29094
DOIDGE, Charles Blames
| Service Numbers: | 6238, 6238 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 May 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Monmouthshire England, May 1893 |
| Home Town: | Norwood (SA), South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Lift Driver |
| Died: | Norwood, South Australia, Australia , 7 August 1946, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section) Section: Kendrew Oval Row Number: 12 Site Number: 7 Service Type: Burial |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 13 May 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6238, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 6238, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 28 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 6238, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Adelaide | |
| 23 Apr 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 6238 , 10th Infantry Battalion, Sprained left ankle | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 6238, 10th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Charles Blamey Doidge was born in May 1893. The records do not state whether he had any other siblings, nor do they mention having a father but he lived with his mother Mary.
Charles was born in Monmouthshire, England and moved to Norwood, South Australia at a young age with his mother. They were Methodist. Prior to the war Charles worked as a lift driver.
Charles enlisted in the Australian Infantry Force on the 13th May 1916.
When Charles was first enlisted, he was enlisted in the 2nd depot battalion and fought within the 10th infantry battalion, 20th reinforcement, was a cable commissioner and was a private while he was in the war.
Charles embarked to war on the 28th August 1916 on the HMAT A68 Anchises boat to go and fight for Australia in the war.
His service number was 6238.
Charles got to Egypt and he trained there for a few months. It was tough and hard. He trained 8 hours a day, 6 days a week. In the beginning, troops had to wear full kits and heavy packs so that they could get used to carrying heavy loads. The Australians were considered to be as well trained as the British Army was.
The 10th Battalion was made up of mainly South Australians and formed part of the 3rd Brigade. On the 25th of April 1915, they were responsible for providing the covering force for the ANZAC landing. This meant that they were the first South Australian regiment to fight in the Great War.
Approximately 1,005 men from the 10th Battalion were killed in action, or died from wounds, sickness or injuries over the course of military service. Charles Doidge was a part of the 20th Reinforcement of the 10th Infantry Battalion.
Charles Blamey spent much of his time recovering in hospital as a result of injuries he sustained during the war. Given the number of soldiers killed and wounded on the Western Front, this is not surprising.
The 10th Infantry Battalion which Charles Doidge was a part of, saw their first action on the ANZAC cove. Initially the Battalion penetrated inland and then they helped defend the beachhead against a Turkish counter attack in May.
The battalion withdrew from Gallipoli in December 1915, and went to Egypt. From there they sailed to France and fought on the Western Front until September 1918.
On the 26/01/1917, he and his troops were sent to France. Charles Doidge fought in the Great War. It was also known as the 'war to end all wars'. World War I, lasted between 1914 and 1918. Some of the great battles were fought on the Western Front in France and Belgium. Charles was part of the 10th Infantry Battalion of Australian soldiers that fought in places such as — Fromelles, the Somme, Bullecourt, Messines, Passchendaele and Villers–Bretonneux. More than 295,000 Australians served in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). 46,000 lost their lives and 132,000 were wounded.
One of the bloodiest military battles in history was the Battle of the Somme which was fought near the Somme River in France between July 1st and November 1st, 1916. There were more than 57,000 British casualties on the first day, and the Allies and Central Powers lost more than 1.5 million men by the end of the campaign.
Charles Doidge was hospitalised on the 30/4/1917 (“struck off strength”), re-joined his Battalion on the 4/5/1917 and returned to hospital on the 5/5/1917 with injuries to his right hand. It appears he was also hospitalised on the 23/6/1917 and re-joined his troops on the 27/06/1917. He was again “Wounded in Action” on the 5/5/1917 but re-joined his Battalion the same day. On the 2/11/1917 he was sent to the ANZAC Corps School in France. He re-joined his troops on the 18/12/1917. He had two weeks leave from the 28/1/1918 – 15/2/1917. On the 23/4/1918 he again went to hospital because he was “accidentally injured” – he suffered a sprained left ankle. Due to this injury, he remained in hospital until the 2/5/1918. He was then transferred back to England for his injuries. On the 16/6/1918 he was admonished by Major C.H. Howard for being absent without leave for one hour and 45 minutes. On the 25/06/1918 he was again sent overseas. On the 16/10/1918 he arrived in France and joined his unit on the 19/10/1918. He again was injured but re-joined his troops on the 20/10/1918.
On the 21.1.1919 he was sent to the Corp Workshops. On the 13/5/1919 he embarked for England and arrived in Southampton the following day. On the 14/5/1919 he was again
“struck off strength” and returned to Australia on the 23rd July 1919.
Not much is known about his life after the war. He died on the 8th September 1947 aged 55 years. Even his grave leaves very few clues as to whether he married or had children. His grave states “Loved and Treasured friend of Mrs M.J Galloway, Mavis and Maxwell”. Charles Blamey Doidge’s grave can be found at the AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery Adelaide, Australia.
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