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WARD Charles Herbert
260
Private
Lieutenant
25 Battalion
26th Battalion
North Arm
Yes
16 August 1887
Rockhampton Qld
SS Aeneas
29 June 1915

Charlie Ward was born 16 August 1887 at Rockhampton Qld(Qld BDM Ref 9522) to Harry Ward and Elizabeth Green Freeman

On 1 March 1915 Charlie presented himself at Brisbane to enlist in the AIF. His attestation papers state he was a dairy farmer, 27 years 8 months, 5ft 4in, 125 lbs, chest 32-34in, fair complexion, grey eyes, brown hair, Church of England. His stepmother Eliza A Ward of North Arm listed as next of kin. Charlie was appointed to 25th Battalion, 7th Infantry Brigade.

He embarked from Australia 29 June 1915 on “HMAT Aeneas”. Although Charlie’s NAA records to not give any details of his service at Gallipoli, we know that he did serve there and was part of the evacuation in December 1915. Charlie’s first entry on his official war record was 9 January 1916 when Charlie sailed on “Hororato” from Mudros to Alexandria in Egypt.

Extract from Australian War Memorial History of 25th Battalion:

“… left Australia in early July, trained in Egypt during August, and by early September was manning trenches at Gallipoli. At Gallipoli the 7th Brigade reinforced the depleted New Zealand and Australian Division. The 25th Battalion, however, had a relatively quiet time because the last major Allied offensive had been launched, and turned back, in the previous month. It left the peninsular on 18 December 1915.

After further training in Egypt, the 25th Battalion proceeded to France. Landing on 19 March 1916, it was the first AIF battalion to arrive there. Now fighting as part of the 2nd Division, it took part in its first major battle at Pozières between 25 July and 7 August in the course of which it suffered 785 casualties. After a spell in a quieter sector of the front in Belgium, the 2nd Division came south in October to attack again in the Somme Valley. The 25th Battalion took part in two attacks to the east of Flers, both of which floundered in the mud.

Although it acted in a supporting role at the second battle of Bullecourt, the 25th Battalion did not carry out a major offensive role again until 20 September 1917, when it was part of the 2nd Division’s first wave at the battle of Menin Road in Belgium. Victory here was followed up with the capture of Broodseinde Ridge on 4 October. The 25th reprised its role from Menin Road, in what was its last large-scale offensive action for the year.

1918 was an exhausting year for the 25th Battalion. It fought to turn back the German spring offensive in April, and then participated in battles at Morlancourt, Hamel, Amiens and along the Somme Valley as the German Army was pushed ever closer to defeat. These actions sapped the strength of the AIF, already terribly weak due to earlier casualties and lack of reinforcements. In September, the 25th was one of several battalions ordered to disband to reinforce others. Its troops mutinied, winning the Battalion a temporary reprieve.

The battalion went into the line one last time on 3 October 1918 and took part in a successful attack to break through the German defences around Beaurevoir. It was disbanded nine days later.”

Red Cross ladies in cities and countries across Australia filled Christmas billy cans with socks, tobacco, cigarettes, sweets and other treats for the soldiers serving overseas. Charlie received his billy can from a Mrs Tyrell. On 26 Jan 1916 (now Australia Day) Charlie wrote the following letter from Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt to Mrs Tyrell:

"No doubt by this time you are beginning to think that you are not going to receive an answer to your note in the billy. I was going to write several times but kept putting it off until we were settled down again after the evacuation. I was on Lemnos Island and received your billy on Xmas Eve and I must thank you and all kind friends who helped fill it. I can tell you that it caused quite a lot of excitement amongst us opening them to see what each had received. I might say that with a pudding between every two men what was in the billies was all that we had for Xmas so you can tell that they were very much appreciated. So far we have not had too bad a time. We were over on the peninsula fourteen weeks and were there for the final evacuation but there was nothing doing. Have not met either of your brothers as yet but am keeping their numbers in case I should run across them. Again thanking you very much for the billy and like you trusting that I may see home again shortly believe me to be. Yours sincerely, No.260, Pte C.H. Ward, A Coy, 25th Battalion (Q’ld) 7th Brigade AIF." (letter on page)

On 19 March 1916 Charlie proceeded to join BEF, and disembarked at Marseille, France. Charlie remained in France on the front until 5 August when, at Pozieres, he took a gunshot wound to the arm and was admitted to the 1st Stationary Hospital the following day. He sailed on “St George” from Rouen to England where he was admitted to 3rd Northern General Hospital. On 24 August Charlie was transferred to 1st Auxiliary Hospital until he was discharged on 5 September to Perham Downs on 5 September.

On 23 September Charlie was marched in the 7th Training Battalion. During this time he was AWOL for a day (7 November) and forfeited four days pay.

On 16 November 1916 Charlie sailed back to France on “SS Victoria” to serve in the 7th Training Battalion.

Again Charlie was wounded until he rejoined his unit on 25 March 1917.

By 8 June 1917 Charlie had come down with trench fever and was admitted to hospital until he was well enough to rejoin his unit on 20 June.

