Charles William Vacher FINCHAM

FINCHAM, Charles William Vacher

Service Number: 13057
Enlisted: 7 June 1916
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 2nd Motor Transport Company
Born: Horsham, Victoria, Australia, 1897
Home Town: Kew, Boroondara, Victoria
Schooling: Melbourne C of E Grammar School; Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Station Manager
Died: Influenza, 20th Casualty Clearing Station, Belgium, 18 February 1919
Cemetery: Charleroi Communal Cemetery
E 10
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kew War Memorial, Melbourne Bank of Australasia Roll of Honour WW1, Melbourne Grammar School WW1 Fallen Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

7 Jun 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, 13057, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Auxiliary Transport Companies
22 Dec 1916: Embarked Driver, 13057, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Auxiliary Transport Companies, HMAT Persic, Melbourne
12 Mar 1918: Transferred AIF WW1, Corporal, 2nd Motor Transport Company

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Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen

Charles William Vacher FINCHAM was born in Horsham, Victoria in 1897

His parents were Randall George FINCHAM & Annie Jane WATSON

Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts

CHARLES WILLIAM VACHER FINCHAM who died on 18th February 1919 from influenza in the 20th Casualty Clearing Station at the front, was the son of the late Mr. R. G. Fincham. He was born in 1897 and was at the Preparatory School from 1909 till 1911 when he entered the School, and stayed there until 1913, when he left after passing the Junior Public Examination.

He entered the University as a Law student, but owing to his growing too rapidly he gave up the work for some time and was in Queensland when his pressure to go.to the war front became too strong to be resisted by his parents. He was under 19 years of age, but his military connection with the Grammar School, where he was a Lieutenant of Cadets for about two years, and as a Lieutenant in the Citizen Forces, made him desire to serve, while his pride in the magnificent spirit of patriotism  amongst his old schoolfellows became so strong that he would not be denied.

As he was a fine motorist he joined that branch of the service when he enlisted in August 1916 and became a Corporal in the 2nd Mechanical Transport Co. While at the front he applied to go into the Air Service and did some flying. In his letters he mentioned having travelled through Italy with some American and  Dutch friends and amongst the latter members of the family of the representative of Holland in that country.

It is happy to know that he had a particularly enjoyable time then, for he contracted pneumonic influenza in a most virulent form shortly after his return, to which he succumbed. He had mentioned that he had been recommended for his commission and later on his C.O. confirmed this, at the same time expressing his distress at his sudden fatal illness.

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