Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

A tailors cutter at F J Palmer in Sydney before enlistment, Charlie embarked on the Ceramic before training in Egypt and serving in Gallipoli and France. He was wounded twice; once at Gallipoli, when a bullet creased his skull and again when he was shot in the knee, which I believe happened in France. He can be seen in the book "Official History of Australia in the War of 1914 - 18" Volume 11 "The Story of Anzac" in the photograph immediately after page 381. In the photo he is in a wounded barge being towed from Anzac cove to a hospital ship or ferry. He is in the lower right of the photo looking directly at the camera with his slouch hat on. I also have a copy of this photograph passed from Charlie to his son Henry, my father, and then to me.

Charlie played the piano accordion for his mates in his battalion. He told me he took the accordion from a dead German soldier. I have a photo of him sitting on a stool in what looks like a bunker in France, with a mate standing either side of him, whilst he is playing the accordion.

After the war, Charlie returned to Sydney to his family home in Kogarah. He then moved to Bonney Street, Sans Souci after he married Pearl Winnifred Dunn. He returned to work for F J Palmer for a total of 55 years service until his retirement.

Charlie and Pearl had two children, Henry Charles Haydon, born in 1923 and Robert Clarence Haydon, born in 1925.