Charles Graham Rivers Halliday was born in Shawford in June 1897, the son of Charles George and Frances Amy Halliday. Charles Graham’s grandfather was William Halliday who had a stationer’s shop at 9 Anstey Road in Alton. His father was a ‘Professor of Music’ and, in 1901, the family was with his mother’s parents at Streethouse in Lower Farringdon.

Charles Graham attended Sherborne School, where he was in the 1st XV rugby football team, and he then went to RMA Woolwich and Chatham.

2nd Lieutenant Halliday joined the Royal Engineers and went to the 1st Field Squadron which was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division in France in February 1916. He was transferred to 225th Field Company on 1st June 1917 and was killed at Ypres 12 days later.

His parents settled at The Lawn in Farringdon and the British War and Victory Medals were sent to them in 1922. 2nd Lieutenant Charles Graham Rivers Halliday is commemorated at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in Belgium - Grave III. A. 17.

Source: “The Remembered Ones of the Great War”, 2014, The Alton and Villages Local History Forum (with permission)