Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles Albert PENFOLD was born on 20th May 1883 in Junee, New South Wales, Australia to parents Emma May (nee FENNINGS) and Robert PENFOLD.  Charles married Elina AYLIN on 1st January 1908 in Yerranderie, NSW.  They went on to have two daughters, Doris in 1908 and Elena in 1911.

A married, 33 year old blacksmith and engineer living in North Sydney at the time, Charles enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in Camden, NSW on 17th August 1916.  Assigned as a Private, regimental number 2957, he was allocated to the 7th reinforcements for the 56th Infantry Battalion.  After completing his recruit training at the Goulburn Camp, Charles embarked in Sydney aboard HMAT "Ascanius" on 25th October 1916, for active service overseas.

Disembarking in Devonport, England, on 28th December, Charles marched into the 14th Training Battalion at Hurdcott Camp the next day.  Here, soldiers were drilled in trench warfare routine, including action upon gas attacks, and the use of bombs (grenades), bayonets and the Lewis light machine gun.  On 25th April 1917, Charles embarked for France, and marched into the 5th Australian Division Base Depot in Etaples the following day.  Here he completed the final stage of training and assessments, before being taken on strength with the 56th Infantry Battalion in Becourt on the evening of 30th April 1917.

Charles had his first taste of battle in the trenches when the 56th Battalion were involved in the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt, about a week later.  They were also in the thick of the action throughout the Third Battle of Ypres, from 31st July to 10th November 1917.  This included playing a major part in the Battle of Polygon Wood from 26th September to 3rd October, which saw bitter fighting and fierce German counter-attacks.

Charles was appointed to the rank of Driver on 23rd February 1918, following the evacuation of another soldier in that role.  This entailed driving a team of horses hauling wagons for the purpose of transporting ammunition, food and equipment for the Battalion.  A member of the transport section, he'd have been responsible for the feeding, shoeing and general care of the horses under his control, and his civilian qualifications as a blacksmith would have, no doubt, made him well suited to the role.  Still equivalent to a Private in rank, this designation distinguished him from an infantryman.  Driving a team of horses hauling a heavily laden wagon through the muddy, artillery cratered quagmires that were the battlefields of Belgium and France would have proved extremely challenging, and Drivers were targeted by enemy machine gun and artillery fire in an effort to prevent vital supplies from reaching the trenches.  He continued in this role until the end of the War, reverting to Private on 23rd November 1918.  He again acted in the role of Driver between 3rd February and 10th April 1919.

On 2nd June 1919, Charles embarked in England aboard S.S. "Beltana" for return to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 20th July. He was subsequently discharged in the 2nd Military District, Sydney, on 28th August 1919, due to the termination of his period of enlistment.  Charles was later awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service.

Charles Albert PENFOLD died on 6th May 1948 at the residence of his daughter Doris at 11 Bell Street Concord, New South Wales.  He was 64 years old.

Compiled by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS from historical records kept by the National Archives of Australia (Service Record);  the Australian War Memorial (56th Infantry Battalion Unit War Diaries);  Births, Deaths and Marriages NSW;  and various newspaper articles on Trove.