Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles Ronald Lloyd, known as Charlie, was born 31 Oct 1920 at Boulia, a rural town, in western Queensland, 190 km east of the Northern Territory border and 240 km south of Mount Isa. A long way from Wooroolin!
Charlie Lloyd was the Great Grandson of King Bob Wheelpoole, King of Boulia. There are lots about King Bob online including pic of his aboriginal breastplate. Aboriginal breastplates (also called king plates or aboriginal gorgets) were a form of regalia used in pre-Federation Australia by white colonial authorities to recognise those they perceived to be local Aboriginal leaders
By 1942 Charles was working at Wooroolin as a labourer, probably for Arthur Ritchings.
On 28 Apr 1942 Charles joined the Australian Army at Kingaroy where he served as a Private in the 22 Battalion. His brother Walter joined the 2/31 AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION in 1941 and died in Papula New Guinea in Nov 1942.
Early in the war, the 22nd was assigned to the 4th Brigade and undertook garrison duties and training camps in Australia – based mainly in Queensland. In early 1943, the battalion was deployed to New Guinea to take part in the fighting against the Japanese serving mainly with the 5th Division, but also briefly as part of the 9th. The battalion initially deployed to the Milne Bay area in March 1943 undertaking garrison duties and jungle training before moving to Lae shortly after its capture by Australian forces in early September The 22nd pursued the Japanese that were withdrawing to the east, marching from Hopoi Mission Station to Finschhafen, with a view to placing pressure on the Japanese southern flank. This feat was described by the Kalgoorlie Miner as the "greatest march" of the New Guinea campaign and in 10 days the battalion covered 50 miles (80 km) of rugged terrain. Later, after Sattelberg was captured, they joined the advance along the northern coast of the Huon Peninsula towards Madang.
After a total of 16 months overseas, the battalion was withdrawn back to Australia for rest and reorganisation in September 1944. After a period of training around Strathpine, Queensland, the 22nd Battalion was deployed to New Britain in January 1945. After landing at Wunung Bay, the 22nd Battalion undertook patrols around the local area as the Australians undertook a campaign to contain the larger Japanese force to the northern part of the island. The fighting came to an end in August 1945 and after the war, the 22nd Battalion garrisoned Rabaul. It was disbanded on 26 May 1946
Charles Army records are available on the NAA website and show that he served in various Qld bases including Townsville before he was sent to New Guinea. Looks like he was assigned to guarding POW camps at Lae & Rabaul for some time. Charles was discharged at Redbank from the Army on 14 Jun 1946.
Charlie then returned to Wooroolin where he lived in a “humpy” on Ben Young’s property and worked around the area pulling peanuts in the early days. He was good friends of Fred and Elsie Burow, the grandparents of Robin & David Jacobson, who also lived on Young’s farm. Peanut farm owned by Arthur Ritchings and Pedersen Family.
The upsetting part of this story is that there not a single official record found for him, all because he was an aboriginal or part aboriginal. Charlie is shown on the 1943 electoral roll whilst he was serving in the Australian Army but not after!
I found these words on the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies website:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have served on the ground, in the air, at sea and on horseback. Their time in the Defence Forces was, for many, their first time being treated as equals. Unfortunately, when they returned to civilian life, they returned to discrimination and prejudice. Many found that they were ejected from hotels and public places, or denied employment and the benefits offered to other returning service personnel.
It seems Charlie had a good life at Wooroolin but I personally feel ashamed at the treatment of our aboriginal soldiers and am pleased to see changing relationships between Australia’s First Peoples and the Australian nation.
Lest We Forget