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Charles was the son of Charles (Carl) Johan Benjamin LEMON & Katherine Mary Anne REID and was born on the 31st of March 1893 in Pt Pirie, SA.

His parents were married on the 18th of July 1874 in Pt Adelaide, SA.

His father was the son of Jonas LEMON & Carolina Augusta TORNVALL and was born on the 21st of September 1849 in Edsbruk, Kalmar, Sweden.

His mother was the daughter of George REID & Harriett NYE and was born in May 1859 in Pt Adelaide, SA.

Charles was the ninth child born into this family of 11 children.

His father was a bargeman in Pt Pirie and later a stevedore employed by Messrs. W. R. Cave & Co and the family lived atPt Pirie West, SA.

His father was a very strong man, but the strain of wheat-lumping had told its tale on his fine constitution.

In early 1904 his father fell from the yards of a ship in the port and injured himself badly.

Charles was only 11 years old when his father died on the 15th of July 1904 and they buried him on the Pt Pirie Cemetery.

Charles attended the Pt Pirie School but after his father died his mother was often fined for not sending him to school.

His mother then married Frederick H HANTER on the 9th of December 1905 in the Methodist Manse in Pt Pirie.

Frederick was the son on Frederick HANTER and was born in 1855 in Germany.

Frederick however was a bigamist and in early 1906 a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The following year his mother married James LAKIE on the 18th of September 1907 at the residence of F Pittman in Hindmarsh, SA.

James was the son of Charles Keith LAKIE & Jane BROWN and was born on the 1st of April 1860 in Portland, SA.

After his mother married the remaining family moved to Montpelier Street, Glanville and Charles gained employment as a labourer.

Charles married Selma Alfreda ANDERSON on the 19th of August 1911 at the residence of Selma’s parents at 37 Deslandes Street, Glanville, SA.

Selma was the daughter of Theodore Amadaus ANDERSON & Ann THOMAS and was born on the 30th of December 1892 in Glanville, SA.

Later that same day they welcomed their first child; Carl Amandus Albin at Deslandes Street, Semaphore.

They made their first home in James Street, Glanville and welcomed Benjamin Frithof Theodor into the family on the 24th of November 1912.

Sadly Benjamin died on the 13th of February 1913 at their home and they buried him in the Cheltenham Cemetery; Section L, Drive C, Path 17, Site Number 210N.

At the age of 22, Charles enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 18th of July 1915 in Keswick and allotted the service number 2362 and posted to the N Group, Base Infantry Depot.

He was then transferred to A Group and on the 16th of January 1916 he was posted to the 32nd Battalion, 4th Reinforcements.

Charles embarked from Adelaide on board RMS Mongolia on the 9th of March 1916 and disembarked in Egypt in early April.

On the 19th of April 1916 Charles was transferred to the newly raised 48th Battalion.

He proceeded to France in June and suffered shell shock and then a Gun Shot Wound to his right knee in 1918.

He was evacuated to England where he recovered and was recommended for return to Australia.

Charles embarked from England on the 23rd of September 1918 on board HT Runic, disembarked in Fremantle on the 22nd of November and was attached for camp duty at Blackboy Hill, WA.

Charles returned to South Australia in February 1919 for duty at the 15th General Hospital in Torrens Park.

He was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 4th of May 1919.

He returned home to his wife and son in James Street, Glanville and he gained employment as a labourer on the Pt Adelaide wharves.

Charles joined the Pt Adelaide RSL Sub-Branch and a member of the Waterside Workers Federation, Pt Adelaide Branch.

Selma’s mother died on the 11th of November 1923 and Charles and Selma had moved in with her father at 37 Deslandes Street, Glanville.

In June 1925 Charles was rigging coal handling gear on the Chrouos at North Parade Wharf and was moving a hopper on an elevated coal tramway when it slipped and fell, knocking him into the river between the ship and wharf.

He grabbed at the trolley, that also fell and it struck him when he was in the water.

Bert Wilson, a workmate, jumped into the river to rescue him.

Charles sustained injuries to his head and back which required attention at the local Casualty Hospital.

