Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born in Exeter on the 8th December, 1913 to William and Pearl Gwynne Deering, Charles’ family moved to live in the western Port Adelaide town of Alberton which was the centre of Charles’ early life. He was the second son of three children, with siblings Morgan and Bruce. Charles attended Le Fevre Central School which had an outstanding woodwork and sheet metal program where the boys constructed items including clock frames, cabinets and metal jardinières. The school also celebrated Arbor Day with the planting of trees at the school, with boys digging the holes and girls planting the trees. From there Charles attended Port Adelaide Central School which had a similarly high reputation for their sheet metal, woodwork and drawing classes for boys.
Charles gained his Qualifying Certificate before being employed on the busy tram service in the Port Adelaide area as a conductor. Having previously been a competent footballer and tennis player, Charles then joined his work Cricket Club to play tennis. In winter Charles played football for the strong Alberton Church Association, which had close ties with the local Port Adelaide Club. In a memorable speech by the chairman of Port Adelaide, he urged Alberton Church players ‘never to play the man but to concentrate on the ball’. Matches were played against various church-based teams including, Baptist, Methodist, Church of Christ, Congregational and Church of England across the suburbs. At the end of the season an annual dinner and dance would be held, and trophies presented.
In January ’37, the Adelaide papers carried news of Charles’ engagement to Elaine Mary De Souza who also lived in Alberton.
Charles’ father, William Arthur had enlisted to serve in WWI in the 27th Battalion as 3480, just prior to Charles’ second birthday. He served in England and France, but contracted pleurisy during his time, causing him to be hospitalised. William earned the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal. With this background it was almost inevitable that, with the outbreak of WWII, Charles would follow his father’s example.
Aged 26, Charles enlisted on the 3rd July 1940, becoming SX7702. He was allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. His early days were spent training at Wayville in what is now the Adelaide Showgrounds. From there, the new enlistees moved to Woodside in the Adelaide Hills to continue their training. Charles was able to have brief pre-embarkation leave with Elaine before returning to his battalion and embarked on the Stratheden in November 1940 and arriving on the 17th December in the Middle East.
The 2/48th Battalion then headed to their camp at Dimra before completing a few months training in Cyrenaica. Soon after, they were heading to Tobruk at the start of April 1941 where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to these fresh new enlistees. The Battalion were soon involved in the fierce fighting to retain Tobruk as a strategic position.
John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan describes the conditions at the end of April ’41. “Two hundred vehicles were moving in towards Acroma, the point from which all our attacks had come.’ He then explained that while a changeover of companies were being undertaken, ‘thirty enemy planes dive bombed the area and straffed it. This was thought to be the prelude to an attack, but none came.’
‘The 2/48th then occupied the position known as the Pimple, in the Blue Line. ‘This Blue Line was a second line of defence, with a minefield, barbed wire and a strong-posts of platoon strength every four to five hundred yards, with machine-guns and anti-tank guns covering its front and the posts on each side.’
Whilst diary entries were brief, a recent book by Mark Johnson, Derrick VC In His Own Words collated Diver Derrick’s entries. On Monday 28th April Derrick wrote “Having a busy day preparing to move. Don’t know why they keep shifting us every day – sends a man nuts – had a nice farewell. Fritz D.B’s (dive bombers) came over and dropped a few eggs, result 2 injured. 1800 hrs all ready & waiting to move, Can hear Fritz tanks moving on our front, Maybe they’re coming. Moved out 2330 hrs’.
Charles was wounded in that action on 28th April ’41 but survived, eventually returning to Australia via Melbourne, and spending brief time with his family. He then headed to Queensland in preparation for fighting in the tropical conditions of New Guinea, in very different terrain and against a distinctly different enemy. Charles rose to become a Lance Corporal.
He was finally discharged in October ’45 and was able to return home to enjoy life with Elaine and their two children, William and Yvonne. Charles was also able to have eight precious years with his father before William Snr died suddenly in December ’53.
Aged 64, Charles died on the 17th September ’78 and was buried in the Cheltenham Cemetery. Elaine lived to be 73 and died on 17th June 1990. She now rests with Charles.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.