Charles Henry Walter Hansen

Charles Henry Walter Hansen

Personal Information
Date of Birth	26 Jan 1912
Place of Birth	Northam, Western Australia
Death	2 Nov 1989 aged 77
Place of Death	Inglewood, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	28 years, 6 months
Occupation	Bush worker
Religion	Church of England
Address	Runnymead, Bedfordale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Florence Hansen
Military Information
Reg Number	WX3868
Date of Enlistment	1 Jun 1940
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	3 Jan 1941 ‒ 12 Jan 1941
Transport Details	HMT Aquitania Fremantle to Colombo
Transfers
Journey Dates	16 Jan 1941 ‒ 2 Feb 1941
Transport Details	HMT Nieuw Zeeland Colombo to El Kantara, Egypt
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	21 Nov 1941 ‒ 5 Dec 1941
Transport Details	SS Oranje Port Tewfik - Fremantle
Post War Details
Fate	Wounded in action 1 Sep 1941 Tobruk Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries: 1936 Group 23; farmhand

War Service

While Charles enlisted on 1 Jun 1940 he was immediately granted 17 days leave without pay, reporting to the Northam Camp on 18 Jun 1940. On 15 Aug 1940 he was admitted to the Northam Camp Hospital with Influenza and the Measels, returning to duty on 19 Aug 1940. However, he was charged with being AWOL from midnight 18 August to 9:00pm on the 19th, resulting in the forfeiture of a days pay and 7 days Confined to Barracks. On 6 Sep 1940 Charles was transferred to the 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion.

On 7 Oct 1940 Charles was again in trouble, charged with 1)Neglecting to obey Battalion Standing Orders. Creating a disturbance while under the influence of liquor, and 2) Wilful damage to property for which he was Admonished. Charles was granted pre-embarkation leave from 27 Nov until 5 Dec 1940, and embarked for overseas aboard HMT Aquitania on 3 Jan 1941. In Colombo on 12 Jan 1941 the battalion transferred to HMT Nieuw Zeeland which then sailed on 16 Jan 1941 for El Kantara in Egypt, disembarking on 2 Feb 1941.

On 13 Mar 1941 Charles was admitted to 2/1st Australian General Hospital with Basal Pneumonia. He was released to the 2/1st Australian Convalescent Depot on 1 Apr 1941 and on 21 Apr 1941 he joined the 24th Australian Infantry Training Battalion and then on 3 May 1941 the AIF (ME) Staging Camp. On 30 May 1945 Charles returned to the 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion.

Charles was wounded in action at Tobruk on 1 Sep 1941 with a compound fracture of the right Tibia. He was a member of a patrol that sustained casualties when it ran into an enemy unit. He was evacuated to the 2/4th Australian General Hospital and transferred on 9 Sep 1941 to the 2/11th Australian General Hospital. Another transfer took place on 19 Sep 1941 when Charles was transferred to the 2/2nd Australian General Hospital where on 3 Nov 1941 a Medical Board assessed him as 'C3" temporarily unfit for service. Charles embarked on SS Oranje in Port Tewfik which sailed on 21 Nov 1941 for Fremantle which it reached on 5 Dec 1941.

The patients were unloaded the next day, and Charles was sent to the 110th Australian Base Hospital, held against the Returnees Depot, a section of the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. On 23 December he was charged with having been AWOL from 4:30pm on 19 Dec 1941 until 3:45 pm in 29 Dec 1941. For this he forfeited a days pay (6/-) and was fined 5/-(total $1.10). On 30 Dec 1941 Charles was transferred to the Lady Mitchell Home until 21 Jan 1942 when he returned to the 110th Australian Base Hospital, returning on 29 Jan 1942 to the Lady Mitchell Home. On 3 Mar 1942 he required another stay in the 110th Australian Base Hospital. Released on 12 March he was again sent to the lady Mitchell Home until 1 Apr 1942 when he was returned to the Returnees Depot (Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot). Granted leave immediately , he was however, admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital with illness on 11 Apr 1942 before being released to the Lady Mitchell Home on 13 Apr 1942. On 25 May 1942 Charles was transferred to the 109th Australian Convalescent Depot at Narrogin.

On 5 Aug 1942 Charles was released to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot where he enjoyed some leave before returning to 110th Australian Base Hospital on 7 Aug 1942. The next entry to his records has him leaving hospital on 31 Dec 1941 and facing a Medical Board on 7 Jan 1943. They found him to be classed as 'B2' and he was then processed for discharge which took place on 8 Feb 1943.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries: 1943 at 1002 Albany road Victoria Park, labourer; 1949 Palmerston avenue, Victoria Park, labourer; 1954 - 1968 at 2 Palmerston street, Bentley, labourer; 1972 - 1980 at 51 Dundas road, Inglewood, retort operator

Notes

Newspaper article: "Wounded in Action":