Charles died on the 1st of March 1939 in hospital and was Selma buried him the following day in the Cheltenham Cemetery; Section L, Drive C, Path 17, Site Number 210N, with their infant son Benjamin.

LEMON — THE FRIENDS of the late Mr. CHARLES BENJAMIN LEMON (late 48th Battalion A.I.F.) are respectfully Informed that his Funeral will leave his late residence, 37 Deslandes Street. Ethelton on THURSDAY at 4 pm for the Cheltenham Cemetery. 

SIDNEY HARRISON, Undertaker

Their son Carl then died on the 23rd of July 1941 and Selma buried him in the Cheltenham Cemetery; Section H, Drive B, Path 36, Site Number 74S.

Selma died on the 24th of February 1961 and was buried with their son Carl in the Cheltenham Cemetery.

Military

At the age of 22, Charles enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 18th of July 1915 in Keswick and allotted the service number 2362 and posted to the N Group, Base Infantry Depot.

He listed his wife, Mrs Selma Alferda LEMON, of Mary Street, Glanville, as his next of kin.

On the 1st of October he was transferred to A Group and then on the 16th of January 1916 he was posted to the 32nd Battalion, 4th Reinforcements.

Charles embarked from Adelaide on board RMS Mongolia on the 9th of March 1916 and disembarked in Egypt in early April.

On the 19th of April 1916 Charles was transferred to the newly raised 48th Battalion at Serapeum.

The 48th Battalion was raised in Egypt on the 16th of March 1916 as part of the "doubling" of the AIF. Roughly half of its new recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 16th Battalion, and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia.

The 48th Battalion became known as the "Joan of Arc" (the Maid of Orleans) Battalion because it was "made of all Leanes" - it was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ray Leane, his brother was the adjutant, and several other relatives were scattered throughout the battalion.

Three days later they marched 5 miles to the railhead where they underwent drill, musketry, artillery formation training and outpost duty.

Every day the monotonous routine of training went on, and every day Egypt's sun grew hotter. Whatever could be done to lessen the discomfort of that awful heat was done. Mess sheds were erected to which they could escape from the muggy, overpowering atmosphere of the bell tents.

On ANZAC Day they marched to the banks of the Suez where they celebrated their first ANZAC DAY when swimming sports were held. The ANZAC’s of the unit wore some red ribbon on the day to mark them out as veterans from the new lads.

On the 5th of May they marched from their camp at the railhead to Habieta, which was 12 miles from the Canal, where they took over the front line trenches in anticipation of a Turkish attack.

There was plenty of hard work, for in the constantly shifting sand the trenches had to be revetted with sandbags. Every sandstorm that blew across the desert, filled up the trenches again until one could scarcely trace the outline of them in its shining surface and then the monotonous work of clearing them recommenced.

Old wire entanglements long constructed had been covered and recovered and rendered useless for their purpose by the surging sand. These had to be made formidable once more and further reinforced.

On the 19th of May they moved back to their camp at the railhead and here preparations for France began in real earnest.

Five days later they moved to the Staging Camp in Serapeum and took part in night operations held by the 4th Division, before returning to their camp.

On the night of the 27th they marched to Serapeum and then on the 1st of June they entrained for Alexandria, arriving at 9:30am on the morning of the 2nd.

The following day, at 9am they sailed for Marseilles on board HMS Caledonia, disembarked on the 9th of June entrained immediately for the north of France.

The train journey lasted from 5pm on Friday till Monday morning.

They travelled in cattle trucks with 30 men assigned to each truck, and every man had with him his bulky pack and equipment.

They detrained at Bailleul and marched into billets at Merris.

The barns and outhouses in which they slept were very draughty, whilst for the remainder of the month of June the weather was cold and rain fell almost constantly. It was in marked contrast with the climate which they had left at the beginning of the month, and many of the men were soon suffering from colds.

Here training was resumed immediately and Officers and men went off to different schools of instruction in bayonet fighting, bombing and sniping. Here shrapnel helmets were issued for the first time and they received their first instruction in the precautions to be taken against gas and how to use the mask.

