Charles Robert Windeyer (1896 - 1917)

Ancestors

Biography

Charles Robert Windeyer was born on 25th March 1896 in Raymond Terrace, New South Wales (Australia). He was the eldest son of Richard Windeyer and Mabel Robinson. ^[1] The family soon after moved to Sydney's northern suburbs, settling on the North Shore.

On 24th September 1914, upon the declaration of the (First World) War, although under age (he was eighteen and nineteen was the enlistment age) Charles enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), his young nation's overseas expeditionary force. He was posted to the 2nd Australian Light Horse as a Trooper. Having been promoted to Lance Corporal, he embarked at Sydney aboard HMAT Suevic A29 on 21st December 1914, heading to the Middle East with the 6th Australian Light Horse Regiment. ^[2] On 17th September 1915, having gained promotion to Lance Corporal, he was evacuated from the trenches of Gallipoli suffering from Anaemia brought on by Colitis and Dysentry, and was rehabilitated home to Australia. Upon recovery, he embarked once more for war, this time on 3rd February 1916 at Sydney aboard HMAT Wandilla A62, heading for England. ^[3] In England, he attended officer training and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. Transferred to the 49th Australian Infantry Battalion, he deployed to the Western Front in the second half of 1916. ^[4]

Aged 21 years, Charles was killed in action on 12th October 1917 in Passchendaele, Belgium when a piece of a shell struck him in the head. ^[5] Charles Robert Windeyer's name is located at panel 149 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra and in the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium. ^[6][7]

Following the war, his family was issued his 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #13136/1896
2. ↑ Australian War Memorial embarkation roll: 363 Lance Corporal Charles Robert Windeyer; accessed 30 Jul 2022
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial embarkation roll: 363 Private Charles Robert Windeyer; accessed 30 Jul 2022
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Lieutenant Charles Robert Windeyer; accessed 30 Jul 2022
5. ↑ Australian Red Cross Wounded Files; accessed 30 Jul 2022
6. ↑ Australian War Memorial roll of honour: Second Lieutenant Charles Robert Windeyer; accessed 30 Jul 2022
7. ↑ NAA-AWM -National Archives Australia: 11583187

• Link - https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LVS3-S8G

• Charles Robert Windeyer as part of the Pick a Soldier, Plant a Tree Project