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Thomas Charlton (Tom) was the youngest son of Vincent and Sarah Charlton. One of eight children, he had four older brothers, Robert, Les, John, Proctor and three sisters, Ivy, Olive and Jean. The Charlton family originally came from the coastal area on the North Sea coast of County Durham, England. Nearby was the Blackhall Colliery where extensive mining was undertaken. Born on the 15th December, 1916, the family moved to Australia, eventually settling at Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula. Tom was 24 when he enlisted to serve in WWII in June 1940. He was one of the first from Streaky Bay to enlist.
In the gentle chiacking that was acceptable in those times, Tom was quick to voice his loyalty to the Australian Army, saying it would do him, and refuted any suggestion that he would become a ‘Tommy’, (the nick-name for British troops) should he land back in England as part of his posting. He became SX6263 with the 2/43rd Battalion in the 9th Division. During training at Woodside in The Adelaide Hills, another local Bill Crowder, from Streaky Bay reported seeing Tom, who had already gained two stripes and thus carried the title of Corporal.
Prior to being posted overseas, Tom returned home on leave in November ’40 where the highly organised Cheer Up Girls had arranged a social at the local Institute to honour Tom and others who had enlisted at a similar time. As a symbolic gesture, each of the new enlistees was escorted by a returned soldier and were preceded by a flag bearer with the Union Jack. The National Anthem was first sung, followed by The Song of Australia. Each soldier was accompanied by his parents, a role Vincent and Sarah were particularly proud to do. Councillor Williams welcomed the gathering with patriotic words of praise “"I am sure we all deem it a pleasure tonight to have the opportunity of being here to congratulate these fine young men on the fact that they have heard the call to higher service and are going to serve their king and country". Tom left for overseas in February of 1941.
In news they were hoping not to receive, in August, 41 Tom’s parents were warned that Tom was wounded in action while fighting at Tobruk. The Adelaide ‘News’ carried a report of that incident. Ultimately, because of his leadership and bravery at the time, Tom was eventually awarded the Military Medal.
‘At Tobruk Sgt. Charlton was in command of a platoon in a deliberate company attack under heavy fire. Although wounded early in the assault, he led the platoon with dash and determination, reaching the tank ditch surrounding the post with seven effectives. From this position he engaged the enemy with fire and grenades until receiving the order to withdraw. Sgt. Charlton led his men with coolness and judgment, and successfully found a way through a minefield. He personally ensured that all survivors were inside our lines and made a personal report of his part in the attack before he was attended for his wound.’
A fellow Streaky Bay enlistee, Fernley (‘Alby’) Joy reiterated the event to the local ‘West Coast Sentinel’ in October ‘41:
‘Alby said: "I am not going to ask for space in your columns to say these few words, as they will he granted readily. I'm sure. No doubt you have heard of the news about our grand pal, Sergeant Tom Charlton, having been awarded the Military Medal. I know that Tom would never want to tell anything about this, as he prefers none of the glories showered upon him.
"I happened to be with Tom on this occasion, and he thoroughly deserved this recognition. He proved himself a soldier and a half and a man to be proud of. His achievement was great, believe me. He was wounded, but still did his job, and when completed was quite unconcerned. His main thought was for his men as he led the platoon into the attack. This is a great record for the Coast, and all the Coast boys are earning grand names over here.
"I must mention that our company has three military medallists, two with military crosses, and one other recognition in the form of a certificate. "All the boys from over the Bay way are quite well even the ones that have been wounded are in the pink again. Their spirit is grand.” He added “I also hoped I would see Tom Charlton, but he was still away. I believe he won the M.M. and did a wonderful job. They all say he's extra.”
The local Eyre Peninsula community was particularly proud of their local ‘boys’ service. The local Council, through Councillor Williams, moving that a congratulatory letter be sent to Vincent, Sarah and the family on the Military Medal award to Tom. Similarly, the Cheer Up Girls also sent Tom a congratulatory telegram. The Sentinel observed that the proudest person in Streaky Bay was Tom's father, Mr. V. P. Charlton, who has two other sons at the front.
Alby continued to write about Tom who remained in the Australian General Hospital for eleven months. “I had a note from him the other day and he seems to be doing O.K., but slowly.” Tom had become the third recipient of a Military Medal by a West Coast man, joining the ranks of Private Dean from Minnipa and Sargent Colin Jacka, who had been a well-known commercial traveller in the Eyre Peninsula region.
