Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Alfred Palmer, a poultry farmer and County Council lecturer, born 1857 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire and his wife Annie Palmer (nee Walker, married in the 4th quarter of 1890 in the Leicester district), born 1866 in Leicester. Charles Walter, was born in the 4th quarter of 1891 in Withybrook, Warwickshire, his siblings were, Ethel Mary, born 1893, Annie Constance, born 1896, George Arthur, born 1898 and John Ralph, born 1899, all his siblings were born in Withybrook, in March 1901 the family home was at Bitteswell, Leicestershire. In April 1911 Charles was engaged in farming and was residing in the family home at Wykin, Hinckley, Leicestershire, together with his father, a farmer, his mother and siblings, Ethel assisting with housework, Annie, helping in the home, George, a schoolboy, John, a schoolboy, Ronald Selborne, a schoolboy, born 1902 in Bitteswell, Alan Philip, born 1906 and Frances Joyce, born 1908, the latter two siblings were both born in Wykin, Hinckley, also residing in the family home were Charles’s two maternal Aunts, Mary Walker, born 1870 and Constance Eleanor Walker, a clerk, born 1882, both Aunt’s were born in Leicester.
On Friday March 31st 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – LEICESTERSHIRE AIRMAN’S FIGHT. Flight-Lieut. C. W. Palmer, the brilliant young Leicestershire airman, has fallen into the hands of the Germans, after a thrilling 15 minute fight. The officer’s parents have received a letter informing them that their son was wounded in the foot and taken a prisoner, after a fight against several aeroplanes, one of which was piloted by Immelmann, the daring German pilot, Lieut. Palmer’s observer was killed. An old boy of Hinckley Grammar School, Charles Palmer enlisted at the outbreak of the war, and received his commission whilst serving with the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Transferred to the 9th Leicesters, he applied for a commission in the Flying Corps. This eventually fell to him, and latterly he has flown almost daily, some of his achievements proving his grit and skill. Often he has gone up alone, doing his own observing, and signalling by wireless, and working the gun if required. Once he returned from a flight with his plane riddled with bullets, and part of his under-carriage blown off by a shell.
On Friday September 1st 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. – LEICESTERSHIRE AIRMAN’S DEATH. – “SLOW MURDER” IN A GERMAN HOSPITAL. The following letter from Mr. George Palmer, of Wykin, Hinckley, appeared in the “Daily Mail,” on Saturday:- Sir, - I think enclosed account of the slow murder by the Germans of my son, Lieut. C. W. Palmer, R.F.C., ought to be made public. Please do not give the name of the good hearted private who attended him. I wish now that my son had been shot dead in his machine as was his friend and observer, Lieut. Birdwood. We sent him plenty of food and money, and asked him to share it with any comrades, but alas, too late. I have another son of 19 at the front, and I pray to God that he may be killed, rather than fall into the hands of the Germans. Surely no British father will consent to any terms but the bitter crushing and breaking up of a Power capable of such inhumane devilry. Geo. A. Palmer. Wykin, Hinckley, August 24th 1916
AMPUTATION WITHOUT AFTERCARE.
The letter referred to above is as follows:- To G. A. Palmer Esq., Wykin, Hinckley. Dear Sir,- I received your letter regarding your son, Lieutenant C. W. Palmer. Yes, I will try and tell you all about him; you see I had it all in writing, but was obliged to destroy it or the Germans would not have let me home. However everything is fairly vivid to me. I was just out of bed when your son came to the hospital. They brought him down 12,000 feet, and all that was wrong with him – a few small bones in his left foot were broken. They operated on him, and two days after that something went wrong with the foot, and they took it off short above the ankle, and very soon after that everything went wrong with him. I was the only Englishman in the hospital, and when he was just beginning to get really bad I was allowed to talk to him and I made good use of it. He had a very bad cold on him at the time, and I used to talk to him and cheer him up. The food he got as well as myself we could not eat; we were starved of course. The day he came into the hospital he was allowed £1, which they gave him in eight half crowns, and he sent out for a few biscuits and apples, but he never touched them. The officer that brought him down came to see him once or twice, but the food he could not touch. He used to ask me to show the Germans how to make tea, which he was in the habit of having, but it could not be done – only black bread. I am sure, sir, if he had been at home he would have been living today. After they took the foot off they never troubled about him any more than have a look at him. I was with him all day long for five days up till the night he died between eight and nine o’clock. His body was taken out half an hour after he died to the Dead House, next day he was put in a coffin, taken to the chapel, and two days later he was buried. A great many French people turned out to pay him their last respects. He never left any message for anyone, or you would have had it; he only asked for his house keeper, and wanted to see her, and I had to order all kinds of food through his house keeper from Liptons – it was really distressing at times, as he kept asking when it was coming, and calf’s foot jelly he asked for, but could not get. I could tell you more, sir, but I cannot put it together; perhaps, sir, if you should be up in town I could see you and tell you all there is. One thing: Have you received from the Germans the things that belonged to him, a wrist watch, silver cigarette case, a pocket book, and two books I think he kept his records in? I am half afraid you have not got them; please let me know. I gave all particulars about him to the War Office on my return, also his purse, a leather one, all the money he spent was for the biscuits and apples I have told you of. Dear Sir, it is very kind of you to ask me for a holiday, which I should like, but when, I cannot say. Perhaps I may see you in town before I leave here for Roehampton, where I get my new arm. And please excuse pencil, as we are not allowed ink in the hospital. Believe me, yours faithfully, -----.
LIEUT. PALMER’S CAREER.
The late Lieut. Palmer was 24 years of age. He died on March 29th, following an operation performed on March 17th. He was well known in the Hinckley district, where his family have resided for some years, and he was an Old Boy of Hinckley Grammar School and a playing member of the Hinckley Cricket Club. At the commencement of the war he enlisted in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and afterwards received a commission in the Leicestershire Regiment. Subsequently he applied for a commission in the Royal Flying Corps and in due course had lessons in airmanship. Afterwards he was transferred to another station, where he became instructor and head of the workshops. He successfully carried out some notable flights, once crossing the channel in a particularly bad fog, and since he had been stationed at the front his skill and daring had enabled him to undertake very responsible and difficult duties over the German lines. From accounts that have been received it is understood that Lieut. Immelmann, the famous German airman now dead, was one of the enemy flying party engaged in the fight in which Lieut. Palmer’s machine was brought down. Lieut. Immelmann, it is stated, visited the wounded Englishman in hospital and took a kindly interest in him.
On Friday September 15th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – THE LATE LIEUT. PALMER. GERMAN GOVERNMENT CENSURED. The “Frankfurter Zeitung” censures the German Government for not explaining the real facts of the case of the airman Lieut. Palmer, who died in a German internment camp, and regarding whom there was a letter from his father in an English newspaper. It says there should be an office in Berlin with some understanding of international relations and psychology which could deal with such matters. The newspaper argues that it is evident that Lieut. Palmer was so badly injured that his life could not be saved. – It will be remembered that Lieut. Palmer was the son of Mr. G. A. Palmer, of Wykin, Hinckley, and the purport of the letter referred appeared in the “Melton Times” its original publication being in the “Daily Mail.” Lieut. Palmer was brought down in the German lines with, it is stated, a few small bones in his left foot broken, and the allegations – made on the strength of a statement made by a returned British prisoner of war – is that his death resulted from improper treatment in regard to food and medical attention. After his foot had been amputated, said the returned prisoner, “they never troubled about him any more than have a look at him.”
On the 31st January 1920 the Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester published a Roll of Honour in which Charles is shown to have been a pupil at the school between the years 1904 and 1905.