The AIF Project

Carlyle David George FLEMING

Regimental number3794
Place of birthNelson, New Zealand
SchoolNelson Public School, Nelson College, New Zealand
Age on arrival in Australia19
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationPurser
Address12 Collingwood Street, Nelson, New Zealand
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation19
Height5' 8.75"
Weight145 lbs
Next of kinFather, D G Fleming, 12 Collingwood Street, Nelson, New Zealand
Previous military serviceServed for 1 year in the Field Artillery; 4 years in the NZ Territorial Force (2 years as Sergeant); left service to go to sea.
Enlistment date25 October 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll5 October 1915
Place of enlistmentHolsworthy, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name20th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/37/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A54 Runic on 20 January 1916
Rank from Nominal RollSergeant
Other details from Roll of Honour CircularBuried near Bray.
FateKilled in Action 11 August 1918
Place of death or woundingWarfusee, France
Age at death22
Age at death from cemetery records22
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsAustralian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France

Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.

On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.

After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
91
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: David George and Frances Mary Ann FLEMING, 12 Collingwood Street, Nelson, New Zealand
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Disembarked Alexandria, 26 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 27 March 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 3 April 1916; taken on strength, 20th Bn, 15 June 1916.

Wounded in action, 26 July 1916 (gun shot wound, back), and admitted to 2nd Australian Field Ambulance; transferred to 3rd Casualty Clearing Station, 26 July 1916; to Lady Hadfield's AH Hospital, Wimereux, 27 July 1916; to England, 30 July 1916, and admitted to Norfolk War Hospital, Norwich, 30 July 1916; discharged to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 23 August 1916. Proceeded overseas to France, 7 October 1916; rejoined unit in the field, 31 October 1916.

Appointed Lance Corporal, 17 January 1917.

Wounded in action (2nd occasion), 25 February 1917 (bullet wound, right thigh); admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance, 26 February 1917; transferred to 1/1 South Midland Casualty Clearing Station, 27 February 1917; by Ambulance Train No 9, 28 February 1917, and admitted to 14th General Hospital, Wimereux, 1 March 1917; to England, 3 March 1917, and admitted to County of Middlesex War Hospital, Napsbury, 4 March 1917 (gun shot wound, right thigh: severe); to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 16 March 1917; discharged on furlough, 28 May 1917, to report to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 12 June 1917. Admitted to Isolation Hospital, 12 June 1917; discharged, 17 June 1917; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 6 days. Marched out to No 4 Command Depot, Codford, 9 July 1917; marched out to Overseas Training Depot, Perham Downs, 19 July 1917. Proceeded overseas to France, 6 August 1917; rejoined unit, 27 August 1917.

Promoted Corporal, 20 September 1917; Lance Sergeant, 20 September 1917.

Wounded in action (3rd occasion), Belgium, 9 October 1917 (shrapnel wound, thighs), and admitted to 3rd Casualty Clearing Station, 10 October 1917; transferred to Ambulance Train No 18 and admitted to 7th General Hospital, Etaples, 11 October 1917; to England, 19 October 1917, and admitted to Exeter War Hospital, 20 October 1917 (gun shot wounds, both legs: severe); discharged on furlough, 12 January 1918, to report to No 4 Command Depot, Wareham, 26 January 1918. Marched out to Overseas Training Brigade, Longbridge Deverill, 11 February 1918. Proceeded overseas to France, 13 March 1918; rejoined unit, Belgium, 17 March 1918.

Promoted Sergeant, 1 July 1918.

Killed in action, 11 August 1918.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

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