No.2348 – Private Charles Thomas Dunbar – 27th Battalion AIF
Charles Thomas Dunbar was born in Horsham Victoria in 1889 to Robert and Ulrica Matilda Dunbar. He was one of nine children born into the family. The family moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Queen St Fremantle, and Charles was educated locally.He later worked as a labourer around Fremantle and also served in the Fremantle Company of the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment.
Charles went across to South Australia for work purposes and enlisted there on the 22nd June 1915. He was given a medical examination at Keswick Barracks where he was passed as fit and found to be 5 feet 8 ¾ inches tall; weight of 160 lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic. Charles was sent to Mitcham Camp and on the 24th June 1915 assigned to the 5th Reinforcements to the 27th Battalion.
His reinforcement group trained in South Australia for the next two months. At Mitcham Camp on the 6th August Charles got into trouble for disobeying a lawful command and was given 7 days confined to camp as a punishment. The 5th Reinforcements to the 27th Battalion left Adelaide on the 14th September 1915. After arriving in Egypt in October, the men were marched into the Infantry Depot and remained there until the 27th Battalion had returned from Gallipoli. Charles was taken on strength of the 27th Battalion on the 12th January 1916. He trained with them in the Egyptian desert for the next two months.
On the 16th March 1916 the 27th Battalion left Egypt and proceeded to France, arriving at Marseilles on the 21st March. The 27th Battalion were put onto trains and sent to the north of France where they were put into the front line just south of Armentieres. They spent the next few months in this sector, but in July proceeded south to take part in the Battle of the Somme. The 1st AIF Division had captured Pozieres village on July 23rd and they were relieved by the 2nd Division a week later. The 27th Battalion were involved in operations on July 29 and August 4th. On the 4th August during the assault on the Windmill position Charles was killed in action.
Unfortunately there is no record of his burial and he is therefore commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial
Dunbar, Charles Thomas. City of Fremantle Local History Centre, accessed 05/04/2026, https://history.fremantle.wa.gov.au/nodes/view/44705