Charles RULE MM

RULE, Charles

Service Number: 455
Enlisted: 20 August 1914, Morphettville, Sout Australia
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 10th Infantry Battalion
Born: Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, 28 January 1893
Home Town: Thebarton (Southwark), City of West Torrens, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Steward
Died: Killed in Action, France, 15 April 1917, aged 24 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Memorials: Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)
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World War 1 Service

20 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 455, Morphettville, Sout Australia
20 Oct 1914: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 455, 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, 455, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Adelaide
Date unknown: Involvement 10th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières

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Biography

"PRIVATE RULE WINS MILITARY MEDAL

Private Charles Rule, jun., has been granted the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery at Gallipoli. Private Rule is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Rule, of Thebarton. His father and his brother — George Rule - also wear the uniform of Australian privates. Private George Rule is ill in a hospital. The young medal winner is a native of Newcastle-on-Tyne and was educated there. He came to Adelaide with his parents about five years ago, and prior to his enlistment was employed at the Stock Exchange Club. He enlisted in the 10th Battalion, and went through the Gallipoli campaign without hurt. An account of the bravery of Private Rule is given in a letter from Captain G. E. Redburg to a friend.

"I suppose the Australians are rather proud of their soldiers now, as they are fine fighters and absolutely fearless,'' wrote Captain Redburg, in referring to the work on Gallipoli. "There was one boy there who did me a very good turn. We were in the firing line, and getting high jinks from the Turks' shells and rifle fire. I went forward about 40 or 50 yards, and then dropped down by a small bank along side a fellow named Rule, who had crept forward as a scout, and I had only just spoken to him, when I was shot in the legs. I said to him, "I am done for the rest of this fight, so he dragged and half carried me back through a storm of bullets. When the shells came as they did, four at a time, every few seconds, he pushed me on the ground and lay on top of me, and covered my body, and head from the bullets with his own body. I did not want him to do it, but I was helpless and bleeding furiously. However, we got back under cover all right, and he helped me to bandage my wounds and get to the beach, about a mile and a half away. He was a brave boy. His name is Charles Rule, and if you could find his people I would like you to express my gratitude for the bravery and courage displayed by their son to one who was in trouble."

Private Rule was one of the first members of the Australian forces to participate in the fighting in France. He was wounded at Pozieres, but is now convalescent, and waiting to be sent back to duty." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 10 Feb 1917 (nla.gov.au)

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