The AIF Project

Charles Henry HAWCROFT

Regimental number188
Place of birthMerewether, New South Wales
SchoolPublic School, Newcastle South, New South Wales
ReligionMethodist
OccupationLabourer
AddressFrederick Street, Merewether, Belmore, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation20
Height5' 6.5"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs E Hawcroft, Frederick Street, Merewether, Belmore, New South Wales
Previous military serviceServed in the 16th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces; still serving at time of AIF enlistment.
Enlistment date21 July 1915
Place of enlistmentLiverpool, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name30th Battalion, A Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/47/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on 9 November 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll30th Battalion
Other details from Roll of Honour CircularWorked as a miner before the war started.
FateKilled in Action 20 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles)
Age at death from cemetery records21
Place of burialFromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery (Plot II, Row C, Grave No 2), France
Commemoration details
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
117
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Samuel and Elizabeth HAWCROFT
Family/military connectionsCousin: served in England
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Sydney, 9 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 11 December 1915.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Reported missing, 20 July 1916.

Note on file, 13 March 1917: 'Identification Disc received from Germany. No particulars were afforded, except that Soldier was deceased.' May now be reported "KILLED IN ACTION" 20/7/16.'

German note on file: 'austr. Sold. Hawcroft. C.H. Nr. 166 (sic). 30 Batt. am 19.7.16 in Gegend Fromelles gefallen.'

Red Cross File No 1290904 has statement from 187 Pte W.D. HURST, 30th Bn, 27 January 1917: 'He was in A Co. in which I am. He was in No. 2 pltn. and went over the parapet at 6 p.m. on the 19th. July at Fleurbaix. Hawcroft was killed in No Man's Land by a shell. He was not more than 10 yds. from me and was killed on the spot ... We held the ground for 12 hours only and the bodies of those killed were not buried.'

'This man's name appeared on German Death List dated 4-11-16.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 2), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles; subsequently (2010) identified, and interred in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, France.
SourcesNAA: B2455, HAWCROFT Charles Henry
Red Cross file 1290904

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