UNWIN, Charles King
| Service Numbers: | 16, 19 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 November 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 31st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mount Gambier, South Australia, Australia, 1876 |
| Home Town: | Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Lineman |
| Died: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 22 June 1958, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Brisbane St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Great War Honour Roll (4) |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 16, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 19, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 463 notes 3rd QMI embarked 1 Mar 1900 aboard Duke of Portland arriving Cape Town 2 Apr 1900. | |
| 19 Dec 1900: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 16, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, National Archives Australia= Boer War Dossier (in WW1 records) notes invalided returned to Australia at rank of Corporal aboard Sophocles arriving Brisbane 12 Dec 1900, discharged 19 Dec 1900. |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 31st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun 1917: | Involvement 31st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Jun 1917: | Embarked 31st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney | |
| 1 Mar 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 31st Infantry Battalion | |
| 22 May 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 31st Infantry Battalion |
Charles King Unwin
Charles King Unwin was born 26 August 1877 in Mount Gambier, South Australia, second son to parents William Unwin and Catherine (nee Hickman) (Source: SA BDM; SAGHS).
Prior to enlistment for the Anglo Boer war, he worked as a linesman for the Brisbane Tramways Company (Source: "City Police Court" The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947) 16 November 1898). In 1898 he witnessed the accidental death of a fellow linesman working at the Roma Street railway and was called as a witness in the inquest (Source: 898 'Inquiry Reopened.', The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), 19 May, p. 6).
He enlisted in the Third Queensland Contingent as a private, and was later promoted to Corporal. Whilst in South Africa, suffered an accidental gunshot wound to the leg (knee) at Mafeking (Source: Murray page number - 467)
He was married to Miss Agnes Bell Sawers, on 1 January 1902, in Brisbane.
UNWIN.- SAWERS-On the 1st January, at the
Wickham-terrace Presbyterian Church by the
Rev. W. Sweyn Macqueen, Charles King Unwin,
to Agnes Bell Sawers, both of Brisbane.
(Source: 1902 'Family Notices', The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933),
8 January, p. 4).
Charles also served in the First World War as a Second Lieutenant with the 31 Infantry Battalion - 14 Reinforcements (Source: Australian War Memorial). He enlisted on 27 November 1915 and embarked with his battalion on board the H.M.A.T. 20 "Hororata" on 14 June 1917. His occupation at enlistment in 1915 was listed as Linesman and he and his wife were living at Wilson Street, Paddington, Brisbane. Charles was a tall man for the time, being 5ft 11 1/2 inches (180cm) and his appearance on his Attestation Papers was described as "Dark complexion, Blue Eyes, Grey Hair". He saw active service in France and at one point was stationed at the Camouflage Depot at Wimereux. The Wimereux Camouflage Depot was both a military depot and a school of Camouflage, and was mentioned in Gen. John Monash's book "War Letters of General Monash".
After the First World War he continued to work as a linesman and was one of the linesman examined during the June 1921 Commonwealth Arbitration in the Line Inspectors Association and the Australian Postal Linemen's Unions claims against the Public Service Commissioner for the Commonwealth and the Postmaster General. (Source: FEDERAL SERVICE. (1921, June 25). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 4)
Charles died in Brisbane, Queensland at the age of 80, on 22 June 1958, as a result of a heart complaint. (Source: NAA: B2455, UNWIN CHARLES KING)
INTERESTING NOTE ON CHARLES' ANCESTRY: His Great Grandfather, Hugh Foulkes, was a decorated foot soldier (23rd Regiment of Foot - the Welch Fusiliers) from the Napoleonic Wars (saw service at Copenhagen and later, on the Peninsula at Albuera and Badajoz). After emigrating to Australia in the 1830's, Foulkes was selected by Charles Sturt as one of the Bullock Drivers for his "Expedition into the Interior".
Submitted 5 May 2016 by Timna Green
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Charles King Unwin was born in Mt Gambier, South Australia ca. 1876. He served in both the South African (Boer) War and WW1. He was living in Brisbane when he enlisted for the Boer War serving as a Private S.N. 16 in the 3rd Queensland Miunted Infantry. He enlisted again in WW1 serving as a 2nd Lieutenant (rising to Lieutenant) in the 31st Infantry Batallion AIF.
He married Agnes Belle Sawers on 1 Jan 1902 and they had a son who tragically died as an infant. He was working as a Lineman with the Post Master Generals Office in Brisbane and living at Paddington when he enisted in 1915 for WW1.
(source- National Archives Australia WW1 service record).
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