Charlie Leslie MICHAEL

Charlie Leslie MICHAEL Update Details

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MICHAEL, Charlie Leslie

Service Number:	664
Enlisted:	24 March 1915, Melbourne
Last Rank:	Corporal
Last Unit:	24th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 29 December 1893
Home Town:	Camberwell, Boroondara, Victoria
Schooling:	Camberwell Grammar School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:	Clerk
Died:	Multiple shell wounds to legs and left arm, 10th Casualty Clearing Station,Poperinge, Belgium , 22 September 1917, aged 23 years
Cemetery:	Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Plot XXIV. C. 19.
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Camberwell War Memorial

World War 1 Service

24 Mar 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 664, 24th Infantry Battalion, Melbourne
10 May 1915:	Involvement Private, 664, 24th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: ''
10 May 1915:	Embarked Private, 664, 24th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Melbourne
28 May 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 24th Infantry Battalion
23 Jul 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 24th Infantry Battalion
20 Sep 1917:	Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 664, 24th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, Westhoek Ridge, Shell burst - multiple wounds to legs and left arm (severe)

Help us honour Charlie Leslie Michael's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Charlie was the son of Son of Arthur and Emily Michael, of Tooronga, 258 Latrobe Terrace, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. His father died when he was only 10 years of age. His mother Emily received his medals and effects. His brother 1700 Pte. John Charles Michael also of the 24th Battalion was killed in action 5 August 1916. Another brother 3881 Arthur Henry Michael, 22nd Battalion, returned to Australia, 13 February 1919.

Charlie wrote a letter home to sister which was published in the Geelong Advertisor

"Jack and I are doing well here; we were in the trenches yesterday, and are now writing from our dugout, which we share between us. This is what I joined for, and I never felt better; it is very interesting over here, and the 1st Division deserve all the credit they can get for what they did, as the country is all big hills. There is a big noise going on all day and night, but we get used to it very quickly. It is very interesting watching the aeroplanes flying over the Turks' trenches: you can see shells bursting just behind them from the big guns in the Turks' trenches.

I am glad now Harry is coming, as you only want to get over here to see how every man available is needed, and if a chap is lucky enough to get right through it, he will never regret having come. Everyone here seems happy and contented, and we take no notice of the bullets. It was lucky Jack getting in with me, wasn't it? He had not to do any training in the desert at all. When I told our officer he was my brother, he used every effort to get him in our company, and succeeded alright. We have just come out of the trenches this morning, after 48 hours in, and we go in again on Friday. Jack and I are keeping very well..."

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