Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles James Kelynack was one of the early Coburg volunteers, enlisting on 19 August 1914. He lived in Shaftesbury Street, Moreland with his father Thomas, a well-known football writer for the Herald known as ‘Kickero’, and his mother Catherine (nee Smith). His younger brother Philip also served, as a newly qualified veterinary surgeon.

Before enlistment, Charles Kelynack was a clerk at the Commonwealth Government Cordite Factory, Maribyrnong. At a farewell by the staff prior to his embarkation, he was presented with an inscribed gold watch ‘in admiration of his spirit in going to the war’.

An avid motorcycle enthusiast he had taken part in various high profile road races leading up to his enlistment.

Enlisting as a private in the Signals, Charles quickly rose through the ranks. In 1916, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant, then Lieutenant and Captain in 1918. During the Battle of Menin Road on 20 September 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry.

Kelynack was not wounded during the war, although he became ill with measles and had his appendix removed after being seriously ill with appendicitis in Egypt in March 1915. The timing of his operation suggests a lucky break, in a way, because he was convalescing at the time of the ANZAC landing and missed the worst of the fighting on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

On 11 January 1919, he married Polish artist Dorota Keemtianka (known in the art world as Dora Bianka) at St Martin’s Registry Office, London. The couple returned to Australia in September 1919 and Dora continued her career as an artist in Australia, being known locally as Madame Kelynack. She held a high-profile exhibition at the Women’s Automoible Club Rooms, Collins Street Melbourne in July 1922.

However, she had a strong desire to return to Europe and on 4 October 1922 Mr and Madam C. J. Kelynack left Melbourne for London in the Commonwealth Line’s recently launched SS Esperance Bay. The couple ultimately relocated to Paris but after a couple of years the marriage failed.

Kelynack, an accountant, had established a business in Paris and in the early 1920s he also wrote regularly from Paris for the Sporting Globe, on a range of sports such as boxing, cycling, swimming and motorcycle racing.

The very last story published from him was in the Melbourne Herald on 15 April 1926. The article, 'When snow falls on Paris', had been written on 2 February. Not long after, he and his wife filed for divorce - on Bastille Day - 14 July 1926.

Shortly after the divorce was confirmed in June 1929, Charles Kelynack returned to the family home in Moreland and was employed by the Victorian Electricity Commission. In 1931, Dora married Pierre Thomazi. She died in France in 1979, aged 84.

Charles Kelynack’s mother had died in September 1928 and in 1930 his father, the sports journalist retired – he died in 1936. From this point, Charles Kelynack lived a very private life - he did not remarry. He died at the family home in Moreland on 23 September 1950 aged 55.

Reference: https://fightingthekaiser.blogspot.com/2020/05/charles-kelynack-motorcycling-and-life.html