STEWART, Charles
| Service Number: | 1004 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 37th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 1004, 37th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 1004, 37th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Persic, Melbourne |
Help us honour Charles Stewart's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Aubrey Bairstow
Charles Stewart was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and enlisted on 14th February 1916 – stating that he had had two years earlier service with the Gordon Highlanders prior to 1913. He embarked with 37 Battalion AIF from Melbourne on 03Jun1916 aboard HMAT Persic.
He was Wounded in Action three times including being gassed on the third occasion. In February 1917, the 37th Battalion provided 400 troops, with a similar party from the 38th Battalion to form a "Special Raiding Battalion". After several weeks of training the force staged a single 35-minute raid on the night of 27th February and was then disbanded. Stewart was Wounded in Action during this raid and twice more before the end of the War.
He received a Congratulatory Card issued by the General Officer Commanding 4th Army British Expeditionary Force for the conspicuous manner in which he conducted himself on the battlefield in the face of the enemy, and was returned to Australia 25 January 1919.
MM Second Supplement No. 31338 to LG 13/5/19 CAG No. 109 15/9/19, Citation: 'In the operation at Clery on the 29th/30th August 1918 this NCO showed great courage and initiative. An enemy party of about 20 bombers advanced on and bombed the post which he commanded. He conspicuously kept his Lewis Gun in action, forcing the enemy bombers to take shelter and organising his gun team as a bombing party rushed forward with them succeeding in completely destroying the enemy bombing party. He did very good work in a previous operation at Bray and Suzanne as No 2 of a Lewis Gun team.