Charlton, Leslie Richard

Lieutenant Leslie Richard Charlton - 51st Battalion AIF

Leslie Richard Charlton was born In Newcastle NSW on the 7th December 1885.

The family moved to Western Australia while Les was still young and took up residence in North Fremantle.

After completing his schooling Les went on to further study at the Teachers College in Claremont. After he completed this he became a school teacher initially teaching at North Fremantle Primary School, however in 1915 he took a job at East Fremantle primary school.

Les was also active in sporting circles and played for the North Fremantle Magpies in the WAFL. He was also active in local soccer circles.

In 1913 in North Fremantle Les married Ivy Myrtle Johnson and a son Leslie John Charlton was born in 1914. The family lived in Harvest Road North Fremantle

On the 7th February 1916 Leslie enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording Les's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;

Weight - 148 lbs; 

Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;

Complexion - Dark;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Dark Brown.

After his successful enlistment, Les was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the infantry training depot. On the 17th April 1916 Les was promoted to Sergeant and was assigned to the 20th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion. 

However Les had soon applied for a commission so he was pulled out of that reinforcement group and underwent officer training. In November 1916 Les qualified as a Second Lieutenant and was then assigned to the 19th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. However the next week Les was transferred to the 6th Reinforcements to the 3rd Pioneer Battalion.

However it appears that due to his teaching ability Les was pulled out of going overseas for the next few months and was instead posted as an instructor to No.22 Training Depot.

He had the next few months there but on the 10th February 1917 was assigned to the 10th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF.  Les and the other officer in charge of this group, Second Lieutenant Reginald Wood took the new recruits through their paces over the next few months in WA.

On the 29th June 1917 Les led his men aboard the transport ship HMAT Borda in Fremantle Harbour and they set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 25th August 1917.

After being disembarked from the ship Les led his men to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp.

(Photo below - rear - Lieutenant Alan Muir 16th Bn - Lt Les Charlton 51st Bn - front Lt Fred Aberle 16th Bn & Lt Reg Wood - 51st Bn)

On the 9th October 1917 Les was sent from the 13th Training Battalion to the No.3 School at Kandahar Barracks for a period of instruction. Les would be in England for the next few months on instructional duty.

On the 4th February 1918 Les was at Southampton were he boarded a troopship for France, and after a few days at the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Le Havre he was taken on strength of the 51st Battalion on the 12th February 1918. The 51st Battalion were then holding the line Spoilbank south east of Ypres.

Les served with the 51st Battalion for the next several weeks. On the 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their large offensive which broke through the British Army to the south. The Australian units, including the 51st Battalion were sent south to stop the Germans.

Les was with the 51st Battalion when they met the Germans near Dernancourt in late March and early April 1918. He survived these actions unscathed.

On April 24th 1918 the Germans captured the French village of Villers-Bretonneux. The 51st Battalion was one of the units tasked with the villages recapture. In the counter attack on the 24th/25th April 1918 Les was wounded being hit in the face, hand and leg.

He was evacuated to hospital at Rouen France and after a few days was shipped to England where he was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital. He recovered quite well and on the 11th June he was transferred to Cobham Hall Convalescent Camp. He had a few weeks here and after a full medical examination it was declared that les was fit enough to return to France.

On the 23rd July 1918 Les rejoined the 51st Battalion in France. When he rejoined them the unit was out of the line at Glisy. However they soon went back into the front line positions and Les served with the unit for the remainder of the war. 

On the 22nd April 1919 Les returned to England. On the 12th July 1919 Les left England aboard the transport ship Indarra. 

After returning home Les was given a medical examination at No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Tce Fremantle and was then discharged from the AIF on the 28th September 1919.

After arriving home Les resumed his teaching career at East Fremantle Primary School.

A daughter Betty was born in 1923.

Post war Leslie remained involved with the North Fremantle Football Club and also the North Fremantle Branch of the RSL. Les also became involved in the local North Fremantle Council.

During World War Two Les served in the Fremantle Battalion of the Volunteer Defence Corps. He rose in rank from Lieutenant to Major. His son Leslie Charlton served in the Royal Australian Air Force in World War Two (406162) and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, serving as a Flight Lieutenant in the Middle East, India, Australia and the Pacific Islands serving mainly with 45 Squadron and 159 Squadron.

Leslie was the Mayor of North Fremantle, having been elected to that position in 1950.

He died in his sleep at home in Harvest Road on the 1st March 1952 in North Fremantle aged 66.