving back to the Givenchy sector.

By the beginning of October it had returned to Gorre, thence to Bethune and billets at Lozinghem, where it carried out a lengthy period of training, until the end of the month and the battalion's strength was brought up to 39 officers and 1,072 other ranks.

The battalion left Lozinghem on 5 November, 1917, and moved over the next two days to Houtkerque, where it carried even more training until 23 November, when it moved to Proven and then Rocquigny, followed by Doignies, where it arrived on 25 November. The next day the battalion moved into the trenches east of Moeuvres, astride the Canal du Nord, and spent the next three days wiring and generally consolidating the position.

At 9.30 am on 30 November the Germans mounted their first attack in great numbers, perhaps 500-700 strong. Heavy losses were inflicted and the enemy either withdrew or went to ground.

At 10.30 am the enemy attacked again, and although the enemy advance across the open was checked, the attack was so determined that ammunition began to give out, and hostile machine gun fire and artillery began to fall. Orders were issued that all ground was to be held to the last but 'B' Company, down to 40 men, was forced to retire.

Although limited counter-attacks were made the enemy were very strong and had brought up four machine guns and rifle grenades. However, under the command of three officers, the men rallied and that part of the line was held.

'D' Company was the left front company, with three platoons occupying from Street Trench to Sunken Road, with one platoon in reserve. There was no news from 'D' Company, which the enemy had gone past, and they were completely cut off, and surrounded. 'D' Company acquitted itself well inflicting heavy casualties with enfilading fire. The initial attack was repulsed at the cost of casualties including Captain Steele. A second attack was also repulsed after which the Germans resorted to smaller sorties using a sunken road.

At 11.00 am the opposition grew again and troops on the right and left flanks were forced to withdraw, and communications with Battalion HQ were lost. By that stage Lieutenant Robinson and Second Lieutenant Corps were the only officers left uninjured.

At 12 noon the company came under a bomb attack but they were forced back, with Privates Smith and Nightingale displaying especial valour in the defence. The position became more isolated with the Germans holding grounds on both sides of the Company. Bombing parties were only held back by effective sniping from the British.

By 4.30pm a council of war was held involving Lt. Robinson, 2nd Lt. Corps, CSM Edwards and Platoon Sergeants Phillips, Parsons, Fairbrass, Lodge and Legg. The group recognised that their ammunition was running out and the position was hopeless, but as they had been ordered to hold the position at all costs, they decided to attempt to hold on overnight and fight on to the last with no surrender.

Sgt. Legg and one man undertook the dangerous task of infiltrating the German lines to get back to the British lines and inform the command of the situation. They succeeded in this task.

The men held on through the night but at 7.20 am on 1 December there was an overwhelming attack by the Germans that overran the British position with all remaining men killed or surrendered: having held on for 22 hours they were all exhausted.

Once Sgt. Legg had delivered the message an attempt had been made to relieve the men but this was unsuccessful.

Field Marshall Haig personally praised the stand and released the story to the British Press. The story appeared in newspapers throughout the world and 'D' Company became known as the 'No Surrender Company'.

From 30 November to the night of 4/5 December, 1917, the 13th Battalion lost 4 officers wounded, 4 wounded and missing, and 2 missing. Amongst the other ranks it lost 16 killed, 78 wounded, 9 wounded and missing and 269 missing.

It is believed that Charles Tucker was a member of 'D' Company, the 'No Surrender Company', and his death was assumed, either killed in action or died of wounds, at Moeuvres, on 30 November, 1917. He was aged 33.

Having no known grave, Charles Tucker is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, at Louverval, in France. His name has not been identified on any local war memorial.

It is possible that he was commemorated on a memorial in Holy Trinity Church, Canning Town. The church was damaged by bombing in World War Two, and although repaired it was eventually demolished.

Charles Tucker's service earned him the 1914-15 Star; British War Medal, 1914-20; and Victory Medal, 1914-19.