Charles Henry Patmore (1893 - 1943)

Biography

Chaplain Charles Patmore

Charles Henry Patmore was born on 16th September 1893 in Waltham Abbey, a market town in Essex, although just 22.5 kilometres (14 miles) from central London, England, United Kingdom. ^[1]

Aged 20 years, he migrated to Australia aboard the "Makarini", arriving in Sydney, New South Wales on 14th June 1914 and travelling on to Melbourne, Victoria. ^[2] The voyage timing is of interest, raising the question 'Was this a deliberate move by Charles' parents to protect their son from the (then) impending European War?'

There, he undertook theological studies and was ordained as a Church of England (now Anglican) minister. ^[3]

Charles married Helen Southby, fourteen years his senior, in 1926 in Victoria. ^[4] They did not have children.

studying by kerosene lamp

On 24th July 1940 in Elmore, Victoria, aged almost 47 years, Charles was commissioned as an Anglican chaplain in the Second Australian Imperial Force for service during the Second World War. ^[5] Attached to the 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion, then being assembled at Trawool in central Victoria. On 23rd September, the battalion began to move to Bonegilla, near Wodonga on the New South Wales-Victoria border. It made the 235km journey on foot, arriving on 4th October. In March 1941 it moved to Darwin, in the Northern Territory; earmarked for Ambon Island, Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia). However, not wishing to provoke Japan, they were held at Darwin until Japan's 'intentions were clear'. On 8th December 1941 news of long-expected Japanese attacks (including Malaya and Pearl Harbor) arrived and five days later the battalion was on its way to Ambon as part of Gull Force. When the commanding officer reported that the defence of Ambon was 'untenable', due to difficulty achieving co-operation with the Dutch forces, insufficient transport, air and artillery support, and reserves of rations and ammunition being limited, and that the force was likely to be overwhelmed by any Japanese invasion, he was replaced! ^[6] Within 24 hours of the Japanese landing on 30th January 1942, the Dutch forces surrendered and, despite instances of brave, determined resistance, the 2/21st could not hold back the Japanese. On 2nd February, B and C Companies were massacred around Laha Airfield. The remainder of the battalion surrendered on 3rd February and were imprisoned in their former barracks on Tan Tui. ^[6] It was here, as a prisoner of war, that Charles earned the nickname of 'Chewing Gum Charlie' as he was always distributing PK-brand chewing gum to his fellow POWs. ^[7][8]

He was killed during a 'friendly' air raid on 15th February 1943 whilst a prisoner of war on Ambon Island. Charles Henry Patmore's name is located at panel 94 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. His remains are buried in the Ambon War Cemetery. ^[9] Following the war's end, Helen was issued Charles' service medals: 1939-1945, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945.

Sources

1. ↑ UK FreeBMD Birth Index Dec qtr 1893, vol 3a, page 439
2. ↑ Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923

   Name: C Patmore

   Nationality: English

   Arrival Age: 20

   Birth Date: abt 1894

   Departure Place: London

   Arrival Date: 14 Jun 1914

   Arrival Place: Sydney, Australia

   Ship: Makarini

3. ↑ requires substantiation; he may have studied at Moore College, Sydney, before heading south. Ken Evans
4. ↑ Victoria Marriage Index #10396/1926
5. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: VX48124 Chaplain Charles Henry Patmore; accessed 21 Sep 2019
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Australian War Memorial unit record: 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion; accessed 15 Feb 2022
7. ↑ Rolley, Ailsa. Survival on Ambon: Les Hohl's story of survival as a prisoner of war on Ambon Island during WWII. Ailsa Rolley, Queensland, 1994. ISBN 0-646-18615-9
8. ↑ Gladwin, Michael. "Captains of the Soul: A History of Australian Army Chaplains". Big Sky Publications, Newport NSW, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-922132-52-9
9. ↑ Australian War Memorial roll of honour: VX48124 Chaplain Charles Henry Patmore; accessed 21 Sep 2019