Other soldiers serving in the Middle East also regularly reported on the locals with whom they served. Driver Gunton in December ’42 wrote that he was stationed not far from Tom and the two saw each other at times. By January of ’43 Tom was initially back at the training base before heading home for some well earned leave as was his brother, Robert and other locals. A huge 600 strong crowd gathered at the Streaky Bay Institute to celebrate with their ‘boys’. Patriotically, the evening began with the singing of both the National Anthem and Song of Australia and the soldiers were paraded to the front. Silence was observed in memory of the fallen. A number of items and dancing preceded supper and more dancing. The evening concluded with Auld Lang Syne and the National Anthem. The welcome was particularly appreciated with the three Charlton brothers placing a thankyou to the ‘residents of Streaky Bay and district for the social tendered them; special, thanks to the Cheer Up Girls, and anyone who entertained them in any way’ in the local Sentinel.
By March of ’44 Tom was able to act in his official capacity to escort his oldest brother, Bob to a formal welcome home after his discharge from the Army, to help with essential rural work. Bob was the first serviceman to receive a heart-felt welcome home in Streaky Bay. Their proud parents, Vincent and Sarah were also on the stage and accepted the hearty congratulations on having Bob home at last. His fine service in both North Africa and New Guinea was acknowledged before the festivities began.
Within a month, Tom was also being welcomed home at the same venue and again by the Cheer Up Girls who organised a joyous social at the Institute. With similar formalities and acknowledgement of his parents, the singing of ‘The Grandest Song of All (is Home Sweet Home’) was particularly sentimental. Tom was especially thankful to the Cheer Up Girls for their role while he was serving overseas. The Sentinel summarised ‘Sgt. Tom Charlton is the only soldier from Streaky Bay and immediate surroundings to win the Military Medal. He served with the Middle East Forces and was wounded at Tobruk. It was here that he won his medal, which is engraved ‘For Bravery in the Field.’ He undertook a job which should have been carried out by a commissioned officer, and carried it out successfully. But, according to Tom "They had a few to sling about, and I was one of the lucky ones.” After being in several hospitals, he again entered the fight at El Alamein. He was finally discharged on account of his wound.’
Soon after his discharge on the 23rd February, 1945, ABC War Correspondent with the A.I.F. in. the Middle East, Chester Wilmot published a book titled ‘Tobruk’ dedicated to General Morshead and his men. The desperate measures and heroism of the Australians in the lead-up to Tom’s Military Medal Award is clearly documented:
“From Hill 209 the Germans dominated a wide sweep of desert inside the perimeter, but the piece they had bitten out must have left a sour taste in their mouths. They could not afford to abandon it, because they kept a foot in the door off Tobruk by holding Hill 209. From here, when the time came to renew their attack, they might force that door wide open. But meanwhile the salient they had established covering 209 was costly to hold. For this task Rommel was forced to use German troops that he could ill spare from the frontier area. From May to August, he had only eight German battalions that could be used as infantry and it took more than a third of these to hold the Salient.
“Early in July, Brigadier A, H. L. Godfrey's 24th Brigade relieved the 20th in the Salient, and before the end of the month Morshead ordered him to attack the German positions. It was decided to use the 2/43rd Battalion to attack from the south against Posts R7, R6 and R5, while the 2/28th struck at Posts S6 and S7 on the northern flank. In preparation for this, patrols intensified their search for enemy weak spots. Several patrols from the 2/43rd penetrated deep into German territory and mapped positions, but how strongly these were held could be ascertained only from a prisoner. After several vain attempts, a patrol of seventeen, commanded by Lieutenant D. C. Siekmann and guided by Sergeant C. H. Cawthorne, was successful in bringing back a German N.C.O.
