ZANDER, Charles Oscar
| Service Number: | 804 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 August 1914, Morphettville, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Vilna, Russia, 11 October 1885 |
| Home Town: | Port Adelaide, Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Seaman |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Pozières, France, 22 August 1916, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known grave, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 804, 10th Infantry Battalion, Morphettville, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 804, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 804, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Adelaide | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, 804, 10th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 22 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 804, 10th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 804 awm_unit: 10 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1916-08-22 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Husband of Ethel Agnes ZANDER
Of London, England
LATE CPL. ZANDERS.
News has been received that Cpl. C. O. Zanders was killed in action on August 22. He enlisted in August, 1914, and went through the Gallipoli campaign before going to France. He was born in Russia, but before enlistment had been for a long time at Port Adelaide, where he enjoyed the esteem of a large circle of friends." - from the Adelaide Observer 21 Oct 1916 (nla.gov.au)
Biography contributed by Dimitrios Zissopoulos
Charles Oscar Zander fought in the Australian forces throughout WW1. During his time in the army, he was known as a quite sociable individual who often bought a bright perspective on an otherwise gloomy situation. His services were in North Africa (Egypt), Gallipoli and in France.
He was named Charles Oscar Zander and was born to parents of Germanic descent on the 11th of October 1855, Vilna, Russia. His family's Christian denomination was Church of England. His family moved to England during his early childhood and his grandmother helped raise him. Charles' schooling is unknown as no formal documentation has yet been discovered of his accreditation. During his childhood, he developed a love for the sea and followed his love into his profession becoming a seaman in England. Charles started his career in 1903. He spent a few years working in England but soon after joined the influx of immigrants moving to Australia. He made his journey to Australia and arrived in 1911. Here he resided in Port Adelaide for a few years before enlisting in the army at Morphettville. He was enlisted on the 26th of August 1914.
During his career (which initiated in 1914) Charles Oscar Zander fought in many places. He was enlisted with the 10th Battalion. During this time he was in Europe where he met his future wife Ethel Agnes Zander. They were married during 1916. He had a stepdaughter (Ethel) and stepson (Edgar Reginald Horne), both his step kids were of full English descent. He fought in North Africa (Egypt) and Europe (Gallipoli and France). On the 22nd of August 1916, the same year he was married, he was tragically killed in action. He has no known grave.
During his military career, Charles Oscar Zander had received no formal awards, apart from the 1914/15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. However his bravery must not be underestimated as his service to the Australian Naval forces ended with him paying the ultimate price, death. He received the title of private but died shortly after his promotion. He currently has no known grave and has been listed in the Villers Bretonnoux memorial, The Australian War Memorial and multiple smaller memorials in Australia.
Charles Oscar Zander had a hard life growing up. He moved constantly and found comfort in his work, friends and his family. His contribution to Australian society is undoubtedly important to Australia's outcome in WW1 and therefore must be remembered in the highest regard. May this be the countless hours he spent at sea or fighting in various battles all his work was extremely brave and courageous.
Lest We Forget
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