Charles Blunt
From Our Contribution
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| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth |
Not known "Not known" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation. |
| 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 |
| Date of Embarkation | 13 Oct 1916 ‒ 2 Dec 1916 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A23 Suffolk |
| 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 |
Pre War
War Service
Initial service was from 20 Oct 1915 to 3 May 1916 as part of 16th reinforcement for the 10th Light Horse. However, he was discharged for AWOL offences. While his records show him embarking on the HMAT A69 Warilda on 16 Feb 1916, there is no other entry to suggest he reached Egypt before being sent home. Discharged AWOL on 3 May 1916.
Re - enlisted and was posted to infantry. On the voyage to England, and while in training units, he runs foul of authority on at least five occasions. He also manages a visit to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford (10 Jan 1917 - 20 Mar 1917 69 days).
He finally makes it to the 51st Battalion on 15 July 1917. He was with the battalion through the Third Battle for Ypres and the 1917/18 winter in the trenches.
In March of 1918 he sought medical attention, first with the 13th Field Ambulance, then the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, and 56th General Hospital at Étaples before boarding HMHS Newhaven on 26 Mar 1918 for England where he was admitted to the Brook War Hospital in Woolwich, England with "trench fever". Transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 18 Apr until 22 Apr 1918. He is invalided home, but not before he manages at least one more clash with authority, going AWOL from 9 Jan 1919 till 14 Jan 1919.
Discharged 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 born on 28 Mar 1922. He was to be Killed in Action at Tarakan on 15 Jun 1945, aged 23 (WX38797). Son Malcolm E...born 5 Jan 1925; daughter Rona M born 1931
Notes