PERSONAL LIFE

Charles Edgar Ramsbotham was born on the 18^th February 1891 in Brisbane, Queensland, son of John Ramsbotham and Alice Caroline French. He was one of 16 children, 13 of whom were step brothers & sisters from his father’s marriages. His mother died in 1901. His father died in 1938 and is buried in Murwillumbah cemetery.

ATTESTATION

Charles travelled to Cootamundra on 25^th August 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was born in Brisbane, was, 24 years 5 months old and a single man. He gave his occupation as government clerk.  His next of kin was his father, John, originally of Coffs Harbour, but changed to Murwillumbah. Charles had spent one year in the Murwillumbah Infantry, from which he resigned

He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

OATH

On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: the original date was 15^th September but this was changed to 1^st October 1915

“I, Charles Edgar Ramsbotham, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

SO HELP ME, GOD.” 

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

His medical showed he was 5ft 8 inches tall (1.72m), weighed 145 lbs (66kgs), with a dark complexion, grey eyes & brown hair. His eyesight was good. He was Church of England and had a mole on his left arm.

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION

I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training and is dated 6^th December 1915 and completed at Casula

He certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He accordingly approves, and appoints him to H Company 17^th Depot Battalion with service No 18920

TRAINING CASULA

After attesting, Charles was sent to the large training complex at Casula, where he was placed in C Company of the Depot Battalion. This was the starting point for thousands of men: a few weeks of drill, uniform issue, vaccinations, and sorting before more specific assignments were made. Casula was crowded, highly organised, and constantly moving men through to the next stage as the army tried to feed reinforcements to the growing forces overseas.

FIRST POST

On 18 January 1916, Charles received his first real military posting:
he was taken on strength of the Divisional Ammunition Column (D.A.C.), 6th Reinforcements.

This single line tells us a great deal about his intended role. The DAC was part of the Field Artillery, responsible for moving ammunition forward to the guns and maintaining the constant flow of shells needed to support infantry operations. Men posted to DAC reinforcement drafts were trained as gunners, drivers, or general artillery personnel, depending on aptitude. From this point on, Charles was firmly within the artillery stream of the AIF.

The next months of his training would have involved learning the routines of artillery life: handling horses and wagons, understanding ammunition supply procedures, and developing the physical stamina required for long days moving loads under difficult conditions. Artillery training units in Australia were in a state of flux during early 1916, and many men were shifted between reinforcement groups and training depots as the army tried to stabilise its structures.

This explains the later entry dated 1 April 1917 which mentions “7th Brigade / 27th Battalion,” yet records his rank as Gunner. The infantry references in that line are administrative only—reflecting the depot or brigade office recording the movement rather than his actual unit. The rank of Gunner confirms the true story: Charles was, and remained, part of the artillery, not an infantry battalion.

The administrative trail shows a man who was moved several times through the reinforcement depot system, a very common experience as the AIF expanded and reorganised. His early pathway—Cootamundra to Casula, then into the Divisional Ammunition Column—places him firmly among those artillery reinforcements who would eventually be sent overseas to serve the guns or support units connected to them.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO ENGLAND

On the 11^th May 1916 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Argyllshire. Alongside his comrades, Charles marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

Sleeping & Living Arrangements

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

Daily Routine

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

Meals

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

Health & Sanitation

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

The Voyage Experience

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.

EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could on wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board

ENGLAND

The Argyllshire steamed into Devonport on 10 July 1916, bringing Charles to England just as the AIF was expanding its artillery units to support operations on the Western Front. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.

TRAINING CAMP LARKHILL

From the docks, he and the other reinforcements were sent into the British training system that prepared Australian artillerymen for the realities of modern warfare. Charles was posted to the 7th Training Brigade at Larkhill, on the Salisbury Plain—a vast landscape of chalk downs, bitter winds, and an almost continuous roar of artillery practice. Larkhill was the heart of artillery instruction for the AIF. Here he would have undergone intensive training in gunnery, ammunition handling, horse management, signal work, and the complex routines required to keep the guns supplied at all hours.

