John, Charles Woodland Gordon
17479 Sapper Charles Woodland Gordon John - 4th Division Signal Company
Charles was born on the 29th April 1893 in Fremantle WA to William and Marian John, being one of eleven siblings born into the family.
The family lived at 25 Arundel Street Fremantle (later renumbered to 21 Arundel) till the early 1900's then moved to Perth before returning to North Fremantle.
Prior to the Great War Charlie was living in Bruce Street North Fremantle and was working as a clerk while also studying to be a wireless technician.
On the 30th September 1916 Charlie enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording Charlie's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;
Weight - 135lbs;
Chest Measurement - 31-35 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Black;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoos of skull and bones and CJ on right arm, and a cupid and cherub in scroll on left arm.
After his successful enlistment, Charlie was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. He was sent to Wireless School and was allotted to the Signallers. He was then sent to Victoria to continue his training.
While in Melbourne he was allotted to the 11th Reinforcements to the 4th Division Signal Company and he trained with this group for the next few months. On the 11th May 1917 they departed from Port Melbourne aboard the transport ship Shropshire and set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth on the 19th July 1917.
After being disembarked Charlie was sent to the Signal Section of the Engineers Training Depot Camp. He spent the next five months in England undertaking further work in the use of signal equipment used on the Western Front.
On the 14th December 1917 Charlie departed England and was sent over to France and was initially sent to the Royal Engineers Training Depot at Abbeville. He had a month here and was then sent to his unit, joining the 4th Australian Division Signal Company in January 1918.
Charlie joined his unit when they were in Belgium, however after just two weeks he developed bronchitis and was evacuated ill to hospital in Etaples. When he recovered he was sent to the Royal Engineers Training Depot at Abbeville. e was then re-assigned units to the 7th Company Australian Army Service Corps, part of the 4th Division Train.
In June 1918 he fell ill again with bronchitis which took him some to recover from as he was then sent to England for further treatment. He had just recovered from this when he developed tonsilitis. After recovering from this he was kept in England and was on attached duty to the AIF HQ in London.
Charlie boarded a transport ship home on the 5th March 1919 when he went aboard the Nevassa. The ship then set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 13th April 1919. Charlie was then discharged from the AIF on the 30th May 1919.
In 1919 Charlies was married to Mabel Elizabeth Schilling in Beverely WA with a daughter Gwen born 1924 and a son Kenneth in 1928.
Sadlu Charlie died on the 20th June 1928 aged 35. He was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery plot Anglican LA 0386.