Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Known to all and sundry as “Chas”, Charlie King was born at Rushworth, Victoria, in 1895 and was the youngest of four children, the other three being girls: Bernice, Marguerite and Clarice. By the time he enlisted on 26 February 1916, both parents were deceased, and his eldest sister, Mrs. B Dower, was nominated as his next of kin. At the time Chas enlisted, he was living at 1225 Hoddle Street, East Melbourne, but later moved to 56 Grey Street, then to Northcote. Charlie was twenty years old, 5 ft 2 in tall and a hairdresser living in Costerfield.

He trained at Broadmeadows, then with the other reinforcements, embarked on HMAT Anchises A 68, for Egypt. During training, he was with reinforcements for the Pioneer Battalions, but on 10 March, was switched over to the 29th Battalion. They disembarked at Suez on 15 April 1916, and went for more training at Suez, before leaving on the HMT Franconia from Alexandra to England. After disembarking at Plymouth on 16 June 1916, they marched in to Lark Hill on the Salisbury Plains on 1 July. Chas had got himself into trouble by then, and was charged with being absent without leave (AWOL) from 26-29 June. Again, from 30 July, he went AWOL until 9 August. In each case, he was punished, lost a number of days' wages and had further leave stopped. With the second episode, he also caught V.D. and had to be sent to Bulworth Military Hospital for ten days' treatment. From Lark Hill, they were shipped to France, landing at Etaples on 11 September, then travelling to the Western Front, where they were thrown immediately into the fighting.

Chas was taken on strength with the 29th Battalion on 29 September, 1916. In a letter written on 10 October, he said “We get plenty of work, and not much spell, as there are always supplies to be carried to the front line. As I write in my dugout, the shells are bursting and 44 bullets flying past me a treat. But we get used to it, and very few of us seem to get hit. We are only 40 yards off Fritz’s front line, so often get a pot shot at them. Our artillery keeps them moving, and they seldom reply to our big guns.” Chas’ apparent over-confidence in the letter was misplaced. He was killed by shellfire two weeks later at Flers on 24 October 1916.

The Red Cross files record the witness statements about his death. Taken a year later, they are confused about the actual date on which he died, but very clear about what happened:
2nd Lieutenant G.J. Davern: He was killed at Flers by shellfire about the latter end of October 1916 and was buried where he fell.
Private J.H. Turner 3018 29th Battalion: We were in the trenches at Flers-Somme, when a shell killed King instantly and two others of whom J. Brady was one. I saw this being about 20 yards away. The date would be about 2 Nov 1916 as we only went to the front line on 30 October and this happened two or three days later. King was buried in the trench where he fell. I saw the spot. He came from Warrnambool and was a barber by trade.

Chas has no known grave but is listed at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Cemetery, Villers Bretonneux, Picardie, France. He is remembered at the Australian War Memorial in the Roll of Honour cards 145 and on Panel 115 in the Commemorative Area and is also listed on the Rushworth War Memorial Clock Tower.