The Irish pension application was from Charles Joseph Edward Chidley of 86 Princes Street, Delce, Rochester, Kent. An Irish Army Pension file relates to Charles Joseph Edward Chidley's receipt of awards under the Army Pensions Acts between 1936 and his death on 5 March 1975. These pension awards were in respect of multiple gunshot wounds received by him on [9] August 1922 at Brittas Castle, Clonaslee, County Laois in an engagement with the National Army during the Civil War while serving with the IRA - see also DP1929 Patrick Phelan. File includes: original handwritten material signed and submitted by Charles Chidley in support of his application and with respect to ongoing issues relating to medical examinations, administration and payment of his allowance(s) and pension; medical certificates, reports and examinations in respect of Charles Chidley; signed handwritten representations on behalf of Charles Chidley from Patrick Bergin, Fraser Browne T. D., Michael Kerrin, Honorary Secretary, Sligo Cumann, Fianna Fail, Mícheál Ó Cnáimhín (Michael Nevin), Lord Mayor of Sligo, Pádraig Ó Broin, Old Republican Soldiers of Ireland (Rights Association), Joseph Pilkington, Secretary, Sligo Brigade IRA, F. Burke, Secretary, Sligo Battalion Old IRA, Mícheál Ó Cléirigh T. D. and Ben Maguire T. D.;
"War of Independence and Civil War, Offaly – Charlie Chidlie An Englishman who served in the British Army and was stationed in Crinkle Military Barracks, Birr Co. Offaly during the War of Independence where he was employed as military driver who chauffeured British Army Staff officers. Chidley deserted to join the I.R.A. and was able to give them valuable intelligence information. He remained with the I.R.A. through the remainder of the War of Independence, and took the republican side during the Civil War. He was captured by the Free State Army in Autumn of 1922 and interned"
17 July 1903 Charles Joseph E Chidley born Medway, Kent
1911 census at 86 Princes Street, Delce, Rochester, Kent
6 Aug 1917 enlisted 6th (Reserve) Battalion Middlesex Regiment as L/17059 Boy Charles Joseph Edward Chidley aged 14 at Chatham. Home Service only. 6th (Reserve) Battalion Middlesex Regiment at Chatham part of the Thames & Medway Garrison. Chidley himself states that he joined the British Army in Chatham, Kent, England in 1917 - see handwritten note in pencil on page 6 of form A. P. 50. He served as a Band Boy and later as a Private with the British Army
29 July 1918 discharged due to Sickness 392 xvi King's Regulation aged 15. "In the case of the latter, they had to have been discharged under Paragraphs 392 (xvi) or (xvia) of King’s Regulations “on account of disabilities contracted” following service overseas in a theatre of operations “with an Expeditionary Force in the present war” or “on account of disablement certified to be directly attributable to the action of the enemy e.g. air or naval raids” and in the case of those serving with the flying services, “disablement certified to have been caused or aggravated by military service while engaged on flying duty in connection with operations against the enemy”. Thus entitlement to the badge did not necessarily entitle a man to the award of a certificate whilst those awarded a certificate would most certainly have been entitled to a badge.
25 July 1919 Silver War Badge issued
Material on file shows Chidley serving as 17059, 6 Battalion, the Middlesex Regiment and 1662351, [2 Battalion], The Royal West Kent Regiment, British Army between 1917 and 1922 and during part of the First World War - this material is partly closed under Section 8-(4). (C) of the National Archives Act, 1986..
19 Aug 1920 enlisted into the Royal Artillery as 1662351 Driver Charles Joseph Chidley aged 17 at Chatham (occupation Green Grocer) from Rochester, Kent
5 Oct 1920 discharged at Dover and re-enlisted Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment as 1895 Private Charles Joseph Chidley. Address on discharge 18 Princess St, Delce, Rochester. The 2nd battalion was in the Solingen area of Germany where it found itself having to disarm both German troops and communist rebels and keep them apart.
15 Oct 1920 records sent to Records Office Hounslow
March 1921 Moved to Cologne before going to Silesia in, to supervise polling stations in a referendum on whether the area should be part of Poland or Germany.
April 1921 Moved to Dover because of a national miners’ strike, but was not required to act against Kent miners.
April 1921 Moved to Dublin. An indication of the chaos was that the Machine-gun Company was still in Silesia, transport and much equipment was still in Cologne, and the families were in Dover.
1922 . According to Sean McGuinness, English born Charles Chidley had deserted from the British Army in early 1922 and joined the IRA, along with another individual named as George Mines. McGuinness also states that Chidley served with 1 Offaly Brigade Active Service Unit, IRA. British records have him in King George Hospital up to 28 Feb 1922. He deserted with George Mines, whom the Police Gazette shows deserting on 28 Feb.
Stationed in Crinkle Military Barracks, Birr Co. Offaly during the War of Independence where he was employed as military driver who chauffeured British Army Staff officers.
1922 Aug 9. multiple gunshot wounds received by him at Brittas Castle, Clonaslee, County Laois in an engagement with the National Army during the Civil War while serving with the IRA - see also DP1929 Patrick Phelan. Charles Chidley was captured at the time of his wounding and hospitalised at Maryborough (Portlaoise) Hospital from which he states he attempted to escape. He was subsequently interned at Maryborough (Portlaoise) Prison and Tintown No. 2 internment Camp until December 1923.
1936 Apr 24. British Army Form B. 129 - "Protecting Certificate" issued in respect of Charles Joseph Chidley by the authority of the Army Council and given at the War Office stating that Charles Chidley "Is not claimed for service in His Majesty's Army [and] ... therefore not liable ..to arrest... [for] being [a] deserter...";
Consultations involving officials from the departments of Defence, External Affairs and Finance, the Irish High Commissioner's Office, London and the Army Pensions Board, as to the appointment and payment of suitable English based doctors to examine Charles Chidley in in the 1940s in respect of his applications for a wound/disability allowance following his return there from Ireland;
Correspondence (26 May 1953 - 8 August 1961) between the Irish Department of Defence and the British Ministry of Pensions regarding request from the Irish Department of Defence to the British Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance that the Ministry of Pensions have Charles Chidley medically examined and that a report as to his condition be provided by the examining Doctor or Doctors and that no expenses be paid to Chidley "...in respect of loss of renumerative time...";
1950 Charles J E Chidley married Doris Jones at Bootle Lancashire
Material (11 May - 5 November 1970) relating to the making of alternative arrangements in respect of the payment of Charles Chidley's pension and other difficulties arising from a strike in Irish banks;
1975 Mar 5. Charles Chidley died. Died at Fazakerley Hospital, Liverpool, England (pension application) Widow Doris Chidley. aterial relating to the settlement and closure of Charles Chidley's pension following his death on 5 March 1975 - partly closed for reasons of data protection; material relating to the award of an allowance to Doris Chidley, widow of Charles Chidley, from 1975 onwards; material relating to the settlement and closure of Doris Chidley's widows' allowance - including unsuccessful attempts by the Department of Defence to recoup overpayments of pension made to Doris Chidley - following her death on 21 July 2002 - partly closed for reasons of data protections Joseph E Chidley died aged 71 Liverpool