Charles Edward William Manning was born in Woodbridge on 7th December 1894. He was the only son of Edward Manning and his wife, Mabel (née Smith). Charles had two sisters, Mabel Mary and Dorothy Victoria. Their father, Edward, was a baker and confectioner and in 1901, the family was living in St John’s Street in Woodbridge.

In 1911, the family still lived on St John’s Street, but Edward was now unemployed. Charles worked an apprentice at Footman’s Drapery Shop on The Thoroughfare, Woodbridge. Later that year his father Edward died and it is probable that this was when the family moved to Ivydene on Melton Road. A month after war was declared, Charles enlisted into the Rifle Brigade in Winchester, Dorset on 9th September 1914. He gave his name as Claude Edward George Manning with his occupation as “traveller” and a precise age of nineteen years and two hundred and seventy-six days. It is quite likely that Charles had run away from home to join the army.

Charles was posted to the 5th Battalion Rifle Brigade, a reserve battalion based in Winchester providing reinforcements for the other battalions in the Regiment. On 9th February 1915, Charles and seventy-five other men left for France to join their new battalion, 3rd Rifle Brigade, billeted at Chaple D’Armentieres, south of Ypres. In December 1915, Charles was promoted to acting Lance Corporal with the position ratified in March the following year. In 1916, they took part in the Actions of the Bluff, which were a series of local operations carried out in the Ypres Salient and the Battle of Delville Wood at the Somme. In 1917, Charles and the 3rd Rifles saw the most action during the Battles of Arras and were involved in the Third Battle of Ypres, fighting in the Battle of Pilkem Ridge and the attack on Passchendaele. However, it was during the Battle of Messines, between 7th and 14th June 1917, that Charles showed greatest courage and leadership. On 7th June, the battalion was in trenches preparing for an attack on the ridge held by the German army at Wijtschate. After a series of mines were detonated under the German front line, an artillery barrage commenced and the Allied Forces began their advance.

At 12:35, the 3rd Rifles moved towards their objectives, achieving them successfully and with little resistance from the German troops. After the artillery barrage lifted and the Allied Forces were behind enemy lines, fighting intensified. Charles identified the location of a German machine gun firing on a position recently taken by allied soldiers and, leading a few of his men, Charles mounted an assault to surround the gun and capture it. For this, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. The Woodbridge Reporter and Wickham Market Gazette (9th August 1917) reported that:  

DCM Awarded to Woodbridgian

Acting Corporal Charles Manning, son of Mrs Manning of Ivydene, Melton Road, has been awarded the DCM for distinguished conduct in the field on June 17th last. He was in charge of the Lewis gun team when he silenced the enemy’s machine gun, advanced and captured the same, and took the team prisoners, with the exception of a German officer who was shot as he refused to surrender. Later in the advance Corporal Manning captured an enemy’s field gun and brought his men out of action without a casualty, and throughout the advance, he set a fine example to the men under his charge. Corporal Manning joined the Rifle Brigade in September 1914, was sent to France the following February and has been there ever since.” 

Charles remained with the 3rd Battalion Rifle Brigade until 9th February when he was transferred to the 4th Field Survey Company of the Royal Engineers for the “Benefit of the Service”. It was while with this company Charles got into trouble for the only recorded time in his military career. On 4th December 1918, he was reported missing from camp after roll call. The following morning he was apprehended and charged with being in town without a pass. For this indiscretion Charles was severely reprimanded and forfeited a day’s pay.

Charles was demobilised on 11th February 1919 and gave his address as Ivydene, Melton Road. For his war service, and in addition to his DCM, he received the 1914-15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.