Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Charles grew up in Cowan Street, Gawler and his was the head grocer at the Gawler Stores and was educated at the Gawler Public School.

On Friday afternoon, the 29th of March 1895 his parents allowed him to go fishing for Cay at the “long hole” in the South Para River, near the Gawler Exhibition Building, with his older brother and four other friends. This had been the first time the two brothers had been permitted to fish alone.

Tragedy stuck when his brother; Douglas was attending to bait and Douglas fell in into the water. This was the deepest part of the hole and being unable to swim Douglas sank and was drowned. Just as he had fallen in, he held out his hand for a bag the boys had, but it would not reach him and one of the boys broke off a branch of a tobacco tree, which was the only thing handy, but this also was too short to reach him.

The boys told Douglas to catch hold of a root of the tree, which was just under water, but he was helpless. Charles was 12 years old when his mother Annie died on the 3rd of July 1899 at their residence, Cowan Street, Gawler, aged 39 years.

Charles was 16 years old when the family moved to Mt Gambier in January 1903 and his father owned The Red Store - C.H. BILES & Co store in Mt Gambier.

In 1908 he joined the 16th Australian Light Horse Regiment, 3rd Mt Gambier – Millicent Squadron and by the 6th of July 1908 he had risen to the rank of Second Lieutenant. In December 1910 he attended camp instruction in Albury, NSW and in January 1911 he was appointed as instructor under the Commonwealth Military Scheme and stationed in Perth. He was involved in recruitment and was a Staff Inspector.

He returned to South Australia and married Isobella Edith Hall on the 30th of December 1913 in Belair.

Charles enlisted into the 44th Battalion, B Company on the 7th of March 1916 in Fremantle. He listed his occupation as a civil servant and his wife; Isobella, of Mt Gambier as next of kin. He embarked from Fremantle aboard the HMAT “Suevic” on the 16th of June 1916 for Plymouth. 26th of August he was on command at the Hayling Instruction School at Larkhill. Charles was promoted to Captain on the 30th of August 1916.

On the 23rd of September 1916 he was transferred from B Company to A Company and preceded to Havre, France on the 27th of November 1916. They were billeted at Steenwerck until the 29th of December, when they arrived at Armentieres and entered the front line for the first time.

Charles was specially mentioned for fine work as an Officer in Charge in a raid that was carried out on the 10th of January 1917 at Armentieres. On the 13th of March he carried out fine work in the organisation of a party belonging to his Battalion, which carried out a raid, again in Armentieres.

On the 5th of June 1917 it became necessary to move several gas cylinders from the front line without delay. This had been attempted on the previous night, but after suffering heavily, the party was forced to withdraw. Charles oversaw D Company detailed to carry out the work. It was at first reported that the task was almost impossible, on account of both the front line and the communication trenches being destroyed in many places and still being subjected to heavy shrapnel fire. By thorough organisation of his Company and careful personal supervision, Charles succeeded in carrying out this most difficult operation, working for the most part during the daylight and over the open ground. His determination and resourceful action undoubtedly prevented serious casualties being caused by the bursting of the cylinders.

The 44th Battalion fought in its first major battle at Messines, in Belgium, between the 7th and 10th of June. The Battalion was heavily employed in the Ypres sector, taking part in another major battle to capture Broodseinde Ridge on the 7th of June and participating in costly defensive operations in horrendous conditions.

On the 15th of July he returned to Durrington, England and was seconded to duty with the 11th Training Battalion and during this time, on the 14th of August 1917, Charles received the Military Cross for his leadership removing the gas cylinders on the 5th of June.

In November he was with the 10th Training Battalion. In January 1918 he was seconded to the Australian Provost Corps. Four weeks later he proceeded to France and re-joined the 44th Battalion. He returned to Codford, England on the 29th of April 1919.Charles returned to Australia aboard the HT “Themistocles” on the 12th of June 1919 and was discharged on the 30th of October 1919.

Isobella joined Charles in WA and by 1921 they lived at 6 River View Street, South Perth and Charles.

With the re-activation of the 11th Battalion as a reserve unit (City of Perth Regiment), Charles joined on the 1st of August 1920 Charles was a reserve area officer with the 11th Battalion. On the 1st of November he was transferred to C Company on duty and by March 1921 he was Captain of the 11th Battalion. In January 1923 he was 2nd in charge and on the 17th of September 1923 he was the Commanding Officer. He was appointed the rank of Major on the 23rd of September 1923 with the 11th Battalion and on the 18th of May 1926 he was appointed the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In June 1926 the 11th Battalion formed a rifle club and the initial shott took place at Bushmead Rifle Range, Major Charles Biles was the first patron of the club. On the 16th of September 1928 Charles relinquished command of the 11th Battalion.

With the outbreak of World War Two, Charles enlisted into the AIF Training Depot in Northern Perth on the 30th of August 1940, aged 53 years and was allotted the service number W29050. He was in Command of the unit. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on the 11th of September 1940.

In May 1941 he was transferred to the No 3 Training Battalion in Northam as Commanding Officer. Charles served with the Citizen Military Force from the 29th of August 1940 to the 13th of March 1944, at total of 1293 days. On the 24th of August 1944 he was placed on the retired list with the rank of Honorary Colonel.

Charles died on the 31st of August 1949 at his residence, 6 River View Street, South Perth. He was cremated in the Karrakatta Cemetery. Isobella died on the September 1984 in Perth. They had no children.