TRANSFER TO 3^RD DIVISIONAL AMMUNITION COLUMN AUGUST 1916

After completing this stage of training, Charles’s pathway became more specialised. On 29 August 1916, he was transferred from the 7th Training Brigade to the 3rd Divisional Ammunition Column. This move placed him into the reinforcement stream for a frontline unit preparing for active service in France. The 3rd DAC supported the artillery of the 3rd Division, responsible for transporting and delivering ammunition to batteries engaged in some of the heaviest fighting of the war.

For Charles, this transfer marked a significant step: he was no longer simply a trainee but now aligned with the division he would eventually serve alongside. His skills as a Gunner were refined further within the DAC framework, preparing him for the demanding, often hazardous work of moving ammunition under fire and maintaining the lifeline that kept the guns operating.

OFFENCE AWL OCTOBER 1916

Offence- whilst on active service being absent from place appointed by Commanding Officer at 6.30am & 9am on the 8^th October 1916. He was awarded 3 days CB (confined to barracks) and the loss of one day’s pay

CONFINED TO BARRACKS

This disciplinary measure meant he was restricted to the camp grounds and not permitted to leave the barracks area during that period. It served both as a punishment and a reminder of military discipline.

During those 3 days, Charles would have been required to remain within the camp’s living quarters, attending all formations, drills, and duties but barred from any leave or recreational activities outside the camp. His daily routine would still involve physical training, weapon drills, and camp chores such as cleaning, maintenance, and possibly extra fatigue duties as part of the penalty.

Meals would be taken in the mess halls, and he would have been expected to maintain a strict military routine—rising early, adhering to lights out times, and attending parade and instruction sessions. Interaction with fellow soldiers was permitted but limited to the camp confines, cutting off the usual respite that leave or visits outside camp might provide.

This form of confinement was intended to reinforce discipline and order, helping soldiers understand the importance of following military rules while still allowing them to continue training and preparing for active service.

FRANCE AND THE WESTERN FRONT

After his period of training in England, Charles finally crossed the Channel to active service. On 25 November 1916, he proceeded overseas to France, joining the 3rd Australian Divisional Supply Column. These units formed the backbone of the Division’s logistics: teams of horse-drawn wagons carrying food, equipment, and ammunition from railheads to forward depots. For many men, it was their first real taste of the Western Front’s cold, mud, and relentless work pace.

TRANSFER TO BRITISH “Y” CORPS AMMUNITION PARK FEBRUARY 1917

 Charles served in the pack and personnel sections of the supply column for some weeks, learning the routines of transport work near the front. However, early in the new year his role shifted. On 2 February 1917, several administrative entries were recorded against his name, all on the same date. Together, they reflect a significant change in his wartime responsibilities.

On that day Charles was formally transferred from the 3rd Australian Divisional Supply Column to the British “Y” Corps Ammunition Park. This unit, supporting an entire Army Corps, handled the enormous demands of artillery ammunition on the Western Front. Ammunition Parks were crucial: they received shells directly from rear transport hubs, sorted them, stored them safely in vast dumps, and distributed them forward to the heavy and field artillery batteries.

For Charles, the move meant stepping into a far more specialised and demanding logistical environment. Ammunition Parks worked extremely close to the gun lines, often under shellfire, and their night-time transport convoys were constant targets for German artillery and aircraft. His posting there places him squarely within the dangerous but essential machinery that kept the artillery supplied—one of the most important and hazardous roles behind the front.

The paperwork associated with the transfer is typical: repetitious notations confirming the movement, his status as a private, and the completion of the establishment transfer. Once these were finalised, he was fully absorbed into “Y” Corps Ammunition Park, beginning a new phase of his service in France’s bitter winter of 1916–17.

PROMOTED TO SERGEANT FEBRUARY 1917

Amid all the administrative activity on 2 February 1917, Charles received a significant and well-earned advancement: he was promoted to Sergeant. Promotions within transport and ammunition units were not given lightly. They reflected not only steadiness under pressure but also reliability with men, animals, and the constant movement of stores and ammunition under difficult conditions. Charles’s elevation to Sergeant on the very day he transferred to the “Y” Corps Ammunition Park suggests that his superiors had already recognised his competence and leadership. In the demanding environment of an Ammunition Park—where discipline, organisation, and calm judgment could mean the difference between order and chaos—his new rank placed him in charge of teams responsible for the receipt, sorting, storage, and forward movement of artillery ammunition. It marked an important turning point in his service, acknowledging his capacity to shoulder responsibility at a critical moment on the Western Front.

