Private Charles Victor Radnell, 38th Battalion

Known to friends and family as “Charlie”, Charles Victor Radnell was born around 1887 in Tarnagulla, Victoria, to William and Annie Radnell. His father was a miner in the district, and in the year Charles was born, he found a gold nugget that weighed more than a kilo and a half.

Charles was schooled locally before going on to work as a grocer. In the years before the outbreak of war he worked for Thomson and Comrie’s at Tarnagulla.

Charles Radnell tried a number of times to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force, and was turned down at least twice. In January 1915 his younger brother George was successful in enlisting at the age of 16, having put his age up to get in. Charles Radnell was finally accepted for service at the end of January 1916, and was posted to the 38th Battalion.

After a period of training in Australia, Radnell left for active service overseas on board the troopship Runic in June 1916. He first went to England where he continued his training and spent nearly a month in Bulford Military Hospital. By November he was well enough to join his battalion on the Western Front, and spent the bitterly cold winter of 1916 rotating in and out of the front line.

On 27 February 1917 a raiding party of the 38th Battalion attacked the German line near the French village of Bois Grenier. Private Radnell had been on scout duty for the previous week and his “courage and coolness in tight corners” saw him included in the raiding party.

The raid went ahead just after midnight, pushing through to a rear German trench and capturing a machine-gun, a searchlight, and 17 prisoners. After the first wave launched their attack, Private Radnell stayed behind to lay out a tape to guide stretcher bearers bringing in the wounded. As he was doing so, he was killed by German fire.

Radnell’s mate, Private John Chivers, wrote to William Radnell in Tarnagulla, saying:

“I have always found him a clean-living man, and a mate whose example I was glad to follow. He was very popular with all who knew him, and will be missed by many in his company. It is terribly hard for you, I know, in losing him, but I wanted you to know he died bravely, and died helping others.”

Private Charles Radnell is buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery at Armientieres, under the words “Lord, grant him a reward worthy of his sacrifice”. He was 29 years old.

Six months after his old brother’s death, Private George Radnell displayed such courage and initiative at Zonnebeke that he was awarded the Military Medal. He died of wounds the following year, aged 19.

Meleah Hampton, Historian, Military History Section