MCCASKER, Charles Edward
| Service Number: | 173 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 November 1915, Machine Gun Section |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 42nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Goondiwindi, Queensland, Australia, 17 April 1893 |
| Home Town: | Goondiwindi, Goondiwindi, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Goondiwindi State School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in action, Belgium, 3 July 1917, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane 42nd Infantry Battalion AIF Roll of Honour, Goondiwindi War Memorial, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 173, 42nd Infantry Battalion, Machine Gun Section | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 173, 42nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 173, 42nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Sydney |
Help us honour Charles Edward McCasker's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Charles Edward McCasker was the son of William Carr and Annie McCasker, of Mooroobie Station, Goondiwindi, Queensland.
Charles and his older brother William both enlisted in the first week of November 1915 and were placed in the Machine Gun Section of the newly forming 42nd Battalion.
William and Charles arrived in England with the 3rd Division during July 1916 where they underwent training until the 42nd Battalion moved to France in November 1916.
His brother, 166 Sergeant William Carr McCasker M.M. 42nd Battalion was killed in action at Broodseinde Ridge, Belgium on 4 October 1917, aged 33.
Charles had been reported missing after a raid made by the 42nd Battalion on 3 July 1916 at Warneton, near Messines in Belgium. He has an extensive Red Cross wounded and missing file. All stated he was seen coming back across No Mans Land from a raid on the morning of 3 July 1917 when he disappeared from view about 150 yards from the Australian lines. Search parties went out several times but no trace of him could be found.
He was officially declared ‘killed in action’ by court of enquiry during January 1918. There are several German documents and notes in his file which states his paybook was received from Germany under the heading ‘List of dead 19-11-1917’
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