Charles Henry Hamilton

Charles Henry Hamilton was born on 18th August 1888 in Albury, NSW, to Allan Leach Hamilton and Margaret (Maggie) Elizabeth, nee Bell. Like his brothers, Charles was a member of the Upper Murray Rifle Club and the local Light Horse.

At least five of Allan and Maggie’s sons, Charles, Hugh, Gordon, Wallace and Joseph, enlisted in the 1st AIF and fought overseas. Joseph was killed in action on the Western Front on 24th June 1916.

On 16th August 1914, he enlisted at Broadmeadows, Victoria. At the time, he was a single, 25-year-old blacksmith living at Railway Street, Euroa, Victoria. He was allocated Regimental Number 1149 and placed in No.6 Battery of the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade. Charles gave his next of kin as his mother, Maggie Hamilton. 

After initial training, he embarked on HMAT A9 Shropshire at Melbourne, Victoria, on 21st October 1914. He joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Egypt and, after spending some time in No. 2 General Hospital in Cairo with gastritis, he rejoined the 6th Battery at Gallipoli, just after they had participated in the August offensive.

While still in Egypt, he was transferred to the 53rd Battery of the 5th Divisional Artillery. In mid June of 1916, Charles joined the BEF at Marseilles in the south of France. In December 1917, he was granted two weeks' leave, although it’s not known where he spent them. On 8th August 1918, he was wounded in action with shrapnel wounds to both legs. He was admitted to the 6th Australian Field Ambulance before being evacuated to England. Charles spent the next four months in hospital.

On 7th April 1919, he returned to Australia aboard SS Dunlace Castle, with the rank of Farrier Sergeant. He was discharged on 7th September 1920, being awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service during the war.

Shortly after the war, both of Charles’s parents passed away, Maggie in 1919 and Allan in 1921.

Charles married Margaret Cargill on 28th June 1930. They would settle in Darnum in western Gippsland, Victoria. He passed away on 8th February 1957 at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, Victoria and was buried in Yarragon Cemetery, Victoria.