Cabinet Photograph

R. Sinclaire & Son - Photographer

Northgate Studio

Canterbury, Kent, England

c. 1901

​

Charles Henry Stroud was born in 1854 in Canterbury, England, to Charles Stroud and Mary Anne Skinner.

​

He attested as Private N0. 2029 with the 2nd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade on 22 December 1870 at Dover (his service number would later change to 892).  His first overseas deployment was to the Gold Coast on 3 November 1873, where he would see active service in Sir Garnet Wolseley’s Ashantee Campaign of 1874. He would receive the Ashantee Medal with the clasp “Coommassi” for service in the campaign.

​

Receiving his first good conduct pay on 17 March 1875, Stroud would forfeit his good conduct pay on 7 July 1976.  The unspecified incident would be the only infraction recorded in Stroud’s service papers. Appointed acting corporal on 25 May 1881, he would be promoted corporal on 8 October 1881, then sergeant on 1 July 1883. On 12 July, he completed 12 years, 203 days with the colours.

​

On 13 July 1883, he re-enlisted and transferred to the 3rd Battalion, The East Kent Regiment (The Buffs). He was promoted to colour sergeant on 21 April 1884. He remained in Britain until 10 March 1900, when he was deployed to South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War. He was in Kroonstad, South Africa, when he took his discharge, having given 3 months' notice on 30 January 1901. For service in the South African War, he was entitled to the Queen’s South Africa Medal with the clasps “Cape Colony”, “Orange Free State”, and “South Africa - 1901”.

​

Prior to May 1895, Stroud was presented the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.

Charles Henry Stroud married Marianne Laura Shearing while posted to Gibraltar on 22 February 1879. The couple would have at least one child, Laura Marianne Stroud, who was born at Gibraltar on 27 August 1879.

​

Former Colour Sergeant Charles Henry Stroud passed away in October 1910 in Canterbury.