BARBLETT, Charles Cyril
| Service Number: | 24398 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 January 1916, Perth, Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Shoeing-Smith |
| Last Unit: | 7th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Eaglehawk, Victoria, Australia, 10 April 1895 |
| Home Town: | Subiaco, Nedlands, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Subiaco State School, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | Machinist / Iron Monger |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 11 September 1917, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
The Huts Cemetery, Dickebusch, Belgium Plot 1V, Row D, Grave 8 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kings Park Western Australia State War Memorial, Subiaco Fallen Soldiers Memorial, Subiaco Municipal Honour Roll, Subiaco Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Perth, Western Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Jun 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Driver, 24398, 3rd Divisional Ammunition Column, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Barambah embarkation_ship_number: A37 public_note: '' |
|
| 27 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 24398, 3rd Divisional Ammunition Column, HMAT Barambah, Melbourne | |
| 11 Sep 1917: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Shoeing-Smith, 24398, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 24398 awm_unit: 7th Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Sh Smith awm_died_date: 1917-09-11 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoff Tilley
Charles Cyril Barblett was born in 1895 at Eaglehawk Bendigo, Victoria to parents Joseph Alexander Barblett and Alice Christian Young who married in 1891 at the Salvation Army Barracks Goolwa, South Australian. Charles was one of seven siblings with one brother and five sisters with one sister dying at infancy in 1892.
It is exactly unknown when the family moved to Western Australia, but it is believed to be around 1899 where they took up residence in Subiaco with four of Charles’s sisters born in Subiaco between 1899 and 1906. His older brother, Percival was born at Eaglehawk with records having him attending the Subiaco State School in 1902.
Charles also attended at the Subiaco school, becoming a member of the Young Men’s Gymnastic Club, Subiaco in 1911. On leaving school he was employed as a machinist and ironmonger.
He enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in January 1916 where he was taken on strength as a Gunner in Artillery reinforcements embarking for overseas service from Melbourne in June 1916, arriving in England in August 1916.
He was attached to 3rd Divisional Artillery Column Section No 1 as a Driver proceeding to France where he was appointed the rank of Shoe Smith in December 1916.
By February 1917 he was transferred to the 26th Battery of 7th Field Artillery Brigade where he was moved to the Ypres sector in Belgium.
It was in September 1917 the battery was located at Dickebusch, Belgium in preparation to assist with the commencement of the Third Battle of Ypres.
It was on the morning of the 11 September 1917 after a long march on the previous day, reveille was blown an hour later than usual.
Breakfast had only just been drawn with the men along with Charles where seated in a group in the vicinity of the cookhouse when a high velocity shell exploded in amongst the men. This shell was the first of a series with the remainder falling some distance away of their camp.
The number of casualties was high from one shell, with the wounded carried to the dressing station. There being 10 men killed, 28 wounded with 4 cases of shell shock. It was during this time that Charles was one of the men killed.[1]
Shoe Smith Charles Cyril Barblett, 24398 of 26th Battery of 7th Field Artillery Brigade was killed in action on 11 September 1917 at Dickebusch Belgium. He was 22 years of age and is buried in the Huts Cemetery Belgium where he is remembered with honour.
Charles older brother also enlisted into the AIF in 1915, Corporal Percival James Barblett, 5329 of 4thAustralian Field Ambulance, returned to Australia in 1919.
Charles’s friends inserted the following memorial notice in The West Australian, Perth 28 September 1917,
On September 11, 1917 somewhere in France, Shoeing Smith Charlie Cyril Barblett, Field Artillery, aged 22 years, son of Mr & Mrs J Barblett Subiaco.
Tears will come and time will fly
Every leaf with fade and die
Every rising sun will set
But dear Charlie we’ll never forget
Inserted by his sincere friends, Bertha & Dolly Barns & Stella Tyrell.
[1] AWM Collection. RCDIG1017468. 26th Battery, Australian Field Artillery September 1917 Diary.
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