BATTLES OF BULLECOURT & BATTLE OF MESSINES, YPRES FEBRUARY 1917 TO FEBRUARY 1918

From 2 February 1917, Charles was serving as a Sergeant in “Y” Corps Ammunition Park, a British unit supporting the Australian and other Corps operating in that sector.

Ammunition Parks were among the busiest and most dangerous logistical units on the Western Front. Throughout 1917—a year marked by immense artillery operations at Bullecourt, Messines, and the battles of the Ypres sector—these parks worked around the clock.

His likely duties during this period:

1.    Supervising ammunition dumps. Sergeants oversaw large ammunition dumps containing tens of thousands of rounds: 18-pounder shells, 4.5-inch howitzer shells, high explosive, shrapnel, gas, smoke, and illumination rounds

These dumps were constant targets for German shelling and air attack.

2.    Managing transport convoys He would have been in charge of horse-drawn GS wagons, mechanical transport vehicles (as motorisation increased later in 1917), night convoys delivering ammunition to forward positions & organising returns of spent shell cases

Night work was standard: ammunition was always moved under darkness to avoid enemy observation.

3.    Conducting safety inspections. A Sergeant in an Ammunition Park ensured fuses were stored separately, damaged shells were isolated, stacking and spacing met safety protocols & fires and sparks were strictly controlled

Accidents in dumps could be catastrophic, so experienced NCOs like Charles were critical.

4.    Liaison with artillery brigades. He would have been the point of contact between the Ammunition Park, Corps Ammunition Column & Divisional Artillery units

This involved coordinating deliveries according to the firing plans of the guns.

5.    Moving position with the front. As the lines shifted — at Messines in June, and again during Third Ypres (Passchendaele) from July to November — the Ammunition Park constantly relocated dumps and transport routes to follow the guns.

6.    Training and supervising men. He would have been supervising drivers, handlers, labour parties & men unfamiliar with ammunition handling
His rank suggests he was one of the key organisers keeping the unit functioning.

Throughout 1917, Charles continued to serve as a Sergeant with the “Y” Corps Ammunition Park, a unit that played a vital role in sustaining the massive artillery operations that defined the year’s battles. His work centred on the supervision of large forward ammunition dumps, the organisation of night-time transport convoys, and the constant movement of shells to the batteries supporting the Australian Corps. As the fighting shifted from Bullecourt to Messines and into the terrible mud of the Ypres campaigns, Charles and his men laboured in all weathers, often under shellfire and air attack, ensuring that the guns never fell silent. His duties demanded calm leadership, technical knowledge, and the ability to manage both men and transport under immense pressure. For a full twelve months—from early 1917 until he was reassigned in February 1918—Charles was at the heart of one of the Western Front’s most dangerous and essential logistical operations.

STAFF MOTOR TRANSPORT OFFICE FEBRUARY 1918

On 27 February 1918, Charles’s service took another step forward when he was formally taken on strength of the Staff Motor Transport Officer (SMTO) in France. Now a seasoned Sergeant with proven experience in the demanding work of ammunition supply, he was transferred from the “Y” Corps Ammunition Park to assist with the growing administrative and operational needs of the Corps’ motorised transport. His posting was recorded as “supernumerary,” meaning he was carried in addition to the standard staffing levels—a clear indication that his skills were valued enough for the unit to accept him above establishment. Less than a month later, on 20 March 1918, he was moved under the same command structure into the Australian Corps Troops Motor Transport Company, where he continued his duties as a Sergeant, now working at the heart of the increasingly vital motorised logistics system that sustained the Australian Corps during the final year of the war.

