Hearle, Charles Kenneth

No.7939 – Private Charles Kenneth Hearle – 51^st Battalion AIF

Charlie was the youngest Hearle brother to serve in the war, having been born in Adelaide SA in 1898. He was still very young when his family moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Fremantle. As with his brothers, Charlie was educated at Beaconsfield Primary School and also began service with the Naval Cadets and he was also later with the Naval Reserve. After leaving school Charlie took up work as a teamster.

On the 31^st July 1917 Charlie went to the Fremantle Drill Hall to enlist in the AIF. It would have been hard for Herbert and Elizabeth Hearle to see their fourth son in enlist, with two already having been killed and Harry currently on his way but nevertheless they gave Charlie their permission to enlist.

He was found to be fit by the medical examiner who recorded Charlie’s physical attributes as; 5 feet 10 & ½ inches in height; weight of 162 lbs; chest measurement of 36-38 inches; dark complexion; brown eyes and black hair.

Upon being sent to Blackboy Hill Camp, Charlie was sent into D3 Training Depot. He spent twelve days with this depot and he was then transferred into the 27^th reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion with the regimental no.7959. This group trained in WA for the next few months and in October the men entrained for Fremantle where they boarded a transport ship which took them to Victoria. Here they re-embarked upon the HMAT Aeneas on the 30^th October 1917 and they sailed via the United States to England, disembarking at Devonport on the 27^th December 1917.

Charlie was then sent to the 2^nd Training Battalion at Sutton Veny camp where his brother Harry was still situated.  However while Harry soon left for France, Charlie remained in England until the 31^st March 1918. He was then put in a draft of soldiers and headed for Dover where they boarded a transport ship for France.

Instead of joining the 11^th Battalion Harry was now reassigned units. He marched into the 4^th Australian Division Depot and on the 6^th April he was taken on strength of the 51^st Battalion AIF. When Charlie joined them the 51^st had just come through the Dernancourt action. The next few weeks were spent on normal duty in the front and reserve lines however on the 24^th April 1918 the Germans captured the village of Villers-Bretoneux. The 51^st Battalion was to play a noteworthy part in its recapture on April 25^th and fortunately Charlie came through the counter attack unscathed.

Charlie continued to serve with the 51^st Battalion though on the 1^st July he was detached for duty with the 4^th Division HQ, though he returned to the 51^st Battalion ten days later. Charlie took part in the Amiens Offensive from August 8^th but he missed his units last action as on the 14^th September he was evacuated sick to the 1^st Australian General Hospital at Rouen. He spent a few weeks in hospital eventually rejoining the 51^st on the 25^th October 1918.

The 51^st Battalion were then on a rest from front line service but they just began to move back to the front when the Armistice was announced. They were then sent to what had been German occupied Belgium. In February 1919 Charlie was detached for duty to the 13^th Brigade HQ during which time he was also granted two weeks leave. On the 2^nd April 1919 Charlie rejoined the 51^st Battalion but was then detached again on the 4^th April for duty with the Namur Guard force. Three days later he rejoined the 51^st Battalion and Charlie was among the last to leave the unit as the 51^st Battalion gradually dissolved and then ceased to exist.

On the 20^th May 1919 Charlie returned to England and was sent to Hurdcott Camp. He was put on a waiting list for a berth on a transport ship home. Finally on the 12^th July 1919 Charlie went aboard the HMT City of Exeter and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 26^th August 1919. He was discharged from the AIF in October 1919.

Charles died on the 30^th October 1969 aged 73.