9 July 1917 he was at 5th Training Battalion as a cadet from Officers Cadet Battalion at Oxford. He was then promoted to corporal at 7th Training Battalion England to serve in France as at 7 August. Again Charlie was promoted to Training Sergeant on 24 September whilst in France.

On 22 December 1917 reverting to Corporal, Charles Ward proceeded to Officers Training Camp in England and to be borne supernumerary to the establishment of 25th Btn. Charlie would spend Christmas in England in 1917 and on 4 January 1918 joined No 6 Officers Cadet Battalion at Oxford as a cadet at Oxford, England

A Confidential Report from OTC dated 30 May 1918 states: Standard of education fair: Military knowledge - fair: Power of command & leadership - very fair: Special qualifications - Lewis Gun.

"A satisfactory but rather insignificant cadet, plays & works hard, & will eventually make a good platoon commander. Charlie requested to join 25th Btn and as other options the 49th, then 9th. 22 June 1918 qualified for commission (as Corporal cadet) in Infantry at No 6 Officers Cadet Battalion at Oxford & to retain appointment as cadet until commissioned."

Whilst stationed at Oxford, Charlie met Bertha Aris whom he married in June 1918 at Oxford. Bertha Ann Aris was the adopted daughter of Mr & Mrs E.F. Liddell, 105 St Clements, Oxford.

On 19 August 1918 Charlie was marched in from Musketry school at Tidworth,to be posted to General Infantry Reinforcements to proceed overseas to France. He left as 2nd Lieutenant from Southampton the next day.

On 31 August 1918 Charlie was transferred to 25th Battalion, his first choice, in France. But on 12 October he was transferred again, this time to 26th Battalion.

On 7 January 1919 Charlie was promoted to Lieutenant and on 1 February was granted leave to England until 22 February when he rejoined his Battalion. On 8 March 1919 Charlie was given special leave to England until 15 March.

On 18 April 1919 Charlie was part of No 2 Group to depart from Havre in France for England. He met up with Bertha and on 8 August 1919 they both embarked “Katoomba” for the voyage home, arriving in Australia 25 September 1919. On 25 Nov 1919 Charlie’s appointment was terminated from AIF.

Back in Queensland, Bertha gave birth to their son Allan Edgar, born on 18 July. By 1925 Charlie was working as a labourer at North Arm. The “Nambour Chronicle” reported on 21 February 1930 that Messrs Baldry & White had applied for a lease to sink a shaft to mine for gold on land owned by Charlie and his neighbour Victor Raaen.

Electoral rolls place Charlie and Bertha as farmers at Bli Bli near Nambour from 1936-43. All was not well, however, as the “Nambour Chronicle” reported the Agricultural Bank, as mortgagor, selling Charlie’s land by auction on 12 November 1937. Por 226V, subdivision 1 of Por 109, Parish of Maroochy, 169 acres, north-east of North Arm, with house etc and some land cultivated for Bananas. On his 21st birthday, Charlie and Bertha’s son Allan enlisted in the AIF to serve in WW2. (Service No. QX14962 to 2/31 Battalion. Discharged 21 January 1944.)

In 1942 Lieutenant Charles Herbert Ward Q204851 enlisted 19 April 1942 to 6 Battalion, Voluntary Defence Corps to serve in WW2.

From 1949 to 1972 electoral rolls place Charlie and Bertha at Kenilworth Road, Eumundi stating Charlie was an employee at the butter factory.

On 14 November 1960 Charlie wrote to the Army applying for repatriation benefits and in April 1967 he applied for his Gallipoli Medal.

Charlie Ward died 2 April 1975. He is buried in Nambour Garden Cemetery. Bertha was still living in 1977 at Chermside in Brisbane.

  • Gallipoli
  • Somme
WARD Charles Herbert
WARD Charles Herbert
WARD Charles Herbert
Returned to Australia
25 September 1919
2 April 1975
Eumundi Qld
Nambour Garden Cemetery Qld

Yandina/Maroochy River/North Arm Roll of Honour, Yandina School of Arts Hall, Corner of Stevens and Farrell Streets, Yandina

North Arm Roll of Honour Board, North Arm Community Hall, North Arm

Eumundi & District Roll of Honour Board, Eumundi Memorial School of Arts Hall, Memorial Drive, Eumundi

Maroochy Shire Honor Roll, Shire Chambers, Bury Street, Nambour

Nambour (Maroochy Shire) Roll of Honor Scroll, Private Collection, Nambour (this scroll was available for sale to the public after the war)(on scroll twice as CH Ward and C Ward)

Nambour Garden Cemetery, AIF Grave.

Qld Birth Deaths & Marriages
Ancestry.com electoral rolls Australia & UK
National Archives of Australia
AIF
Image of North Arm Soccer Team 1922: Picture Sunshine Coast M191398 Charlie is left in front row.
Letter from Charlie to Mrs Tyrell, courtesy of Annie Stevens.
Queenslanders who fought in the Great War 1914-1918 by Owen Wildman.
Further reading: B. Doneley, Black over blue: The 25th Battalion, A.I.F. at war 1915-1918 (Toowoomba: USQ Press, 1997).
Colour patch of 25th Battalion.

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