MARCH TO MAY 1918

From 20 March 1918, Charles was serving as a Sergeant with the Australian Corps Troops Motor Transport Company, just as the German Spring Offensive erupted and threw the entire front into turmoil. Motor Transport units suddenly became indispensable, racing day and night to move ammunition, rations, engineering materials, and troops to wherever they were most urgently needed. Charles now supervised lorry convoys that threaded their way through shattered villages and congested roads, often under shellfire or air attack, ensuring the Australian Corps could redeploy rapidly to meet each new crisis. His duties included organising long-haul supply runs, overseeing vehicle maintenance, and managing the men who kept the transport fleet moving during some of the most chaotic weeks of the war. It was an exhausting and demanding period, and by early May—after weeks of relentless work—Charles came under disciplinary charge, a reminder of the intense pressure placed on every man in the motor transport services during this critical phase of the conflict.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

He was under several charges, in the field, 8^th May 1918

1.    Neglect of duty; allowing a lorry in which he was riding to be driven at an excessive speed, contrary to unit orders

2.    AWL from 9.30pm on 3^rd May 1918 until 12 midnight on 3^rd May 1918

3.    Neglecting to obey G.R.O 3918 published in unit orders1.4.18; viz: being out of his billet without permission after 9.30pm 3^rd May 1918.

Award- severely reprimanded by Major E G Fordyce on 5^th May 1918

TAKEN ON STRENGTH 4^TH AUSTRALIA MTO MAY 1918

Once he was Taken on Strength on 16 May 1918, he would have entered the normal operational rhythm of a Light Railway or Railway Operating Company. That period (May–Nov 1918) was extremely busy, as the AIF and British forces were pushing back during the Hundred Days Offensive.

He would likely have been involved in:

1.    Railway construction. Extending narrow-gauge lines behind the newly advancing infantry, laying sleepers and track & repairing damaged lines the Germans had destroyed during their retreat.

2.    Railway maintenance Keeping traffic flowing — essential in the rapid advance phase & clearing debris, repairing shell-damaged track, and ensuring safe passage for supply trains

3.    Running trains. Even if not a qualified engine driver, he might have assisted with loading and unloading supplies, escorting trains, controlling traffic points & working with petrol tractors (“light rail locomotives”) or horse-drawn sections

4.    Moving camp locations. Railway detachments moved frequently as the front shifted. He would have experienced repeated marches, moves, and re-establishment of track bases as the line pushed into recaptured territory such as:

·       Villers-Bretonneux region

·       Péronne

·       Bapaume

·       The Hindenburg Line vicinity

·       Cambrai areas late in the year

POST WAR- AFTER 11 NOVEMBER 1918 (ARMISTICE TO APRIL 1919)

During the immediate post-war period Charles was involved in the following

·       Salvaging and recovering materials from former battlefields (track, sleepers, rails, equipment).

·       Repairing and stabilising rail lines for occupation forces and repatriation traffic.

·       Transporting troops, including moving units to staging and embarkation depots.

·       Assisting with military demobilisation logistics, including supply clearance and depot work.

·       Routine maintenance and labour tasks while awaiting orders for return to Australia.

·       Working in temporary post-war camps, often on reduced duties as frontline needs wound down.

MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES MARCH 1919

Charles was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s 16 March 1919 despatch which had been promulgated in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 124 dated 30^th October 1919. No further details available

HOSPITALISED ADENITIS APPRIL 1919

On 18 April 1919, he was admitted to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, where he remained until early May. He was discharged to the base depot on 7 May, but his recovery was short-lived and he returned to hospital on 13 May, this time with symptoms recorded as “NYD” — not yet diagnosed. The illness was eventually identified as adenitis, an inflammation of the lymph glands, and he was finally discharged back to the depot on 23 May. While he was moving in and out of medical care, his administrative posting continued to progress: he was transferred to the 4th Australian M.T.O. on 16 May, and officially taken on strength of the company two days later, even though he was still recovering. The result on paper looks muddled, but in practice it reflects the usual wartime process of reassigning men while they were convalescing, ready for return to duty once medically fit.

GOING HOME JUNE 1919

Charles was repatriated from England on the Arita on 23^rd June 1919

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Charles was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

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