SPRINGFIELD Charles Edward 2409

SAPPER CHARLES EDWARD SPRINGFIELD

2409 – 3rd TUNNELLING COMPANY

Born Taradale, Victoria, in 1874 to John and Mary Jane (nee Evans), Charles Edward Springfield enlisted in the A.I.F. 17th January 1916 at Blackboy Hill, Western Australia. His preliminary medical examination had been conducted in Kalgoorlie, and the 41-year-old Machine Miner was deemed Fit for Active Service.

Charles stood 5ft 10in tall, had a sallow complexion, black hair and black eyes, and weighed 160 lbs. He named his wife, Christine, of Dugan St, Kalgoorlie, as his Next of Kin, and allotted 3/5ths of his pay to support his wife and child.

With the military identification of 2409 Sapper Springfield, Charles Edward, was assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements to the Mining Corps.

The Reinforcements consisting of 3 Officers and 177 Other Ranks (180 members) embarked from Sydney, NSW on March 31, 1916 on the transport HMAT A16 Star of Victoria. The ship arrived at Colombo, Ceylon on April 4, 1916 and after refuelling departed the following day. The vessel docked at the Suez, Egypt on May 3, 1916 where the Reinforcements disembarked after 33 days at sea. The weather during the voyage was cold and rough. The Star of Victoria departed the next day for Port Said and spent the day in port May 5, 1916. From the Suez the men were transported to Alexandria where they were transhipped to the City of Edinburgh leaving on May 5 for the crossing to France.

They arrived at Marseilles on May 17 and were entrained to Etaples marching in on June 1, 1916 before being attached to the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on 25th June, and taken on strength of that unit on 30th September 1916.

Charles worked with the unit until he was wounded in action on 5th September 1917, suffering gas poisoning. He was treated at the 1st Casualty Clearing Station before being admitted to 7th General Hospital at St Omer on 7th September. Evacuated to England on 13th September, he was admitted to Boscombe Military Hospital for treatment and recuperation, his wife being advised of his situation on 21st September.

Discharged from hospital to furlough on 28th September, he returned to the Administration Headquarters at Weymouth and was assessed as medically unfit for further active service. After being processed for return to Australia, he embarked from London 11th January 1918, on board HT Port Darwin.

Disembarking at Albany, Western Australia, 26th February 1918, he was discharged from military service 14th March 1918 as Medically Unfit. He was entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

In consequence of his medical status, he was awarded a Repatriation Pension of 30/- per fortnight on the 15th March 1918, his wife receiving 15/- per f/n, and his daughter, Jean, 10/- per f/n as his dependants.

Charles Edward Springfield died 2nd March 1932; his resting place in Kalgoorlie Cemetery is marked with a simple granite headstone bearing the Rising Sun emblem of the Australian Imperial Forces and the epitaph ‘His Duty Nobly Done’.