Charles was born on September 17, 1924 in Pérenchies, near Lille, and was a French national. He was the son of Georges Lemahieu and Antoinette Declercq. Unmarried and working as a mechanic, Charles lived with his grandmother Maria Delaere, who ran a grocery shop in Zonnebeke.
On Sunday June 20, 1943, Charles was arrested after he challenged a German sentry and fled.
After a short chase, he was caught. The Germans claimed he was carrying ‘incriminating’ documents, justifying the arrest.
Charles was transferred to Kortrijk, where he stayed until June 20, 1944, after which he was deported to the Siegburg penal camp. There he died on March 17, 1945 from the effects of typhoid fever.
