PENNELLS, Charles Percy
| Service Number: | 83 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 September 1914, Enlisted at Helena Vale, WA |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Sussex, England, 16 October 1889 |
| Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey, 27 April 1915, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, Gallipoli Plot 1V, Row C, Grave 9, Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Moora WWI Honour Wall |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 83, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Enlisted at Helena Vale, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 83, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 83, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne |
Help us honour Charles Percy Pennells's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Steve Larkins
Address at the time of enlistment was Duke of York Coffee Palace, Pert, WA
Son of Mrs. S. Pennells of Sussex, England
Next of kin given as a friend Thomas Roff of Mt Pleasant, Etchingham, Sussex, England
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Patricia Kennedy
Charles Percy Pennells was born 16 October 1889 in the rural village of Burwash, East Sussex, England, his unmarried mother was Harriett Selina Pennells, a domestic servant who was previously employed in the household of George and Elizabeth Hayward. His birth was registered as Percy Charles Pennells but he was later known as Charles Percy Pennells, in the English Census for 1891 Charles was living with his mother, Harriett and her parents James and Mary Pennells in Burwash.
Just one year later life changed dramatically for young Charles, his grandfather; James had died in 1892, his grandmother, Mary then went to live with a married daughter, which left Harriett and her young son in a difficult situation. Harriett clearly could not bring up her son as in the 1901 Census, at the age of 12 Charles was an inmate in The Union of Workhouse of the Guardians of the Poor at Flimwell, East Sussex. Sadly there is no trace of Harriett in the 1901 Census however, in 1905 she married William Diprose, by then Charles was sixteen years of age and there is no evidence to show that he had been re-united with his mother.
In the 1911 English Census Harriett re-appeared living with her husband, William Diprose at Hunters Farm Cottage, Brightling, Sussex however; on the census form Harriett stated that she had no children. The census does not list Charles at all as he had embarked on the ship 'Bremen' in Germany arriving in Fremantle, Western Australia in November 1911 leaving England behind to start a new life at 22 years of age.
When war was declared Charles Percy Pennells enlisted on 8 September 1914 at the age of 25 taking his oath on 15 October, he gave his occupation as labourer; his address was the Duke of York Coffee Palace, Perth. Charles was 5 feet 7 3/4 inches (172.72cm) tall and weighed 135lbs (61.23kg), his complexion was fair with blue eyes and brown hair. Even though Charles's mother was still alive he gave as his next of kin a friend, Thomas Roff, from Mount Pleaseant, Etchingham, Sussex.
Charles was assigned to the 16th Battalion, 'B' Company with the Service Number of 83, three-quarters of the battalion were recruited in Western Australia, with the remainder coming from South Australia, their commander was Lieutenant Colonel Harold Pope. They initially trained at Blackboy Hill before moving to Melbourne on 21 November 1914 where they joined three other battalions (13th, 14th and 15th) which formed the 4th Brigade under the command of Colonel John Monash.
On 22 December 1914 Charles embarked on the transport ship 'Ceramic' at Port Melbourne sailing for Egypt stopping briefly at Albany. The 16th Battalion arrived in Egypt 3 February 1915 disembarking at Alexandria, and then travelled by train to a camp at Heliopolis. Training for Charles started almost immediately, routine marches were the order for the day and to harden the troops; they wore as a rule full kit with heavy packs while marching through soft sand.
The 16th Battalion left by train for Alexandria on 11 April where they boarded the troopship 'Hyda Pasha' for Lemnos Island. While there Charles undertook more training which involved disembarking from the troopship with a full kit using the ship's rope ladders.
On the 25 April Charles, along with the 16th Battalion was issued with 200 rounds of .303 ammunition, rifle and bayonet; an entrenching tool with two empty sandbags wrapped around it, a heavy backpack and two white bags containing two day's extra rations which included a can of bully beef, biscuits, tea and sugar. At 1.00pm that afternoon the 16th Battalion left Lemnos Island and sailed for the Gallipoli Peninsular in sunny weather. Although Charles could not see land he could, in a short time, hear the muffled coughs of the big naval guns.
In a rush to get out of the boats many fell in the water getting their kits wet, once on shore a lot of the kits were left behind as they became too heavy to carry. As soon as the 16th was on land they made their way into the hills spending the night digging in under intense rifle fire. By the next morning all battalions of the 4th Brigade had landed but were scattered from Russell's Top to 400 Plateau under heavy fire from Turkish troops. The 26 April proved to be a difficult day for Charles and the 16th Battalion, completely separated they took what shelter they could find. Many now found that leaving their kits behind was an error as they spent the night hungry, thirsty, tired and endeavouring keep alive.
The next day, 27 April 1915, Private Charles Percy Pennells was killed, his war was now over, there is no record to say how he died, perhaps from the many snipers that were in the area. Charles was buried in the Shrapnel Valley Cemetery (Plot 1V, Row C, Grave No.9). Thomas Roff was notified of his friend's death; Charles' medals were issued to Thomas Roff as he was named as the sole beneficiary in his will which Carles had made before he left Australia. The Roll of Honour Circular that Thomas Roff filled out stated that his friend had attended Elementary Church of England School.
The information provided to the Commonwealth Graves Commission by Thomas Roff for Charles' headstone has his Service Number as 85 instead of 83. The demise of Charles was reported in the Western Mail (Perth) on Friday 25 June 1915, his name is also listed in the UK, De Ruvigney's Roll of Honour, 1914-1919 however his Service Number is 85 and the date of his death is 27 May 1915. The mother of Private Charles Percy Pennells, Harriett Diprose died in Sussex in 1940, it is not known if she was aware of her son's death.
Souces:
National Archives of Australia - Service Record of Charles Percy Pennells SN 83.
Australian War Memorial - War Diary 16th Battalion
All England & Wales Civil Registration Birth, Marriage & Death Index 1837-1915
www.familysearch.org
www.acms.sl.new.gov.au - Ellis Silas Diary 16th Battalion
Western Mail (Perth) 25 June 1915 page 5
Monash - The outsider who won a war - Roland Perry
Gallipoli - L A Carlyion
The Official History of Australia in the War 1914-1919 Vol 1
Click images to start slideshow.