Virtual
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Australia

At the time of his enlistment, the family were living at Petrie and Charles was employed as a slaughterman. He presented himself to the recruiting depot in Adelaide St, Brisbane  on 6th September 1915. His attestation papers note that he was 23 years old, of average height and weight. Charles was slotted as a reinforcement for the 9th Battalion, which had been the first battalion ashore at Gallipoli in April of that year. After a period of training at Enoggera, Charles, with the rank of Acting Corporal, and the other reinforcements sailed from Brisbane on 31st January 1916.

The “Wandilla” arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, on 5th March. The Australian camps in Egypt were in the process of expanding the AIF from two to four divisions (a further division was being raised in England) and there were thousands of Gallipoli veterans and new reinforcements under canvas across the a vast area from Cairo to the banks of the Suez Canal. Experience gained almost 12 months earlier convinced the authorities that discipline among the troops would be a major concern. It was perhaps in this context that Charles was transferred to the “ANZAC Police” one month after disembarking.

The ”Provos” were disliked, and often despised by the ordinary ranks. The job of the Provosts was to enforce military discipline and take in soldiers who had committed crimes “contrary to the good order and discipline of the army.” These crimes most commonly were AWL (absent without leave), desertion, drunkenness, being in the town without a leave pass or failure to obey a lawful order from a superior. The provosts also meted out punishments handed down by superior officers such as being confined to barracks or the camp, field punishment or short periods of detention in the guard house.

By July of 1916, all of the AIF with the exception of the Light Horse, who were meeting the Turks in the Sinai Desert to protect the Suez Canal, had been redeployed to the Western Front and it was time for Charles to move on also. He was posted to the Australian Camp at Tidworth in England, with a promotion to full corporal. There are no entries in Charles’ file from August 1916 to August 1917. It must be assumed that he continued in his role as a military policeman for that period.

On 17th August 1917, Charles was taken on strength by the 3rd Training Battalion at Sutton Veney on Salisbury Plain; as an ordinary soldier. It is interesting to speculate on the reasons for this move. Perhaps Charles had requested a posting back to his original battalion. The front line troops had a particular dislike for the men who served in the safety of the rear areas, calling them “cold footers”, and it may have been this attitude that he no doubt came into contact with as he dealt with defaulters in England. It is equally likely that with the Third Battle of Ypres (referred to by Australians as Passchendaele) now in full flight that manpower was required at the front, and that the powers that be had acted accordingly.

Regardless of the reason, Charles proceeded overseas to Le Harve on 17th October 1917, and from there started the journey to Belgian Flanders where his unit was located. He never made it.

On 28th October 1917, Charles was admitted to the 3rd Field Ambulance on the Menin Road between Ypres and Passchendaele with multiple shrapnel wounds from an artillery shell. He died of his wounds the same day and was buried in the Menin Road South Military Cemetery with the Reverend Neville in attendance. Charles had been in France and Belgium for ten days and had not seen the enemy or fired a shot in anger.

Charles’ parents, Hans and Annie Carstens were quickly informed of his death and there is a note from the secretary of the Royal Duke of Edinburgh Lodge dated 17th November 1917 requesting a death certificate so that funeral benefits could be paid. It appears that Hans and Annie moved from Petrie to Dakabin at this time.

The final entry in the file from the Imperial War Graves Commission relates that due to heavy fighting in the Menin Road area, the remains of Charles Carstens were unable to be located when permanent graves were being established. Instead, an inscription on a memorial stone read “believed to be buried in this cemetery, actual grave unknown.”

Hans Carstens wrote to the Australian Authorities in 1922 requesting a copy of the pamphlet “Where the Australians Rest.” He enclosed sixpence worth of stamps to cover the postage.

Son of Hans Jasper Carstens and Annie Louisa Carstens of Dakabin, QLD formerly of Petrie, QLD

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Special cross reads 'Buried in this cemetery actual grave unknown.'
Charles Henry Carstens aged 23 when he enlisted, son of Hans Jasper Carstens and Annie Louise McDougall. Charles's parents were living at Dakabin when Charles enlisted. Charles was living at Petrie and was working as a butcher at South Brisbane when he enlisted on 6 September 1915
he joined the 9th Battalion, Anzac Police. Charles died of wounds aged 25.