Sapper Charles Burden
Service #: 2783
Summary
BACKGOUND
Charles Burden was born in London on the 5th August 1893, son of Daniel Burden. Charles states his permanent address in Australia is Murwillumbah
James entered the Murwillumbah enlistment centre on the 29th July 1918 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as cleaner on railway. His next of kin was his father, Daniel, of Poplar, London, England
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
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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER
On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”
OATH
He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Charles Burden, 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
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
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MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Charles was 25 years old when he enlisted. He stood 5 feet 5 ½ inches tall (1.66m) and weighed 154lbs (70 kgs). He had a medium complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. His eyesight was good. Charles was Roman Catholic
CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER
The medical examiner certifies 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. I consider him fit for active service
CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER
This is completed during the recruits training. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him a private in the Railway Special Draft with service number 2783
When Charles enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 20 July 1918, he was immediately selected for the Railway Special Draft, a clear indication that he possessed skills considered valuable to the Army's railway service. Rather than training to become an infantryman destined for the trenches, Charles was preparing for an equally important task—keeping the vast military railway system operating behind the front. Every shell, ration, horse, locomotive, ambulance train and reinforcement depended upon an efficient railway network, making experienced railwaymen an essential part of the Allied war effort.
TRAINING ENOGGERA
Charles first joined B Recruit Composite Battalion, where he underwent the standard period of military instruction given to new recruits. Although his specialist employment lay with the railways, he still had to become a soldier. His days were occupied with squad drill, physical training, rifle handling, musketry, bayonet practice, route marches and military discipline. He learned how to wear and maintain his uniform and equipment, obey orders, march in formation and live under army routine. Medical inspections, inoculations and lectures on field hygiene were also part of daily life. By 1918 the emphasis was on producing disciplined soldiers as quickly as possible before they moved on to their specialist duties.
INNOCULATIONS
All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.
THE UNIFORM
The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.
SOLDIER’S KIT
Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.
· Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.
· Braces: worn with breeches.
· Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.
· Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.
· Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.
· Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.
· Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.
· Jersey
· Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.
· Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.
· Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.
· Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.
· Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.
· Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.
· Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.
· Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.
· They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.
· No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day.
TRAINING BROADMEADOWS AUGUST 1918
On 29 August 1918, Charles transferred to the Railway Unit at Broadmeadows in Victoria. Here his training became far more specialised. Instead of practising infantry tactics, he would almost certainly have refreshed and adapted the railway skills he already possessed for military service. Depending upon his civilian occupation, this could have included operating military locomotives, railway shunting procedures, laying and repairing track, maintaining points and signals, loading and unloading military stores, constructing temporary sidings and learning how military railways functioned under wartime conditions. Safety procedures, engineering maintenance and the organisation of military transport would all have been emphasised. The Army expected these experienced railwaymen to step quickly into an efficient organisation once they reached England.
Life at Broadmeadows combined military routine with practical railway instruction. The camp had been one of Australia's principal training establishments throughout the war and, although conditions had improved greatly since its early tented beginnings, recruits still experienced the familiar cycle of reveille before dawn, parades, inspections, physical training and long working days. For Charles, however, the focus increasingly shifted towards the technical responsibilities he would soon undertake overseas.
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM MELBOURNE TO ENGLAND
On the 5TH October 1918, the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Zealandic. 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.
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. In an attempt 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 only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board
ENGLAND
About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. 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. However, news of the Allied advance in France filtered through as the ship steamed north, and by the time Charles approached England it was becoming clear that Germany's defeat was only a matter of time.
WAR ENDED 11th NOVEMBER 1918
The armistice that ended the First World War on the Western Front was signed between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918.
ENGLAND DECEMBER 1918
Disembarking in England in early December 1918, only weeks after the signing of the Armistice, Charles marched into the Australian Railway Operating Division Depot on 6 December 1918. Although the fighting had ended, the work awaiting him remained immense. Thousands of troops still had to be transported, enormous quantities of stores redistributed, damaged railway lines repaired and the vast military transport system kept functioning while the Allied armies occupied former battlefields and prepared for eventual demobilisation. Here Charles would complete the specialist military railway training that had begun in Australia before being allocated wherever his skills were most needed within Britain's or the former Western Front's military railway network.
