Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Australian Remembrance Army

Frederick Clifton Charrington

WWI service:
Service No: 3521
Rank: Private
Unit: 15th Infantry Battalion

WWII service:
Service No: Q65903
Rank: Sergeant

Unit: QLD Lines of Communication, Stationery Depot
Frederick Clifton Charrington served during WW1 and WW2, and we thought it would be fitting for our volunteers to restore the lettering to his headstone. We decided to use a gold metallic paint for the lettering, as a few gold flecks could still be seen in some of the letters and we wanted to restore it to its original colour. We are thankful to the family for giving us permission to restore the lettering to this headstone, and to Brisbane City Council for their continued support.

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 was born to parents William Frederick Charrington and Margaret Jeacocke, on the 9th February 1899 in Brisbane, Queensland. He was the eldest of ten children, and had three sisters and six brothers.

Frederick followed in his father’s footsteps, working as a compositor, setting the type or text into a composing machine for printing, and lived with the family at 140 Latrobe Terrance in Paddington, Brisbane.

Frederick spent four years with the Senior Cadets Area 6A, before enlisting on the 9th February 1917 with the AIF. Upon his enlistment, his mother wrote on his form “my son Fred not to leave Enoggera Barracks till he has turned 18 years”. Following his 18th birthday, Frederick embarked from Sydney on the 2nd March 1918, on board H.T. “Armonde”. During the journey, he was admitted to the ship’s hospital, and when he disembarked at Suez on the 4th April, was admitted to the Government Hospital. He was discharged to duty nine days later, and was taken on strength in the C.O. Troops, Australian Camp, Suez.

On the 30th April, Frederick embarked from Port Tewfik (now called Suez Port, on the Suez Canal), disembarking on the 15th May 1918 in Southampton, England and marched in to the 9th Training Battalion at Fovant. He was admitted to hospital in Fovant on the 13th October, rejoining the 9th Training Battalion on the 20th October.

The following month, Frederick was transferred to the 15th Battalion Reinforcements and marched out to the 12th Training Battalion. He proceeded overseas to France on the 25th January 1919, and marched in to the Australian Staging Camp the following day, before being transferred to the 13th Battalion on the 8th February.

Frederick marched out to England on the 29th April 1919, disembarking in Southampton on the 30th April. He returned to Australia per H.T. “Ormonde” on the 16th June, disembarking in Australia on the 4th August and was discharged on the 28th August 1919.
On his return to Australia, Frederick resumed work as a Compositor and lived in the family home at Latrobe Terrace. He married Susan Isabel Paterson on the 11th December 1920, and the couple lived in a house named “Leontine” at Milton Street, Coorparoo.

Frederick and Susan had three children (Clifton Bryant, Corinne Beth and Clifford), but sadly their youngest child, Clifford died shortly after birth. Their son, Clifton (known as Bryant) served in WW2 as a Gunner with the Royal Australian Artillery. On the 13th May 1943, eleven days before his 21st birthday, Bryant died from injuries received on dispatch duty. He is buried in the War Graves section at Lutwyche Cemetery.

Frederick served in the Voluntary Militia Forces prior to enlisting for service in WW2 on the 7th October 1940. He was assigned home service with the QLD Lines of Communication, Stationery Depot and classified Clerk T G III on the 1st August 1941. He was promoted to Corporal on the 24th December, and later promoted to Sergeant on the 30th April 1943. Frederick was discharged from service on the 22nd October 1945.
During his service in WW2, Frederick and Susan moved their family to a new home at 24 Nicklin Street, Coorparoo. Frederick passed away on the 12th August 1968, aged 69 years.

Lest We Forget