Finally on the 3rd of July they marched towards the sound of the guns until they arrived at Doulieu where they billeted for the night. Next day the march was resumed and the river Lys was crossed at Sailly. That night they had their first experience of German shrapnel bursting high and ineffectively over their heads as they entered the village of Fleurbaix.

Here they were engaged as a support Battalion for the next 8 days until they were relieved by the 54th Battalion and moved back to Doulieu and then to Merris.

On the 14th they entrained to Doullens and then marched 15 miles to Berteaucourt where they remained until the 28th when they marched 15 miles to Toutoncourt.

The following day they moved to Harpoville and then moved to Brickfields, near Albert.

Three days later they moved to Tara Hill where they bivouacked.

From this high ground they watched an intense bombardment by their artillery. The whole valley beneath them was lit up by blinding flashes of fire and the big guns thundered all around them.

The monster howitzer at Albert every now and then fired its massive shell, which travelled slowly over their heads with the noise of a passing train.

Near to the ridge the field batteries constantly barked and great volumes of smoke swept along the valley, whilst the air was filled with acrid –smelling fumes.

On the 5th of August the operation order was issued which told them that their next task would be on the ridge, which they had seen burn like Mt Vesuvius on the preceding night.

They moved by single file though Sausage Valley and onto Pioneer Trench, Chalk Pit, Corps Avenue and Tramway Trench.

That night the Battalion was finally in position and in the front trenches were men digging for their lives. Shrapnel was bursting over their heads and high explosive shells stove in their wretched parapets.

Here they were tasked with defending ground captured in earlier attacks by the 2nd Division.

At 5am on the following morning the expected counter attack by the Germans was made.

The position for a time was a dangerous one and it looked as if the Germans would not only regain the ground but also make easy capture of a few prisoners.

But luckily with the unit on the left flank was a soldier who had a good head for an emergency, Jacka V.C. of the 14th Battalion.

With a small body of men he cleverly attacked the enemy from the rear even as two platoons of the support company of the 48th rushed forward.

It was here on the 6th of August that Charles suffered from shell shock and the following day he was admitted into the 7th Australian Field Ambulance.

Six days later he was transferred to No.1 Convalescent Depot in Marlborough Camp, at Boulogne and then 3 days later he was transferred to No.5 Convalescent Depot.

On the 16th of September Charles was discharged to the 4th ADBD in Etaples and after a further 4 weeks here he marched out to join his Battalion on the 15th of October and rejoined them 2 days later at Vierstaart.

They then entrained for the Somme on the 26th of October and detrained at Longpre and marched to Vaux. Dernancourt was their next destination where they encountered snow and frost that lasted 3 weeks whilst they trained.

On the 17th of December they entrained for Flesselles, continued training, and spent Christmas 1916 here before moving to Dernancourt, Fridourt, Brazentin and then to Flers on the 7th of January 1917 and into the front line near Miraumont.

After 10 days here they moved to Brisbane Camp where they cleaned their equipment and reorganised before moving to Brazentin Camp A, on the 24th of January.

They were then moved to Albury Camp where they were employed on railway and road work before moving into the reserve line on the 9th of February.
On the 15th they were relieved and moved to Townsville Camp and the following day they moved into the front line in Bulls Trench.
They remained here for 10 days before being relieved and moved to Becourt Camp.

They then moved to Henecourt Wood on the 1st of March for training and after 3 weeks here they moved to Shelterwood Camp, near Fricourt.
Five days later they moved to Eaucourt-sur-Somme and then on the 1st of April they moved to Biefvillers-les-Bapaume, where they carried out fatigue work.
Seven days later they relieved the 52nd Battalion in the front line at Noreuil and they were then scheduled to attack Bullecourt on the 10th.
In a hastily planned operation, and for the first time on the Western Front, the assault was to proceed without a supporting artillery bombardment. Instead tanks, being used for the first time by the British 5th Army, including the 4th Australian Division, were to lead the attack.

