Private Charles George Marchant, 16th Sussex Yeomanry

Charles George Marchant’s birth was registered in the September quarter of 1893 at Lewes, Sussex.  He appears on the 1901 census of England and Wales living with his family at Cinder Hill, Chailey.  The family comprised George Marchant (head, aged 30 and working as a cowman on an estate), his wife Sarah (aged 34) and their three children: Charles George (aged seven), May Harrington Marchant (aged five) and Amy Louise Marchant (aged three).  With the exception of Sarah Marchant who had been born in Shinfield, Berkshire, the rest of the family were all Newick born. 

Charles Marchant appears in a special list of attested men published in Chailey’s parish magazine in March and April 1916.  He does not then make an appearance until January 1919 when he is listed as Marchant, Pte C G, 16th Sussex Yeomanry.  There is nobody with the surname Marchant noted on the National Archives’ medal information cards as having served with the Sussex Yeomanry and it therefore seems likely that Charles Marchant never served overseas.