Charles Jeffrey Stewart
Stephen LearmonthJeff was born on the 7th of June 1917 at Nurse Tyrell’s private hospital on Canterbury Road, Camberwell, Victoria. He was the eldest of two children to Peter Leslie Bruce and Amy Ruth (née Jeffrey) Stewart. Jeff’s sibling, Nancy, was born in 1921. Jeff’s father was a state school teacher and taught at a number of different schools while Jeff was growing up. These included Meredith near Geelong, and Auburn and Sandringham in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
Jeff was educated at University High School playing in both the football and cricket teams. He later played in the University High School Old Boys team. He would also play cricket with the MCC Third XI and football with Melbourne Seconds. During this time he was employed by the Bank of NSW and at some stage became engaged to Betty Hardy.
Jeff enlisted in the RAAF at Melbourne on the 26th of April 1941. After completing his initial training at Somers he was sent to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) as part of EATS (Empire Air Training Scheme) to undertake the next part of his training. He was posted to No. 23 Service Flight Training School situated at RAF Heany which was located approximately 25 km from Bulawayo, which was the capital of the then Southern Rhodesia. Whilst in Rhodesia Jeff was prominent in introducing the game to the locals, being the captain of a team of Australian airmen playing the game there.
On the 23rd of May 1942, Jeff, as pupil pilot, and Flight Lieutenant Frank Brannam, as instructor pilot, took off from RAF Heany on a night flying exercise. They were flying an Oxford aircraft with registration V3323. Shortly after midnight, about 1 km north of the aerodrome, the aircraft spun in out of low cloud and crashed killing both of the occupants. 408534 Sergeant Charles Jeffrey Stewart was buried in the Bulawyo War Cemetery, Zimbabwe.
Jeff is remembered on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, the Sandringham Honour Roll, the Bank of NSW Roll of Honour, and the Walwa Roll of Honour. For his service, he was awarded the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939-1945 and the Australian Service Medal 1939-1945