Two of the 4th Division’s Brigades, the 4th and 12th, were to advance to the right of Bullecourt, turn left along the Hindenburg trench system and advance until they linked up with men of the British 62nd Division attacking from the other side of the town.
Both formations were then to push through to the rear of the German defences.
When the tanks failed to reach their start line on the morning of the 10th of April the attack was postponed, leaving Charles and his Battalion lying in the snow covered no-man’s-land to hurry back to their own lines.
Dawn was breaking as they retreated under the eyes of the enemy.

The attack did go ahead the following morning on the 11th of April. Again some of the tanks failed to arrive. Those that did either broke down or were destroyed; just one reached the enemy’s first trench.

Without armoured support, Charles and the Australian infantry achieved what was, until then, considered an impossible feat; breaking into the German trenches without a protective artillery barrage.
Within hours though, they faced annihilation.

Exposed on both flanks, cut off from reinforcements by German artillery fire and at risk of being trapped by Germans working their way to the Australians’ rear, the survivors made a break for their own lines.
Less than ten hours after it began, the assault had ended in failure. Some 3,000 Australians had been killed or wounded and more than 1,100 were taken prisoner.

The following night they moved to Bapaume and then entrained for Albert on the 12th and marched to Fricourt.

They began training here before moving to Henencourt Wood on the 17th to continue training before moving to billets at Millencourt 5 days later.

They then moved to Bailleul on the 16th of May where they were engaged in unloading ammunitions.

By the 1st of June they had moved to Steenwerck and were engaged in digging assembly trenches before moving to La Creche into the front line.

Whilst here, Charles went AWOL on the 9th of June for 6 days and was apprehended and detained awaiting his Court Martial.

The General Field Court Martial was held on the 25th of June and Charles was sentenced to 6 months Imprisonment with Hard Labour and forfeited 199 days pay.

He was transferred to Rouen and imprisoned on the No.1 Military Prison in mid July.

After 5 months Charles was released on the 18th of December and entrained to his Battalion, with the remainder of sentence being remitted from the date he entrained.

On the 20th of December Charles rejoined his Battalion at Hout-Allaines, near Peronne in training.

Christmas 1917 was spent here and then on the 9th of January 1918 they entrained to Bailleul and marched to Berthen. Two days later they were at Spoil Bank, near Elzenwalle and they then entered the Hollebeke sector and went into the front line.

On the 20th of January they were relieved by the 13th Battalion and moved to Cavanagh Camp, near La Clytte.

Here they were engaged in working and fatigue parties until the 7th of February when they relieved the 13th Battalion in Crater Dugouts and after 7 days here they relieved the 47th Battalion at White Chateau, near Hollebeke.

They were then relieved on the 20th and moved to Murrumbidgee Camp for 7 days and then marched to Metern on the 27th and into billets for some serious training.

On the 25th of March they embussed to Beaumetz and then marched to Berles-au-Bois.

The following day they moved to Senlis and then the following night they relieved the 11th Royal Scots and the 9th Seaforth Highlanders.

It was here that Charles suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right knee and was admitted into a Field ambulance and transferred to the 32nd Stationary Hospital in Wimereux on the 29th of March.

A few weeks later he was evacuated to England on the 16th of April and admitted into the Military Hospital at Frensham Hill.

Charles spent the next 10 weeks here before he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield on the 2nd of June.

Eight days later he was discharged to No.3 Command Depot in Hurdcott and 8 weeks later he was transferred to No.2 Command Depot in Weymouth and recommended fro return to Australia.

Charles embarked from England on the 23rd of September 1918 on board HT Runic and disembarked in Fremantle on the 22nd of November.

Here he was attached to Camp Detail at Blackboy Hill, WA for duty.

Whilst here he broke out of camp twice and was confined to barracks for 5 days.

He was then posted to Irwin Training Camp at Karrakatta where he went AWOL for 2 days in mid December.

He spent Christmas 1918 here and 2 days later he was then granted 14 days furlo and he then reported to the 15th General Hospital in Torrens Park, SA for duty.

Whilst here Charles went AWOL for a day in early February and then again in early March, and for the March infringement he was confined to barracks for 14 days.

Charles was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 4th of May 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.