Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles was the third generation of Dollings to live at Wokurna in the mid-north of South Australia, just west of the Barunga Range. He was born to Herman Alfred and Ursula Dolling at nearby Port Broughton on the 27th July 1916. His father was very active in politics, representing the Wokurna Ward in local elections and also being a leader for the community wheat growers. The family was also known for its cricket-playing abilities and were reputed to have ‘played with bats made from a willow grown on their farm in the Blarunga-Wokurna district. They made their own pads, using wool from the family flock as packing’., according to a report in the 1947 News.
With the outbreak of WWII, Charles, a farmer, enlisted at Snowtown on the 15th December 1940, aged 24. He signed to serve of three years or, if the war continued longer than that time, for the duration. He also signified that he owned his horse which could be used for training. Unusually, the Light Horse Regiment was contacted about Charles’ eyesight, kidney health and ‘chest expansion’. However Charles did achieve his aim to serve, eventually being allocated the number SX13512 and was soon on his way to serve in Tobruk, Syria and Egypt with the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. By the start of April 1941, the 2/48th were in Tobruk where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to new enlistees. They were to become the famed Rats of Tobruk.
Conditions were ever-changing and the fighting continuous. The action between October 25th and 26th 1942 meant that the survivors of an horrific explosion and subsequent fighting were not always able to immediately retrieve their fallen men. 26-year-old Charles was killed under these conditions.
John Glenn in ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ describes the carnage caused by the chance hit by an enemy shell on a truck loaded with mines.
‘An ear shattering explosion dwarfed the sound of the guns into insignificance. Seven other trucks, all ladened with mines, had been set off. The whole area became a ghastly raging inferno. As trucks burned and exploded a great wall of fire shot into the sky. The gun flashes seemed dimmed; night was turned into day. The concussion was terrific. Steve Fitzgerald who was bringing up the mortar truck, which was laden with bombs, was seventy or so yards behind the trucks when the first one went off. His vehicle rocked in the blast, and, blinded by the flash, he was thrown clear out of it and onto the ground. Russ Lucas and Doug Richardson, who were manning a wireless set in a nearby trench, were temporarily stunned, but by gallant effort they got one man out of the trucks. He died in their arms. Parts of their wireless set were never found; the batteries were picked up two hundred yards away. Two thousand mines went up in this explosion; all the war equipment of both B and D Companies was destroyed. Of the ten men who were in the vehicles, not one was saved. They were: Corporal R. Bryant, W.D. Cockshell, W.C. Quinn, J.J. Buckley, H.S. Searle, W.A. Craig, C. Fraser, C.H. Schulz, C.E. Dolling and E. Parkyn.’
Initially the Chronicle reported Charles as ‘believed killed’ before his death was confirmed. He was buried in the field with those who were killed with him before later being re-buried on the 25th January ’43 then on the 27th March 1945 in the El Alamein Cemetery, Plot A IV Row E. Grave 11. His family chose the inscription for his headstone ‘Abiding always in our garden of memory. Asleep in Jesus’. He now lies with Corporal Roland Bryant SX7296 and Privates Harry Searle SX8143, William A Craig WX9850, Joseph Buckley SX8459, William C. Quinn SX7176, Clem Schulz SX7732, Ernest Parkyn SX7506 and Sergeant Charlie Fraser SX7260, all from the 2/48th Battalion and killed in the same explosion.
Charlie’s name appears on the Jabuk War Memorial gates and also the Peake War Memorial. His family announced his death and their pride in his service.
Advertiser Monday 25 October 1943, DOLLING-—ln proud remembrance of Charlie, killed in action at El Alamein on Oct. 25. 1942.—Ever remembered by his brother and sister-in-law, Gus and Stella. Wokurna. DOLLING. —In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Charles, who gave his life at El Alamein. October 25. 1942 —Always remembered by his parents, brothers and sisters. DOLLING. —In fond memory of Charlie He, who lost his life in the Middle East, Oct. 25, 1942. —Always remembered by Elsie. Strathalbyn.

Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.