“In addition to this preparatory patrolling, the 2/43rd's attack was rehearsed on a specially built model of R7, but until the post was actually attacked no one realised the strength of its defences. This was soon evident when four platoons of the 2/43rd, led by Captain L. McCarter, attacked it at 3.39 a.m. on August 3rd. They went in under cover of the most severe artillery barrage the Tobruk garrison had ever laid down. More than fifty guns concentrated on enemy batteries behind Hill 209., and on the positions that the 2/43rd and the 2/28th were to attack. In addition, Vickers guns of the Northumberland Fusiliers raked the top of the enemy posts. This kept the Germans in R7 quiet while Australian sappers and infantry, led by Lieutenant R, P. Tapp, moved in to blow the wire. As soon as the garrison's barrage began, the enemy replied with heavy shell fire right along the Salient front, but it was only when the Bangalore torpedoes exploded in the wire surrounding R7 that German machine guns and mortars opened up in full force.
“As the Bangalores went off, the infantry dashed forward. One platoon, led by Sergeant R. B. Quinn, attacked from the south, but as his leading section reached the wire, the men were silhouetted by enemy flares and machine gun and mortar fire wiped them out. Quinn's two other sections got through the wire but ran at once into a minefield fifty yards deep and evidently extending right up to the anti-tank ditch around the post. Only eight men reached the ditch, but from its shelter they carried on a grenade duel with the Germans in machine gun pits only a few yards away, until all except Quinn and two others had been killed or badly wounded. Another platoon under Lieutenant Siekmann—attacked simultaneously from the east, but did not get far through the wire. A mortar bomb landed in the middle of one section; another suffered crippling casualties on a booby-trap field outside the wire. Eventually Siekmann and three other survivors were pinned down short of the post when the Germans laid down a heavy barrage right on to R7, regardless of the safety of their own men. Simultaneously machine guns from positions behind that post turned their fire on to it. The four Australians tried to go on, but when one man was killed and another wounded, Siekmann and the third Digger crawled back dragging the wounded man with them.
“Regardless of the enemy fire, Sergeant Tom Charlton led the reserve platoon in to help Quinn, but less than a dozen of his men reached the anti-tank ditch. From there, however, with Quinn's few survivors, they fought for nearly an hour to gain the post itself. At last, when he and his officers and most of his N.C.Os. had been wounded, McCarter ordered the survivors to withdraw. Out of the 129 infantry who went in, only 23 came out unscathed. Most of the wounded were brought back before dawn, but there were still more than 30 unaccounted for. Whether they were killed, wounded or captured no one knew. Sgt. Tom Charlton, who was wounded in this attack, spent eleven months in hospital. His position was taken over by Cpl. A. Joy, who comes from Poochera. Cpl. Joy received his M.M. at El Alemein.”
Tom’s nephew, David Blackman shared the following account, thirty years after the events, the details etched with clarity in Tom’s memory:
“The runner, Alby Joy, met us and gave the message to go to ground and wait till called on, here is where we had our first casualty. On going to ground L Miller landed on an anti-personnel mine which killed him instantly. Also, Lt Pollok was wounded and out of action. I received a message from Company Commander L McCarter to report to him for further instructions. I was informed that 10 and 11 Platoons were in trouble and I was to assist them to get out by giving support fire on the eastern side. 12 Platoon advanced in extended line, each man doing his best. The area was lit up with flares. This is where I felt something in my left shoulder; however I did not feel it necessary to withdraw, so continued forward. Communication at this stage was very hard and most of my men had been wounded and withdrawn. I eventually reached the tank trap and saw two enemy machine gun posts firing in the direction of our frontal attack. I immediately threw in the hand grenades which seemed to silence both of them. The runner then came up and gave the order to withdraw, at this stage I had approximately four men left so we proceeded to withdraw in as orderly a manner as we could to the Company Commander. As I couldn’t find most of my platoon, I returned inside to try to locate them. I located two of A Company men wandering about one was badly wounded and the other had an arm wound. I carried the badly wounded soldier out, the other was hanging on to me and I eventually got outside to where it was much quieter and I lay the badly wounded in a shell crater. I tried to see what could be done for him, but in a matter of moments he had passed on. We then heard this call of “Whackoo, Whackoo” presumably meant to be our password, “Whacko”, sure enough it was the enemy moving around in the dark, looking for prisoners. When they passed by we headed for headquarters, just at daylight. I was then taken to the CO’s dugout to report to Colonel Crellin and Lt McDonald, the Intelligence Officer, took down my account of the action. I then headed for B Coy and was greeted by seven soldiers who had come out of the attack unhurt, namely Alf Wright, Charley Nelson, Porky Yendall, Snow Lillie, Alby Joy and Ivan Wohling, and one other. They put a field dressing on my shoulder and I waited until the Company driver came to take me to Hospital. I was moved with great admiration for those that were lost or wounded, not forgetting the Yendalls, there were four brothers in my platoon, one was killed in action, two were wounded and the remaining one, Porky, now living in Ceduna, was unscathed.”
