Grieve, Charles Russell

3770 Private Charles Russell Grieve - 48th Battalion AIF

Charles Russell Grieve was born in Aberdeen Scotland on the 25th August 1886 to John and Annie Grieve. He had his early years in Scotland and came to Australia in December 1911 with his brother Peter, though Peter appears to have later returned to Scotland.

He was working as a Clerk and living at 33 Malcolm Street Fremantle

In 1915 in Fremantle he married Florence Hilda Henderson and a son James was born in Fremantle in 1916.

On the 21st December 1916 Charlie enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit for service and after some time in the depot camp at Blackboy Hill Camp he was assigned to the 10th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF.

He trained with this group in WA for a few months and on the 29th June 1917 went to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Borda and set sail for England, disembarking at Plymouth on the 25th August 1917.

The men were then disembarked and sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp. Charlie remained here for the next few months during which time he also attended the 4th Division Signal School.

On the 18th April 1918 Charlie was shipped across to France and after a few days at the Australian Divisional Depot he was shipped out to his new unit. Instead of joining the 51st Battalion, Charlie was taken on strength of the 48th Battalion AIF on the 25th April 1918. This unit was then in the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux.

Charlie saw action a week after arriving when the 48th battalion attacked the German positions at Monument Wood on May 3rd. He came through this unscathed and remained with the 48th Battalion for the next few months.

On August 8th 1918 the 48th Battalion took part in the great advance from Villers-Bretonneux. The 48th battalion advanced near the Somme River and took their objectives successfully. During the advance Charlie was wounded when a bullet struck him in the left arm.

After treatment at the 13th Field Ambulance he was sent to the 4th General Hospital. He only spent four days there as on the 13th August Charlie was shipped to England, where upon arrival he was sent to Fort Pitt Military Hospital at Chatham.

Charlie only spent three days there and on the 16th August was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. Three days later he was transferred to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott.

On the 13th September 1918 Charlie was transferred to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny. He spent a month here and on the 14th October was transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell.

On the 25th October 1918 Charlie was sent to the 12th training Brigade camp at Hurdcott. While at Hurdcott Camp Charlie was involved in an accident when he was hit by a car while walking back to camp. A court of enquiry was held at which Charlie was interviewed.

'About (9.30pm) 2130 on the 10th November I was returning to camp from Wilton with Pte Lowry 15th Bn. I am a teetotal and have been all my life. While on the road near No.12 Camp I saw a stationary Motor Car on the correct side (left) of the road facing Wilton. I was walking on my left side of road. Just as I passed the stationary car, a second car overtook me. I did not hear motor horn sounded but my attention to the car was drawn by the flash of its lights. I was fairly close to the extreme left of the road approximately six feet. The night was very dark my companion was on my left. Immediately I noticed the flash of the lights  I stepped quickly to the left with my right foot (thus half turning to left). The car struck me on the left calf and hip. I do not know what part of the car hit me. I fell on my face and I can remember my head hitting the ground. I was dazed but remember being picked up and placed in motor car and being taken to a medical hut. I do not know the class of car, no. of the car or name of driver. I have no idea the speed the car was travelling. My companion Pte Lowry was sober.'

The court of enquiry found that no blame could be apportioned to Charlie Grieve.

Charlie had been taken to the Military Hospital at Fovant Camp but was released on the 4th December 1918. On the 18th December 1918 Charlie boarded the transport ship HMAT Aeneas and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 27th January 1919.

Charlie was discharged from the AIF on the 6th March 1919.

After returning back to WA, Charlie took up clerking and went into accountancy. They were then living at 52 Ord Street Fremantle (now called 12 Ord street).

In 1921 another child was added to the family when a daughter Dorothy was born. The family lived at 52 Ord Street Fremantle until the 1940's. They then moved to 9 McEwan Crescent Mosman Park.

Charles died in Mosman Park on the 26th February 1945 aged 58. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery