Charles Edwin CAMERON

CAMERON, Charles Edwin

Service Number: 6038
Enlisted: 4 October 1916
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 23rd Infantry Battalion
Born: Deniliquin, New South Wales, Australia, 1883
Home Town: Deniliquin, Deniliquin, New South Wales
Schooling: Deniliquin Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Coach driver
Died: Killed in Action, France, 17 August 1918
Cemetery: Heath Cemetery, Picardie
Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Deniliquin War Memorial
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

4 Oct 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6038, 23rd Infantry Battalion
31 Oct 1916: Involvement Private, 6038, 23rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: ''
31 Oct 1916: Embarked Private, 6038, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney

Help us honour Charles Edwin Cameron's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Popularly known as “Charlie”, Charles Cameron was born in Deniliquin, New South Wales, in 1883. He attended the local public school, and went on to become a coach driver before enlisting in the AIF during October 1916.

He was posted to the 23rd Battalion, and by the end of the month had sailed for overseas. On the journey he met Stanley Ellem, and the two became good mates.

Cameron and Ellem arrived in Plymouth, England, in January 1917 and continued training the before joining their battalion on the Western Front in early April. A month later they were in the front line near the French village of Noreuil, and on 4 May Cameron was wounded in the left leg. The wounds were severe and after receiving emergency care in France he was sent to England, where he took several months to recover.

Cameron returned to the 23rd Battalion in France in October 1917. On 4 July 1918 Private Cameron was again wounded in his side during the Battle of Hamel. He returned to his battalion at the end of July.

On 17 August Cameron was with his mate Sergeant Stanley Ellem in an old trench, when an artillery shell fell among their group, killing three and wounding several others.

Sergeant Ellem was knocked unconscious. When he came to, he found Cameron lying beside him, seriously wounded. Cameron’s arm and thigh were shattered, and shell fragments had pierced his abdomen in at least two places. He said to Ellem: “they have done for me this time, Stan. Write and tell mother how I died, and tell her I have always tried to do my bit, and not to worry for me.” Shortly afterwards he fell unconscious. Although Ellem and others were able to bandage him up and get him on a stretcher, Charlie Cameron died before he had been carried more than a few yards.

Sergeant Ellem kept his promise, and wrote to Mrs Cameron of her son’s death, finishing by saying:

“thus passed away your dear boy, and our sincere friend and comrade whom we all admired greatly, for Charlie was one of the bravest and most conscientious soldiers in this battalion … He fought cleanly and gamely at all times, and it is due to heroes such as he that we have achieved a glorious victory.”

Private Cameron was 35 years old. He was buried on the battlefield, but after the war his remains were moved to Heath Cemetery at Harbonnières, under the words, “In loving memory of the dear son of A and M Cameron of Deniliquin”.

Edited from The Last Post Ceremony Australian War Memorial

Read more...