Tom had nature to contend with rather than enemy forces during a huge gale at Streaky Bay in September of ’47. High seas were reported in the Bay, a house was unroofed and power cut. Having broken away from its moorings in the winds, Tom’s cutter was dashed against rocks, shattered on the sides and deck fittings destroyed. Despite this extensive damage Tom hoped to make repairs.
By May ’48 Tom’s father, Vincent had decided to retire and informed the local council that Tom would then take over the duties of garbage collector. Besides continuing this service to the community, Tom’s love for the sea was undiminished with his cutter being made available to the local Streaky Bay RSL for a full day Sunday fishing trip for 16 members. The group included R.S.L. State President Arthur Blackburn, Vice President and MP Bob Wilson. Under Tom’s expertise, the group claimed a bountiful catch of whiting, trevalli, garfish, snook and oysters. The Sentinel reported that ‘The party were rather late in returning as Admiral Charlton's boat broke down at the outer light and had to be towed home. Some of the crew said the trouble was that the petrol was kept in a flagon and in error the ship had been refuelled from the wrong flagon. But anyway worse things could happen at sea, they say.’ A memorable reunion!
Post war, the three Charlton brothers, Tom, John and Les (who also served In New Guinea as an Engineer) became integral members of the R.A.O.B. where their much-appreciated musical contributions were via the Charlton Quartet and Duet. Similarly, Tom was a loyal member of the RSL and travelled over much of the Eyre Peninsula to attend functions, including to Wirrulla in ’50 for the 34th Anniversary of Australia’s first action in France during WWI. He was one of 18 from Streaky Bay of the 58 members who enjoyed ample food, a range of items and the singing which followed. Tom, widely recognised as a prominent vocalist was again one of the entertainers. However, it was noted that: ‘Decorated personnel— Clarrie Campbell, M Bert Montgomery, M.M., Harry Davies, D.O.M., and Tom Charlton, MM., were requested to give an item, but their vocal contribution did not reach the meritorious standard of their war effort.’
That year Tom was one of several fishermen who reported seeing whales between 30 to 40 feet long in the waters near the outer light of Streaky Bay. Following a further sighting, he wrote to the Commonwealth Fisheries with a description of the huge whales and was informed that that he had probably observed Black Finbacks, one of the larger whale species, which grow from about 65 to 70 feet.
On October 21st 1950, Tom was one of 63 attendees at the Streaky Bay RSL dinner, arranged to take place as near to El Alamein Day as possible. In a respectful and impressive ceremony before the illuminated Cross of Remembrance, each member announced the name of his service and unit. The ‘Stand Fast,’ ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’ were sounded, and the ‘Ode to the Fallen’ was recited. During the range of Toasts, Tom, again gave a much-appreciated song. This gift of music was frequently sought at subsequent RSL Meetings.
In a dangerous action that year, a number of local fishermen had petrol stolen from their boats. Tom was the spokesman who approached the ‘Sentinel' after approximately five gallons of petrol had been taken from his cutter. He had not detected the theft until he was well out of the Bay on a fishing trip which, as a consequence, had to be considerably curtailed. Tom Stressed that the removal of petrol from boats, particularly those which make long trips out to sea, is an offence that might easily result in loss of life. If the culprit is caught drastic punishment would be justified. Tom, through the ‘Sentinel’ warned other fishermen to check their petrol before sailing in future.
When a large storm destroyed Tom’s cutter, he joined the Water Works Department in Streaky Bay, where coincidentally his nephew David also later following in Tom’s footsteps.
Tom’s father, Vincent died aged 74 on the 12th August, 1954. His mother lived to be 86. She died on the 26th October 1969. Both were buried in the Streaky Bay Cemetery. Tom Died on the 4th September 2004 in his late 80’s and is buried and remembered at Streaky Bay.
Researched and written in conjunction with Tom’s nephew, David Blackman by Kaye Lee daughter of Bryan Homes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.