Christopher was born in Witham "butts", Essex, and his father was the publican in `the George and dragon` in bridge street. The name butts is believed to be named after an archery range that would have been sited close to the site of the pub, and the bridge that crossed the river Brain. The term stands for the mound of earth that was used to stop arrows not on target, hence the term `the butt of the joke`
He served in the Essex Regiment that was sent out with others, to try to releive General Gordon at Khartoum, Sudan, Africa, in 1885. They were unsuccesfull owing to the distance from there base in Cairo, Eygypt. Even by Boat down the Nile would have taken weeks. Most of the relief force was sent out from the U.K. at a very late stage in the siege, giving them no time to help overcome the Mahdi. Politicians then, as now just blew hot air while Gordon held together a mixture of Arab, African and few Whites against the force of the Mahdi encamped around the City.
The Essex did however, fight several small battles to oust the Mahdi forces from the positions taken.
