Charles Fielder

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Croyden, London, England
Death	23 May 1970, aged 87
Place of Death	Nedlands
Age at Enlistment	32 years, 9 months
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall; weight 138 lbs (62.6 kg); slightly dark complexion, blue eyes, brown hair
Occupation	bushman
Religion	Church of England
Address	Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Ellen Fielder
Military Information
Reg Number	1909
Date of Enlistment	17 Feb 1916
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	51st battalion, 3rd Reinforcements / 13th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	18 Jul 1916 - 9 Sep 1916 at Plymouth
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A48 Seang Bee
Date of Return	4 Jan 1919 - 21 Jan 1919
Ship Returned On	HMT Nevasa
Fate	Wounded in Action 9 Jun 1917 Messines Ridge Wounded in Action 24 Apr 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (Armadale panel) Armadale Congregational Church Honour Board
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

While the family lived in Armadale, Charles in 1916 enlisted in Dwellingup

War Service

Eight weeks after entering Blackboy Hill camp Charles is allocated to the 3rd reinforcement draft for the 51st Battalion. Disembarking in the UK, he was sent to one of the many training battalion on the Salisbury Plains in Wiltshire.

After 11 weeks extra training, Charles was transported on the SS Princes Henrietta to France where he joined the 51st Battalion at Buire near Meaulte south of Albert, on 14 Dec 1916, just one of 91 reinforcements arriving that day.

On 2 Apr 1917 Charles was appointed Lance Corporal and in June 1917 the 51st Battalion was in the line near Wytschaete (Wijtschate) in Belgium about 10km south of Ypres during the Battle for Messines Ridge.

Charles was one of 107 casualties suffered by his unit during the five days that they were in support to the 49th and 52nd Battalions during the battle. Receiving a GSW to his right arm and hand, he was treated first by the 77th Field Ambulance, and the 1st South African General Hospital in Abbeville before being evacuated to England on the HMHS Grantully Castle, and admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital on 15 Jun 1917.

Charles rejoined his unit in France on 22 Oct 1917 via Southampton after some time with the Overseas Training Brigade at Perham Downs, and was promoted Corporal on 12 Apr 1918. Soon after he was wounded a second time with a bullet wound to his left elbow on 24 Apr 1918 during the battle for Villers-Bretonneux. Treated by the 2/3 HCFA, the 5th Casualty Clearing Station, and the 20th General Hospital before being again evacuated to the Central Military Hospital in England for treatment on 28 April 1918.

He did not rejoin his unit until 10 Oct 1918 when they were in Guigenemicourt near Amiens. Here they remained, refitting and reorganising until the eve of the armistice when they set off towards the front lines again through St Quentin for Roisel.

Charles was one of the early returnees to Australia.

"Enlisted 17th February, 1916; sailed 20th July with the 3rd Reinforcements for the 51st Battalion. Arrived in England September 1916. In camp at Salisbury Plains. Two of his five boys belong to the Armadale Scouts".

Chas. Fielder had been wounded for a second time.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1921 to 1937 with wife Ellen in Harvey, a foreman; 1943 Charles is a manager in 62 Stirling street, Bunbury. In 1954 Charles had retired to 167 Beechboro road Bayswater where Ellen died on 25 Aug 1954 aged 71. Charles was still living in Bayswater in 1958, but given the suburb of death, he may have died in Hollywood Repat Hospital. Buried Guildford Cemetery. Children Daniel George (1910 - 86); Robert Edward ( 1910 - 1992); Thomas Victor (1913 - ); Charles Horace ( 1914 - 1946); Jean Agatha (1920 - )

Notes

Buried Guildford Cemetery