John Charles Merriman (Charlie) TRAILL DSO, MC, MID

John Charles Merriman (Charlie) TRAILL DSO, MC, MID Update Details

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TRAILL, John Charles Merriman

Service Numbers:	608, V359789
Enlisted:	18 August 1914, Stawell, Victoria
Last Rank:	Lieutenant Colonel
Last Unit:	Volunteer Defence Corps (SA)
Born:	Edinburgh, Scotland, 18 December 1879
Home Town:	Stawell, Northern Grampians, Victoria
Schooling:	George Watson College, Edinburgh, Scotland
Occupation:	Rancher
Died:	Heart disease, Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia, 12 June 1942, aged 62 years
Cemetery:	Wangaratta Cemetery, Victoria
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

Boer War Service

1 Jan 1900:	Involvement Unspecified British Units, Royal Scots and Paget's Horse

World War 1 Service

18 Aug 1914:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 608, Stawell, Victoria
19 Oct 1914:	Involvement Corporal, 608, 8th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: Incorrectly recorded as John Charles Merriman Trail on original roll
19 Oct 1914:	Embarked Corporal, 608, 8th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Melbourne
25 Apr 1915:	Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 8th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli
9 May 1915:	Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 8th Infantry Battalion
6 Aug 1915:	Honoured Mention in Dispatches, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli, For part of his role in Lone Pine. Also won a MC in this engagement
6 Aug 1915:	Honoured Military Cross, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Ron Austin's "Cobbers in Khaki" notes that only Traill's machine guns of the 8th Bn were involved at Lone Pine and this role earned Traill his MC and a MiD. (see pg 97)
17 Oct 1915:	Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 8th Infantry Battalion
26 May 1916:	Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 8th Infantry Battalion
14 Dec 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 8th Infantry Battalion
4 Apr 1918:	Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Broodseinde Ridge, Took over command of 8th Battalion after loss of senior officers for the attack on Zonnebeke, 4th October, 1917
28 Oct 1918:	Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 5th Infantry Battalion
26 Dec 1918:	Honoured Mention in Dispatches
6 Jan 1919:	Honoured Mention in Dispatches
11 Jul 1919:	Honoured Mention in Dispatches
10 Sep 1919:	Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 5th Infantry Battalion

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939:	Involvement Lieutenant Colonel, V359789
12 Jun 1942:	Involvement Lieutenant Colonel, V359789, Volunteer Defence Corps (SA), Homeland Defence - Militia and non deployed forces
Date unknown:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant Colonel, V359789

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Biography contributed by David Evans

Attestation indicated Charles Triall served 3 years with Queens Highland Battalion, Royal Scots R.V. South Africa, Pagets Horse (Boer War Vetran?).

Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen

John Charles Merriman TRAILL was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the dates of his birth vary between records

His parents were George William TRAILL and Phoebe Marshall TREW

He married Georgina PEARSON on 12th February, 1917 at St Marys Cathedral, Edinburgh - they were divorced in 1928 in Victoria and he remarried on 8th November, 1928 to Mollie Helen ROCHE

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