Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles Dawson Booker who died in France on 13th August 1918 of wounds received the same day in action was the elder son of Mr. Joseph Dawson and Rachel C Booker of 'The Cottage" Burnt House, Speldhurst, Kent. He was born in 1898 and was at the Preparatory School from 1908 to 1910 and at the Senior School the following year when he went to England with his parents. On arrival in England he went to Bedford Grammar School, and on leaving there entered the Royal Naval Air Service and was gazetted Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant 18th September 1915. After serving at various stations in England he went to France in May 1916, receiving the Croix de Guerre with star and palm, on behalf of the President of the French Republic, for his services. In June 1917 he was on the Somme with the Naval Squadron attached to the Royal Flying Corps, and was Mentioned in Despatches, received promotion to the rank of Flight Commander, and was awarded the D.S.C. on 22nd June 1917 for 'special gallantry in the field on various occasions'. At the time of his death he was Acting Squadron Commander and C.O. of his squadron. His Second in Command writes: "It is with deep regret that I write to tell you the sad news about your gallant son and our dear C.O. He left the aerodrome at about 10.30am on 13th August and took a new pilot up with him to show him the new line. Just at this time there happened to be about sixty Fokker biplanes on the lines, and he was immediately attacked by ten of them. His first thoughts went to his new pilot, and he successfully drove five Fokkers from his tail, enabling him to cross the line. He then dealt with the remaining five, shot three down and was himself driven down by the remaining two. He died a gallant death, the bravest of all. By his heath the squadron has sustained a great loss, and I cannot tell you how much we all miss him. He took over our squadron in March, not an easy task at the time, and since then his work has been incomparable. He was loved by the General Wing Commander and everyone who knew him, and I was a proud Flight Commander to be serving under him. He never once thought of himself, and everything he did was to please others. He need never have flown, but he was up with us every day, and took part in nearly all our big scraps, and had officially crashed 22 Huns. He performed very valuable work for the 22nd Wing during the past push, and only through his hard work did the squadron earn the excellent name it holds today. He crashed in our lines. Please accept the sympathy of the whole squadron on the great loss you have sustained in the death of your son. He died so gallantly doing his duty, in the greatest battle yet fought."

War Services Old Melburnians 1914 - 1918