Charles Henry Balanco – Royal Artillery

Gunner Charles Henry Balanco – Royal Artillery

A Swansea youth whose troubled early years preceded wartime service

Early Life and Family Background

Charles Henry Balanco was born in 1923 in Swansea, the son of Benzeslo Balanco and Florence L. Balanco. No official records survive that shed light on his childhood or early family circumstances, leaving much of his early life undocumented. What does survive, however, are several newspaper reports that provide a glimpse into his youth during the difficult wartime years.

South Wales Evening Post

A Troubled Youth – Swansea Borough Sessions, 1941

In May 1941, the South Wales Evening Post reported that eighteen‑year‑old Charles Balanco, then working as a firewatcher, appeared before Mr. Temple Morris, Acting Recorder, at the Swansea Borough Sessions. He and a fifteen‑year‑old schoolboy pleaded guilty to a series of breaking‑in offences committed at premises across the town. The court heard that the pair had forced entry into the Central Café, Singleton Street, and later into other establishments, taking money, cigarettes, and chocolates valued at around £30. Detective Evan John Thomas described the circumstances of the arrests, noting that the stolen goods were recovered shortly afterwards.

Charles’s defence counsel, Mr. Charles Stuttle, argued that he had been led astray by another youth, Groom, originally from Bournemouth, who had involved both boys in the offences. After considering their ages and the circumstances, the Acting Recorder decided against custodial sentences. Charles Balanco and Groom were bound over for two years and placed under probation, with Groom additionally instructed to go to sea as soon as possible. The Recorder expressed hope that the experience would serve as a warning to both young men. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Stephen Phillips, instructed by Mr. A. H. Innet of the Town Clerk’s Department.

Military Service – Royal Artillery

Despite his troubled youth, Charles later entered military service and became a Gunner in the Royal Artillery, joining a branch of the Army responsible for heavy weapons, anti‑aircraft defence, and fire support across multiple theatres of the Second World War. You can explore more about the regiment’s background through Royal_Artillery_history.

Charles Henry Balanco
Morriston Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Death and Burial

Charles Henry Balanco died on 15 April 1942, only a year after his court appearance, and during the third full year of the war. His death brought an early end to a life marked by hardship, missteps, and ultimately military service. Charles was buried at Morriston Cemetery, where his grave stands among the many servicemen who died during the conflict.