Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles was the son of William Seymour LEWIS & Agnes Christian JUST and was born on the 29th of September 1875 on Nettalie (Netley) Sheep Station, near Paratoo and Manna Hill, SA.

His parents were married on the 6th of January 1870 in St Paul’s Church, Flinders Street, SA.

His father was the son of William LEWIS & Emma FLINT and was born in 1837 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.
His mother was the daughter of Patrick JUST & Elizabeth Alison COOK and was born on the 20th of January 1845 in Dundee, Scotland.

Charles was the fourth child born into the family of 5 children.

His father was a station hand and the family first lived on Nettalie (Netley) Sheep Station, near Paratoo and Manna Hill, SA.

Charles was only 5 years old when his mother died on the 24th of July 1881 at their home in Bowden.
They buried her in the West Terrace Cemetery; Road 4, Path 15, Aspect West, Plot 15, with her father, Patrick JUST.

In August the following year, aged just 12 years, his sister Marianne was placed into the State Children’s Department. It is unknown if Charles ever saw her again as over the next 6 years she was placed with different families at Millicent, Unley, New Thebarton, Nuriootpa, Strathalbyn and Kensington Park.

His father later moved the family to Streaky Bay.

At the age of 40, Charles enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 2nd of May 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 2434 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion at Mitcham Camp. He was then transferred to the 50th Battalion, 5th Reinforcements.

Charles embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A73 Commonwealth on the 21st of September 1916.
He served in France and suffered from cconjunctivitis, defective vision and then cystitis (inflammation of the bladder).
He was then diagnosed with a Urethral Stricture and embarked from England on the 15th of April 1918 on board HMAT Marathon, disembarking in Adelaide on the 12th of June.

Charles was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 12th of June 1918 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.

His father died on the 16th of April 1926 and they buried him in the Payneham Cemetery; Section SE, Path 34, Plot 826.

Military

At the age of 40, Charles enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 2nd of May 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 2434 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion at Mitcham Camp.
He listed his sister, Miss Emma Frances Lewis, of the Rescue Home, 124 Gilbert Street, Adelaide, SA, as his next of kin.

On the 16th of May he was transferred to the 50th Battalion, 5th Reinforcements.

Charles embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A73 Commonwealth on the 21st of September 1916, disembarking in Plymouth on the 14th of November and marched into the 13th Training Battalion in Codford.
He was then transferred to the 27th Battalion on the 17th of December and spent Christmas 1916 here before proceeding to France on the 28th of December on board SS Princess Victoria.

He proceeded to the 2nd Division Base Depot in Etaples and then 2 days later he was admitted into the 18th General Hospital suffering with the Mumps.
After 18 days in hospital he was discharged back to Base Depot and then was taken on strength with the 27th Battalion on the 11th of February at Scot’s Redoubt North Camp.
Scot’s Redoubt was situated on the western side of the Contalmaison-Fricourt road, midway between the villages.
They carried out drill, tactical work and also tuition in bombing was received at a bombing school nearby.
On February 14th they marched to the front line, relieved the 22nd Battalion and took over the forward posts immediately facing the famous Butte-de-Warlencourt.
The Butte, at this time practically in No Man’s Land, afforded an excellent aiming point for the enemy’s artillery, and the ground surrounding it was a series of deep shell holes almost full of water.
The artillery on both sides was extremely active during their occupation, but fortunately no serious casualties resulted. On the night of the 18th they were relieved by the 25th Battalion and moved to Sussex Camp, situated east of Scot’s Redoubt, moving four days later to Fricourt Camp, where they billeted in huts, the condition of which was greatly improved by their fatigue parties.

Whilst here on the 23rd of February, Charles suffered form cconjunctivitis and defective vision and was admitted into the 6th Australian Field Ambulance at Bellevue Farm.
The following day he was transferred to the 2nd Dressing Station and after 9 days he rejoined his Battalion on the 5th of March, who were in the support trenches at Flers.

Five days later they were relieved by the 17th Battalion and marched back to Becourt camp, situated a mile and a half east of Albert.
They spent 7 days here engaged in reorganizing their companies and training in mobile warfare.
They then left Becourt, marching via La Boiselle, Pozieres, and Le Sars to Le Coupe-Gueule and bivouacked in tents for the night.
All main roads leading to Bapaume were packed with moving guns and material, urgently needed to follow closely upon the heels of the retreating enemy.
On the main Albert-Bapaume road, close to La Coupe Gueule, the enemy had left a huge crater, thereby impeding their advance.
The following day they moved forward, marching through Bapaume which was partially in ruins, and still burning as they passed through en route to Beugnatre, a ruined village N.N.E. of Bapaume.

Their next engagement came on the 26th of March when they undertook an attack on Lagnicourt, during which they lost 11 killed and 29 wounded.
The 27th Battalion did not undertake a major engagement until the 20th of September when they took part in the Battle of Menin Road, which resulted in success for the Australians.
During the battle, they were committed to the fighting as part of the first wave which routed the German forces. Advancing under a cover of artillery and machine gun fire, they captured a section of the German line known as the 'Blue Line' between Polygon Wood and a position known as the Iron Cross Redoubt.
Later, they successfully took part in the Battle of Broodseinde on the 4th of October, which was their last major offensive action in 1917.

By December they had moved to Ploegsteert Wood and on the 23rd their “digger boss”, General Birdwood, paid them a visit in the line, and personally wished the boys the compliments of the season.
On Christmas Eve they were relieved by the 25th Battalion and marching out by way of Ploegsteert they reached Romarin camp about midnight and after enjoying a hot meal settled down to a good rest.

Owing to the tremendous amount of work necessary to create an effective defensive system in view of the expected offensive of the enemy, very little time could be spared on Christmas Day 1917.

However, the boys made the best of things and cheerfully accepted the inevitable and after the distribution of their Christmas parcels from Australia, they made merry, snow fights being one of their chief engagements.

Then five days later Charles suffered from conjunctivitis and defective vision once again and was admitted into the 7th Australian Field Ambulance at Pont d’Achelles.
He was then transferred to the 50th Casualty Clearing Station at Mont des Cats on the 5th of January 1918.
After 8 days here he rejoined his Battalion and was then lucky enough to gain 2 weeks leave to England, the following week.

Whilst in England on leave he was admitted into the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield on the 30th of January suffering from cystitis (inflammation of the bladder).
He was then diagnosed with a Urethral Stricture and after 2 weeks he was discharged to No.2 Command Depot in Weymouth.

Charles embarked from England on the 15th of April 1918 on board HMAT Marathon, disembarking in Adelaide on the 12th of June.

Charles was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 12th of June 1918 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.

By 1928 Charles was living in Kanmantoo as a labourer & farmer with his sister Emma Francis LEWIS.
His brother William was also living in Kanmantoo with his wife Florence and there children.

In the late 1950’s Charles moved to Grange, where he died on the 27th of June 1969 and was buried in the Nairne Cemetery.

His grave is currently unknown; burial number: 739