22618
BARING, Charles Alexander
| Service Number: | 5223 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 52nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Kings Worthy, Hants, England. , 1893 |
| Home Town: | Triabunna, Glamorgan/Spring Bay, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Norwich Grammar School |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 4 September 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Richmond University of Western Sydney WW1 Memorial, Spring Bay District War Memorial, Triabunna St Mary's Church Honour Roll, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 5223, 12th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 5223, 12th Infantry Battalion, RMS Orontes, Melbourne | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 5223, 52nd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5223 awm_unit: 52nd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-09-04 |
Help us honour Charles Alexander Baring's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
52nd Battalion, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force.
He was 23 and a son of Francis Henry and Amy Baring, of Chandler's Ford, Hants, England.
Births Mar 1893 Baring Charles Alexander Winchester 2c 105
He was one of four Baring brothers who made the supreme sacrifice. His brother Lance Corporal Ernest Baring also died whilst serving with Australian forces; his brothers, Second Lieutenant Cecil Christopher Baring and Second Lieutenant Reginald Arthur Baring were killed whilst serving with British forces. They are remembered on the Sudbury War Memorial.
Charles was one of seven children of Rev. Francis Henry and Amy Baring. He was born in Hampshire and baptised on 5 March 1893. Prior to his parents moving to India around 1897 his father was recorded in 1896 as ‘a Rector in Suffolk’, but by 1901 his widowed mother was back in England living at Verne House Newton Road, Sudbury.
It is not known when Charles left for Australia but when he enlisted on 23 October 1915 he declared that he had spent three years as an apprentice at an agricultural college in New South Wales. He was described as 5ft 8¾ ins in height, with a 35 inch chest, 160 pounds in weight, dark brown hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion.
Charles embarked for France aboard RMS Orontes on 29 March 1916 in Melbourne, and by the time he disembarked at Marseilles in June he had been promoted to Acting Corporal and a short while later to Acting Sergeant whilst training at the base depot at Etaples. He reverted back to private when he re-joined his battalion at the end of July.
In mid August the battalion saw action as a supporting role at the Battle of Mouquet Farm (known as Mucky Farm by the troops). It went on to be part of the final Australian attack on Pozieres on 3 September 1916. There were heavy casualties and the battalion lost 9 officers and 170 other ranks.
Charles was killed in action on 4 September 1916 aged 23. He has no known grave and he is therefore remembered on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Somme, France.
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