Charles Blunt

Charles Blunt

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1893
Place of Birth	Adelaide, South Australia
Death	21 Feb 1973, aged 79
Place of Death	Bunbury, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	22 years, 4 months
Description	5' 5½" (1.65m) tall ; 110 lbs 49.895 kg ; fresh complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Survey hand
Religion	Church of England
Address	NOK Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Jessie Isabel Blunt
Military Information
Reg Number	2202 and 2626
Date of Enlistment	20 Oct 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	10th Light Horse Regiment, 14th Reinforcement (2002) 51st Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	13 Oct 1916 ‒ 2 Dec 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A23 Suffolk Fremantle to Plymouth
Date of Return	24 Jan 1919 ‒ 28 Feb 1919
Ship Returned On	HMHS Delta
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	none at present
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Initial service with Regimental Number 2318 was from 8 Nov 1915 until 3 May 1916. Entering camp he was allocated to the 55th Depot Company until 21 Dec 1915 when he was placed in the No 4 Depot Squadron. On 4 Jan 1916 he was posted to the 16th reinforcement draft for the 10th Light Horse. While his records show him embarking on the HMAT A69 Warilda on 16 Feb 1916, there is no other entry to enlighten us. We might assume that he was AWOL at the time of his ship's departure as he is not on the list of the 16th reinforcement draft that sailed for Egypt on 16 Feb 1916. Discharged as being AWOL on 3 May 1916.

Charles re-enlisted on 3 Jul 1916, and spent three weeks in the 76th Depot Company at Blackboy Hill camp before being allocated to the 6th reinforcement draft for the 51st Battalion. During the voyage to England, on 24 Oct 1916 he was charged with "Obtaining money under false pretences on HMAT A23 Suffolk". Found guilty his punishment was 48 hours detention and 10 days confined to ship. Then on 7 Nov 1916, Charles was charged with being "Absent from duty when a guard on HMAT A23 Suffolk". Found guilty he was awarded 160 hours detention, and a further 14 days confined to ship.

While with the 13th Training Battalion at Codford prior to deployment to France he was again in strife. On 4 Jan 1917 he was charged with "Overstaying leave from 1:00am on 2 Jan until 7:30pm on 3 Jan 1917. Punishment was 2 days Field Punishment No. 2, and the forfeiture of 4 days pay. On 10 Jan 1917 he was admitted to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, transferring on 19 Mar 1917 to the Parkhouse Hospital, before returning to duty on 20 Mar 1917. Total ineffective service with VD was 69 days. The next day he was charged with "1) Neglecting to obey standing Hospital Orders; 2) Neglecting to obey a lawful command given by the Ward Orderly; 3) being AWOL from 8:00 until Noon on 5 Mar 1917." Found guilty he was awarded 28 day's detention and fined £7. On 5 May 1917 he was charged with "1) Being improperly dressed; 2) Failing to salute an officer of His Majesty's Forces; 3) Inattention on Parade." He forfeited 8 days pay (£2).

Much to the relief of the 13th Training Battalion's staff, on 25 Jun 1917 he proceeded overseas to France through Southampton. Following a period with the 4th Division's Base Depot, he joined the 51st Battalion on 15 Jul 1917 when they were in the front line near Ploegsteert Wood.

He was with the battalion through the Third Battle for Ypres and the 1917/18 winter in the trenches. On 13 Mar 1918 he sought medical attention from the 13th Australian (?) Field Hospital for Trench Fever, before being transferred to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, and then the 56th General Hospital at Étaples. On 26 Mar 1918 he was evacuated to England aboard HMHS Newhaven, and admitted to the Brook War Hospital in Woolwich, England.

Charles was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital Dartford from 18 Apr until he was discharged on 22 Apr 1918 to the No 4 Command Depot Hurdcott. On 22 May 1918 Charles was AWOL from the Tattoo Roll Call for which he earnt 7 days extra duty and the same confined to camp. On 24 May 1918 Charles was again admitted to the Brook War Hospital, Woolwich, returning to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 10 Jul 1918. Here he was granted furlough from 29 Jul until 12 Aug 1918 after which he reported to No 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott. On 14 Dec 1918 Charles was admitted to the Fovant Military Hospital with tonsillitis, and following treatment on 31 Dec 1918 he was discharged to the No 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott

Charles was invalided home, but not before he managed at least one more clash with authority, going AWOL at Hurdcott from midnight 9 Jan 1919 till 12 noon on 13 Jan 1919. Total forfeiture of pay was 8 days.

Discharged by the 5th Military District on 7 July 1919.

Post War

Married Ethel Maude Gaisford in 1921. Ethel died 21 Nov 1992, aged 93.

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 Ethel was at 139 Gloster street, West Subiaco; and from 1929 - 1963 they are both living at 159 Gloster street, with Charles working as a survey hand. In 1968 - 1972 they had retired to Jubilee road, Glen Iris near Bunbury. From 1977 - 1980 Ethel remained at Jubilee road.

Son Vivian Charles was born on 28 Mar 1922. He was to be Killed in Action at Tarakan on 15 Jun 1945, aged 23 (WX38797). A second son Malcolm E. was born on 5 Jan 1925; and a daughter Rona M who was born in 1931.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial