Cann, Charles William
8552 Sergeant Charles William Cann - 5th Field Artillery Brigade
Charles Willian Cann was born in Fremantle WA on the 5th November 1885 to Charles and Amelia Cann. He was one of six siblings, with, Amelia 1887, Robert 1891, Frances 1892, Walter 1894 and Herbert 1896.
The family had moved to Victoria in the 1890's though Charles returned to Western Australia in the 1900's and took up residence in Geraldton.
In 1909 he married Mary Hodgins in Geraldton and they would have four children, Keith, 1909, Zelma 1911, Maurice 1913 and Herbert 1915.
On the 21st July 1915 in Geraldton Charlie enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 6 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 140lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-35 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Light Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment Charlie was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to No.20 Training Depot. He was soon sent to the artillery reinforcements, and as these men were being trained in Victoria, Charlie soon departed WA and went to Maribyrnong Camp.
He was soon assigned to the 6th Field Artillery Brigade and left Port Melbourne on the 22nd November 1915 aboard the transport ship HMAT Persic. The ship then arrived at Suez on the 22nd December 1915.
After arriving in Egypt Charlie was sent to Tel-El-Kebir camp and was soon promoted to Corporal. He was transferred to the 21st battery on the 10th March 1916 and a week later embarked for France.
After arriving at Marseilles, the men were entrained north for Armentieres and soon had their first experience on the Western Front.
In May 1916 he was transferred to the 22nd Field Artillery Brigade and was promoted to Sergeant on the 16th June 1916.
Charlie served through the Battle of the Somme from July to September 1916 and came through unscathed. In September 1916 the Australians moved to Belgium for several weeks. While he was there Charlie came down ill with influenza and spent two weeks in hospital.
From November 1916 Charlies unit returned to the Somme battlefield. In January 1917 he was transferred to the 14th Battery of the 5th Artillery Brigade.
He remained with this unit through to May 1917 and served with them through the Hindenburg Line Operations. In June 1917 the unit was then transferred to Belgium where they would be taking part in the Third Battle of Ypres.
On the 24th July 1917 he was wounded in action and spent a few months away from his unit, finally rejoining them on the 1st October 1917. He'd just been back with this unit for over a month when he was wounded on the 7th November 1917 by a German gas shell. He was evacuated to the 24th General Hospital at Etaples. He remained there for a few days but was then shipped to England.
He was then admitted to Woking Military Hospital and remained there till the 19th December 1917. He was then transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital where he stayed till the 15th January 1918.
He was then given a two week furlough and then reported for duty to No.3 Command Depot Camp. Charlie soon fell ill and was diagnosed with venereal disease. He was then sent to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford. He would remain here till June 1918 and then spent the next few months in various AIF Camps in England.
Charlie never went back to France and saw out the war in England. In 1919 he requested a period of Non Military employment to study poultry farming in Kent.
On the 7th November 1919 Charlie returned to Australia aboard the transport ship Dongara. He disembarked in Fremantle on the 4th January 1920 and was discharged from the AIF on the 16th March 1920.
He took up poultry farmer on his return from the war, and took up residence at Caversham.
Charlie died on the 15th March 1928 at Caversham aged 42. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Anglican HA 0311