Private Charles John Kreetzer
Charles John Kreetzer was born in Edmonton, London, on 16 October 1899, to plumber Harry Kreetzer and his wife Louisa Maud (née Hurst). His mother died when he was just five years old. By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 31 Poynton Road, Tottenham, with his father, step-mother, younger sister and two half-siblings.
Kreetzer enlisted or was called-up to the army around 1917. He was probably posted to the Derbyshire Yeomanry (most likely the 2/1st Regiment, a cyclist unit based in the Canterbury area).
He remained with that regiment in the UK until 12 September 1918, when he and 55 other men of the regiment were compulsorily transferred to the Corps of Hussars (No.81235) and posted to the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, which was then serving in France as corps cyclist regiment to V Corps. They embarked at Folkestone for Boulogne that day, joining the regiment in the field six days later.
On 2 March 1919 Kreetzer was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
On 15 August 1925 he married Ada Annie Godwin in Edmonton, Essex.
At the time of the 1939 Register, Kreetzer was living at 4 Alexandra Road, Tottenham, and working as a foreman plumber. He died there on 20 April 1981.