Unlike many Australian soldiers who spent months in the front-line trenches, Charles belonged to a highly skilled group whose technical knowledge kept the Allied armies moving. Their contribution was rarely glamorous, but without the railwaymen, the guns could not fire, the troops could not advance, and the armies could neither fight nor return home.
NON-MILITARY EMPLOYMENT SCHEME JULY 1919
After several months with the Australian Railway Operating Division, Charles' military duties took an unexpected but rewarding turn. On 16 July 1919 he was transferred to the strength of Australian Imperial Force Headquarters in London under the Non-Military Employment Scheme. Established after the Armistice, the scheme recognised that thousands of Australian soldiers faced long waits before transport home became available. Rather than remain idle in military camps, men were encouraged to undertake civilian employment or vocational training while continuing to receive their Army pay and allowances. For skilled tradesmen such as Charles, it was an opportunity to improve their professional qualifications before returning to civilian life.
Charles was granted three months' leave with pay and subsistence from 16 July until 16 October 1919 to undertake railway work under General Manager G. Riley at King's Cross, London. For a railwayman this was a remarkable opportunity. King's Cross was one of Britain's great railway centres, where trains departed daily to the industrial cities and ports of northern England and Scotland. Here Charles would have observed the organisation of a vast railway system that carried thousands of passengers and enormous quantities of freight every day. Working alongside experienced British railway staff, he would have gained valuable knowledge of railway operations, traffic management, locomotive scheduling, signalling, maintenance and the administration of one of the world's busiest rail networks. The experience would have been directly applicable to Australia's expanding railway systems after his return home.
Once this period of civilian employment concluded, Charles returned to military control to await a passage back to Australia. Like thousands of other Australian soldiers, he entered the frustrating period of demobilisation when transport shortages meant many men remained in England for several months after completing their duties. During this time, they reported regularly to AIF Headquarters, lived in hostels or billets, drew their military pay and waited patiently for a berth on one of the scarce troopships sailing home.
DISCIPLINED NOVEMBER 1919
Not everything went entirely according to plan. On 28 November 1919, Charles was absent without leave from 11.59 pm on 28 November until 2.00 pm on 1 December, an absence of approximately three days. Such offences were relatively common during the long wait for repatriation, when discipline inevitably became more relaxed than it had been during wartime. Charles was dealt with by the usual military procedure, forfeiting three days' pay before returning to duty.
GOING HOME FEBRUARY 1920
At last, on 7 February 1920, Charles embarked for Australia aboard the troopship Königin Luise. The voyage home marked the end of nearly eighteen months of military service, much of it spent applying his railway skills rather than serving in the front line. Although he had enlisted too late to see active combat, his work formed part of the enormous logistical effort that enabled the Australian Imperial Force to function efficiently during the closing months of the war and throughout the complex process of demobilisation.
CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION
Badges Hat Badges Collar (2) Bags kit universal
Bags kit sea Braces (pair) Brush, shaving
Brush, tooth Breeches M.S (Military service)
Cap comforter (warm cap) Comb, hair
Disc identity with cord Drawers (2 pairs)
Great Coat Hat, Khaki fur Hat, white
Holdall Housewife (compact sewing kit)
Jackets Cardigan Jackets S.D (service dress)
Leggings 1 pair Laces, leather 1 pair
Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions
Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection
for the lower leg)
Razor Shirts, flannel (2) Socks, 3 pairs
Singlets (2)
Strap chin Soap piece Suit, working
Towels, hand (2)
Titles “Australia” (4)- Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged
DISCHARGED MARCH 1920
Arriving home, Charles was discharged on 1 March 1920, returning to civilian life with not only his military experience but also valuable professional training gained on one of Britain's great railway systems.
For his service Charles was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
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