Adams, Charles Robert
1815A Private Charles Robert Adams - 4th Pioneer Battalion AIF
Charles Robert Adams was born in Fremantle in 1878 to Henry and Alice Adams. He had an elder brother William who was born in 1876. His father died in Fremantle in 1880 and he was brought up by his mother.
Charlie was educated in Fremantle and after leaving school he took up work as a bricklayer.
In 1900 Charlie married Maud Fredericka Ross and they would have two daughters, Georgina in 1901 and Eileen in 1903.
In 1903 they were living at 190 Lefroy Road South Fremantle (later renumbered to 30 Lefroy) and Charlie was working as a Stonemason.
The family then moved to Carrington Street East Fremantle/Palmyra.
On the 20th January 1916 Charlie enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 116lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-36 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Dark.
Upon his successful enlistment Charlie was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.48 Training Depot. He was taken through the basics of infantry work here and was then assigned to the Engineers Training Depot.
As the main Engineers Training Camp was in Victoria, Charlie was then transferred to Seymour Army Camp. He trained there for the next few months and on the 16th June 1916 was assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements to the 3rd Pioneer Battalion.
He trained with this group in Victoria for the next month and on the 28th July 1916 they went to Port Melbourne where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Themistocles. The ship then set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth on the 11th September 1916.
He was then disembarked and sent to the Pioneer Training unit on the Salisbury Plains. He trained here for the next few months. Charlie was now reassigned to a different unit. He would now be joining the 4th Pioneer Battalion in France.
On the 2nd November 1916 Charlie was sent across to France. He spent a few weeks in the 4th Division Base Depot and on the 19th November was taken on strength of the 4th Pioneer battalion. When he joined them, the 4th Pioneers were situated on the Somme battlefield. They would be in this sector till February 1917.
When the Germans withdrew to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917, the 4th Pioneers were kept busy with repairing roads and communications avenues as well as preparing trenches when the Australians reached the Bullecourt sector. The 4th Australian Division were in action on this front through March and April 1917.
In May 1917 they were then transferred to Belgium where they would take part in the Messines action of June 1917. They remained in this sector till August 1917.
On the 15th August 1917 Charlie was given a fortnight's leave to the UK. After he returned to his unit they were transferred to the Ypres sector. Charlie would see action from September to November 1917 around places such as Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele. He survived this time unscathed.
In December 1917 the 4th Australian Division had a short time at Peronne, but by January 1918 had returned to Belgium. They would hold the line south east of Ypres near Hollebeke from January to March 1918.
In March 1918 when the Germans broke through the Third & Fifth British Armies, the 4th Division were sent south to the Somme to repel the Germans. The German advance was stopped, with the 4th Pioneers seeing action at Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux.
On July 4th 1918 the Pioneers were involved in assisting the capture of the village of Hamel and subsequent days were spent in improving the defences of the newly captured area.
On August 8th 1918 the 4th Pioneers supported the infantry in the advance that took place on the Villers-Bretonneux front. The 4th Division was in action through to September 18th 1918 as the advance progressed past Peronne. The 4th Division saw their last action of the war on September 18th 1918 at Le Verguier.
Charlie had come through the last few months unscathed. the 4th Division were now sent for a well deserved rest period out of the line. On the 31st October 1918 Charlie was given a two week furlough and went to England. He was still in the UK when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.
Charlie returned to France on the 16th November 1918.
When the Germans withdrew to behind their own borders after the Armistice, the Australians were then sent to what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. The Australian units would remain here for the next few months.
Charlie left France on the 23rd April 1919. He proceeded across to England and was sent to No.4 Group Camp at Hurdcott.
On the 21st June 1919 Charlie boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919.
Charlie was discharged from the AIF on the 17th September 1919. He then returned home to Carrington Street for a short period before the family moved to Cue.
The family then moved to Carlton Victoria in 1921.
Charlie died on the 27th August 1934 in Melbourne Victoria. He was buried Fawkner Cemetery Victoria.