Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of William and Annie TONKIN

Brother of Annie, Katherine, Emma and William jnr.

Father of Leo, John and Keith

A well known late resident of Harris Park and Pendle Hill, in the person of Mr. Charles William Tonkin died in the Malahide Red Cross Home, Pennant Hills, on the 6th inst.  He was a returned soldier, and married.  For some years he carried on a thriving businesss as a small-goodsman at Harris Park, and shortly after the death of his wife at a private hospital in Parramatta a little over 12 months ago, re relinquished business and assisted his brother at poultry farming at Pendle Hill, formerly owned by Mr Tonkin sen.  The late Mr and MRs Tonkin were highly esteemed in Harris Park, and their deaths within so short a time are deeply felt.  Three young children and the parents of the deceased are left to mourn their loss.  Mrs. W Tonkin, of Pendle Hill is a brother.  The funeral of the late Mr Tonkin who was 33 years of age moved from the parlours of Metcalfe and Co on Monday morning for the Catholic portion of Rookwood Cemetery, where the Rev. Father McElligott (Lidcombe) read the burial service. The funeral was largley attended.

Charles William Tonkin was born in London, England on the 14th of October 1896 to William Tonkin, his father, and Annie Tonkin, his mother.⁴ Sixteen years after his birth, Tonkin’s family moved from London, England to Australia⁵ and settled in Main Western Road, Wentworthville, New South Wales, and he joined Sydney Technical High School for his last two years of schooling.

Before joining the war he worked as a Junior Porter. On 19th June 1915 he enlisted to help support the war effort at just 19 years old.⁶ After training for several months, Charles embarked on HMAT Runic from Sydney 9th of August 1915 arriving in Alexandria. 

During the war while serving in the Middle East he contracted influenza in December 1915. In February 1916 he was ill with Typhoid. He recovered and was sent to France in May 1916. on 22 July 1916 he was wounded with sharpnel wounds to his elbow and a bruised knee and after treatement was transferred to a convalescent depot. On 4 October 1916 rejoined his unit. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in January 1917 and then temporary Corporal in May with his rank confirmed in August. Tonkin attended the 14th Rifle course at the Tidworth School of Musketry from 27 September - 27 October 1917. He proceeded back to France in December 1917. He was wounded in April 1918 with a gun shot wound to his face and returned to England for hospital treatment. Once again he returned to battle proceeding back to France 17 October 1918 and was promoted to temporary Sergeant. In January 1919 he was promoted to Vice Sergeant .

He returned home on 20th April 1919.⁹ After the war, Tonkin married Frieda H. Wenzel in 1922. Together they had three children who were named Leo, John, and Keith Tonkin. Despite his place in his old community at Wentworthville and his pre-war job as a Junior Porter, he decided not  to return to that work but instead began a business as a smallgoodsman in Harris Park where he got along well with many people which is seen by the public reaction to his passing later. Sadly, only a few years after Tonkin and Frieda got married, she died on 28th October 1926. Following her death, Tonkin gave up his business and worked with his brother in poultry farming. Tragically, just two years later, Charles himself died on 6th January 1928 at the age of 33, from an unnamed cause.¹⁰ When his death was announced, a local newspaper noted that it was “deeply felt as he and his wife who tragically died 12 months earlier were both highly esteemed in Harris Park where they lived,” it was also said that his funeral was largely attended.

Endnotes
Virtual War Memorial Australia, “Charles William Tonkin,” https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/339765

National Archives of Australia, Service Record for Charles William Tonkin, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=737110&isAv=N

Ibid.

Ibid.

General historical context drawn from migration trends in early 20th-century Britain.

National Archives of Australia, Enlistment Records.
“Ships used to transport troops to Gallipoli,” Great War Forum, https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/43165-ships-used-to-transport-troops-to-gallipoli/

Virtual War Memorial Australia, “Charles William Tonkin.”

National Archives of Australia, Service Record.

Death Notice, Local Newspaper Report, cited in Virtual War Memorial Australia record.

Bibliography

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=737110&isAv=N

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/43165-ships-used-to-transport-troops-to-gallipoli/

https://tinyurl.com/3btf8wsswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsnkv

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx