Charles Henry (Tass or Taz) HAWCROFT

HAWCROFT, Charles Henry

Service Number: 188
Enlisted: 21 July 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 30th Infantry Battalion
Born: Merewether, New South Wales, Australia, 8 June 1895
Home Town: Merewether, Newcastle, New South Wales
Schooling: Newcastle South Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Miner
Died: Killed in Action , France, , 20 July 1916, aged 21 years
Cemetery: Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery
Plot II, Row C, Grave 2, Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery, Fromelles, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Merewether Memorial Gates, Park Street Methodist Sabbath School HR
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World War 1 Service

21 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 188, 30th Infantry Battalion
9 Nov 1915: Involvement Private, 188, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: ''
9 Nov 1915: Embarked Private, 188, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney
20 Jul 1916: Involvement Private, 188, 39th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 188 awm_unit: 39th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-07-20
20 Jul 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), Killed in Action - hit by shell in no-man's land
Date unknown: Involvement 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix)

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

Biography contributed by Carol Foster

Son of Samuel Hawcroft and Elizabeth Ann Hawcroft of Frederock Street, Mereweather, NSW. Brother of Jane Hawcroft, NSW

Was originally commemorated at VC Corner Memorial but was later identified. His identity disc had been return in November 1917 by Germany

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery

Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War memorialised at Sandgate Cemetery.

On the 20th July 1916, Private Charles Henry Hawcroft, referred to as Harry, Tass or Taz, 30th Battalion (Reg No-188), labourer from 62 Frederick Street, Merewether, New South Wales, was Killed in Action by an enemy artillery shell in "No Man's Land" during the Battle of Fromelles, age 21.

Born at 62 Frederick Street, Merewether, New South Wales on the 8th June 1895 to Samuel (died 3.11.1940, Merewether, N.S.W., age 86) from 62 & 64 Frederick Street, Merewether, N.S.W., and Elizabeth (Eliza) Ann Hawcroft (died 1.7.1949, Newcastle, N.S.W., age 83, mother of 4 daughters & 3 sons) from 62 & 64 Frederick Street, Merewether, N.S.W., Harry enlisted on the 21st July 1915 at Liverpool, N.S.W.

Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A72 Beltana on the 9th November 1915.

Disembarked Marseilles, France 23.6.1916.

27 days in the field.

Reported Missing in Action 21.7.1916.

13th March 1917: Identification Disc received from Germany. No particulars were afforded, except that soldier was deceased. May now be reported "KILLED IN ACTION" 20/7/1916.

Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 2), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles; subsequently (2010) identified, and interred in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, France. Plot II Row C Grave 2.

Place of Association - Merewether, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Mr. Hawcroft’s name has been inscribed on the Merewether (Mitchell Park) Memorial Gates, Merewether U.A.O. Druids (Rock of Hope Junction branch) Roll of Honour, Newcastle South Public School Roll of Honour, Merewether Methodist Church (Park Street) Roll of Honour, Cessnock War Memorial and The Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall. Name would be inscribed on the South Newcastle Rugby League Football Club Roll of Honour (unveiled on the 11th July 1917, 90 names inscribed, 16 Fallen, whereabouts unknown.

I have placed poppies at the memorialised Hawcroft gravesite in remembrance of the service and supreme sacrifice of their son Harry for God, King & Country. METHODIST 4-12. 54.

Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.

For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/

Lest We Forget.

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