TONQUEST, Charles Albert
| Service Number: | 353 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 August 1914, An original of B Squadron, 3rd LHR |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Mintaro, South Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Mintaro, Clare and Gilbert Valleys, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Watervale Public School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Farm hand |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Egypt, 1 June 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Kantara War Memorial Cemetery Row B, Grave No. 8. THE LORD GAVE AND THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Clare 9th Light Horse WW1 Memorial, Jamestown Methodist Church WW1 Roll of Honor, Jamestown Soldier's Memorial Park Arch, Scott's Creek and Longwood Roll of Honor, Sevenhill & Penwortham District War Memorial WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 353, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, An original of B Squadron, 3rd LHR | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 353, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 353, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Port Lincoln, Adelaide | |
| 1 Jun 1916: | Involvement Trooper, 353, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 353 awm_unit: 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment awm_rank: Trooper awm_died_date: 1916-06-01 | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 353, 1st Light Horse Regiment |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Charles Albert Tonquest enlisted in Jamestown during 1914, part of a group called the ‘Noble Eight’ who were apparently the first to enlist from that town, and most of them served in the 3rd Light Regiment.
His parents were Frederick and Mary Ann Tornquist of Penwortham, South Australia. They gave his place of association as Mintaro, South Australia. Charles’ father was Swedish born and his two brothers served under the name Tornquist.
His older brother, 2682 Private Gustaf Enrick Tornquist 11th Battalion AIF, was killed in action at Pozieres on 23 July 1916, age 29. Another older brother 3939 Corporal Frederick William Tornquist M.M. 48th Battalion AIF was decorated for capturing 3 Germans whilst out alone on a patrol.
Charles served on Gallipoli from 9 May 1915 until the evacuation. He was wounded on 1 June 1916 at Romani in Egypt and died of his wounds the same day.
Articles in South Australian newspapers, marked ‘Blyth S.A.’ stated that ‘the late Pte. Charles A. Tornquest, whose death was announced in a recent casualty list, was the third son of Mr. Tornquest, of Penwortham. The soldier died of wounds received in action. He was 22 years of age, and was born in the Leasingham district. He came to reside in this district about six years ago, and for more than four years was in the employ of Mr. T. Clark. The deceased was of a quiet, generous, and unassuming disposition, and was generally popular. He left here for Jamestown, from which town he enlisted.”