Rutherford, Charles
No.698 – Private Charles Rutherford – 44th Battalion AIF
Charles Rutherford was born in Nhill Victoria in 1896 to Charles and Henrietta Rutherford. He was one of several children and the family soon travelled to Western Australia to live. They took up residence in Fremantle, firstly at Duke Street, then Marmion Street and young Charlie was educated at Fremantle Boys School. After leaving school Charlie found work as a labourer and continued his studies at a night technical school. During this time Charlie also served in the 86A Cadets of the Citizen’s Military Forces.
Sadly, his mother Henrietta died in Fremantle in 1910.
Prior to the Great War Charlie went to the country to work on a farm. His elder brother Ralph enlisted in 1914 and went away to serve with the 10th Light Horse. Another brother Richard enlisted in January 1916 and was assigned to the 44th Battalion. Charlie didn’t want to be left behind and on the 24th March 1916 he went to the Francis Street Drill Hall in Perth to enlist in the AIF. He was passed as fit with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 3 & ½ inches tall; weight of 120lbs; chest measurement of 32-34 inches; fresh complexion; grey yes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.
Upon his successful enlistment Charlie was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.57 Training Depot. Perhaps because his brother was already assigned to the 44th Battalion, Charlie was sent to Claremont Camp where was taken on strength of “D” Company of the 44th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA through April and May 1916 and in early June their embarkation orders arrived.
On the 6th June 1916 the 44th Battalion boarded the HMAT Suevic and set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 21st July 1916. After being disembarked the men were sent to the 3rd Division Training ground at Salisbury Plains. Charlie remained here until the 9th September 1916 when he was transferred to the 13th Training Battalion as he had now been earmarked to join the 51st Battalion in France. He remained there for the next five weeks but he managed to get transferred back to the 44th Battalion, being taken back on strength of that unit on the 27th October 1916.
A month later the 44th Battalion left England and proceeded across to France where they took up their first position on the Western Front in the Armentieres sector.
Charlie had a few months here with the 44th Battalion as they became accustomed to life on the Western Front. In late March 1917 the 44th Battalion, as part of the 3rd Division, were transferred north to Belgium where they took up positions in the Ploegsteert sector.
The 3rd Division would soon be involved in the planned assault at Messines which was scheduled for June 7th 1917. However there was much preparation to be done before the attack could proceed and the 3rd Division undertook many trench raids on the German units opposite them.
On the 4th June 1917 the 44th Battalion launched a daylight trench raid on the Germans from their positions in Toronto Avenue at the corner of Ploegsteert Wood. It was partially successful though thirteen men of the 44th Battalion would be killed in this action. Unfortunately young Charlie was among those killed.
He was taken back and buried at Strand Military Cemetery in plot IV.C.12, his older brother Richard (pictured left) being in attendance at the burial.
Richard survived the war, having been wounded three times reaching the rank of Sergeant. He returned home in 1919. Ralph Rutherford served at Gallipoli and Palestine with the 10th Light Horse Regiment and also survived the war to return home. Their father Charles Rutherford served with the 28th Battalion and also made it back home.