Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles Musselwhite (Formerly aka Charles Williams)
SN# NX10065
Lance Sergeant Australian Imperial Force  
HQ Guard Battalion ("The old and the bold") unit AAOC (Australian Army Ordinance corps). 

On Arrival in the Middle East, Charles was originally assigned as part of the 2/1st Army Field Workshops arriving at Port Suez on 18 Nov 1940. He was taken into Depot Battalion and assessed for health following initial training in Palestine on 26 December 1940. From his service history his location from January through to June 1941 is shown as Palestine as an ongoing member of Depot Battalion.

In June 1941 he was transferred to what was then called HQ Guards Battalion (later 2/1st Guards Battalion (nicknamed the old and the bold).
The Guards Battalion provided support troops to act as protective air gunners around the Brigade and Battalion HQ units.
As such they were provided generally in Platoon strength of around 14 odd men to all the units located in the Middle East.
Long-term investigation and subsequent findings into the Guards Battalion showed many men having an entry that just says HQ Base Aera when in fact they were dispersed to other locations. 

Charles’ time in Guards Battalion was somewhat brief as he became quite ill around 12 July, and he was evacuated to 2nd Australian General Hospital. (Dysentary)
This hospital was located at El Kantara in Egypt.
On 23 July 1941 he was released from hospital back to Guards Battalion and then embarked for Australia on 27 July 1941.


***Charlee first world war service was under his birth name- (fathers surname Williams)***
Charles Williams (Later aka musselwhite) WW1 SN# 2650A
RANK- Private/Lance Sergeant
Name at Enlistment: Charles Williams
Service Number: 2650A
Date of Enlistment: 29/9/1916
Unit(s):
5th Reinforcements, 43rd Infantry Battalion
3rd Australian Field Ambulance (3rd A.F.A.)
Embarkation Ship: Fremantle Argyllshire
Embarkation Date: 09 November 1916
Theatre of Service: United Kingdom and France (briefly)
Return to Australia: H.T. Ormonde, arriving 16 June 1919
Discharge: Medically unfit due to hand injury?
Service Summary – Private Charles Williams (2650A), later known as Charles Musselwhite

Australian Imperial Force – First World War
Charles Edwin David Williams, born 8 January 1899 in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force during World War I under his birth name, Charles Williams, with the service number 2650A. He was under-age (17) at his time of Enlistment but after his first failed attempt with parents consent signatures (denied due to missing right testicle) he tried again and stated his age at 21 years 1 month ("coincidentally" the minimum age requirement for overseas service being 21 years). .

He embarked with the 5th Reinforcements of the 43rd Battalion. His age at one point was questioned. Following illness on arrival, He later served in the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, contributing to the final stages of the Great War.

He became known as Charles Mussellwhite (going by his mother's maiden name) in WW2 using different surname and place of birth assumedly to avoid linking prior military service files and also because at 41 years he was then too old. He shaved 8 years off his true age stating he was 32 instead and became part of "The old and the bold" HQ guard Battalion.

His two service histories can be linked via NOK documentation & consent of his parents J & VRC Williams in his failed (medically unfit) attempt, NOK J Williams in his successful WW1 enlistment and their same address and subsequently again in WW2 enlistment via NOK documentation of his Daughter Margaret.

Charles Mussellwhite 
(Formerly aka Charles Williams Service Number: 2650A
mussellwhite being his mothers maiden name)
SN# NX10065
Lance Sergeant Australian Imperial Force  
HQ Guard Battalion ("The old and the bold") unit AAOC (Australian Army Ordinance corps). 

On Arrival in the Middle East, Charles was originally assigned as part of the 2/1st Army Field Workshops arriving at Port Suez on 18 Nov 1940. He was taken into Depot Battalion and assessed for health following initial training in Palestine on 26 December 1940. From his service history his location from January through to June 1941 is shown as Palestine as an ongoing member of Depot Battalion.

In June 1941 he was transferred to what was then called HQ Guards Battalion (later 2/1st Guards Battalion (nicknamed the old and the bold).
The Guards Battalion provided support troops to act as protective air gunners around the Brigade and Battalion HQ units.
As such they were provided generally in Platoon strength of around 14 odd men to all the units located in the Middle East.
Some in Tobruk had been there since the Siege began, others went to Greece for the invasion, some to Syria for the brief fight against the Vichy French.

Long-term investigation and subsequent findings into the Guards Battalion showed many men having an entry that just says HQ Base Area when in fact they were dispersed to other locations. 

Charles’ time in Guards Battalion was somewhat brief as he became quite ill around 12 July, and he was evacuated to 2nd Australian General Hospital.
This hospital was located at El Kantara in Egypt.
On 23 July 1941 he was released from hospital back to Guards Battalion and then embarked for Australia on 27 July 1941.


******Charles had previously served under his birth name Charles Williams while underage in WW1. His two service histories can be linked via his NOK at enlistment documentation- His parents (J.Williams and V.R.C Williams) in WW1 and his Daughter (Margaret during WW2). He lied about his true age for both enlistments.********

Charles Williams (Later aka musselwhite) WW1 SN# 2650A
RANK- Private/Lance Sergeant
Name at Enlistment: Charles Williams
Service Number: 2650A
Date of Enlistment: 29/9/1916
Unit(s):
5th Reinforcements, 43rd Infantry Battalion
3rd Australian Field Ambulance (3rd A.F.A.)
Embarkation Ship: Fremantle Argyllshire
Embarkation Date: 09 November 1916
Theatre of Service: United Kingdom and France (briefly)
Return to Australia: H.T. Ormonde, arriving 16 June 1919
Discharge: Medically unfit due to hand injury
Service Summary – Private Charles Williams (2650A), later known as Charles Musselwhite

Australian Imperial Force – First World War
Charles Edwin David Williams, born 8 January 1899 in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force during World War I under his birth name, Charles Williams, with the service number 2650A. He was under-age (17) at his time of Enlistment but after his first failed attempt with parents consent signatures (denied due to missing right testicle) he tried again and stated his age at 21 years 1 month ("coincidentally" the minimum age requirement for overseas service being 21 years).

He embarked with the 5th Reinforcements of the 43rd Battalion. His age at one point was questioned. He later served in the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, contributing to the final stages of the Great War.

He then became known as Charles Mussellwhite SN# NX10065 (going by his mother's maiden name) in WW2 using the different surname and place of birth assumedly to avoid linking prior military service files and also because at 41 years he was then too old. He shaved 8 years off his true age stating he was 32 instead and became part of "The old and the bold" HQ guard Battalion.