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Scharness C   Colour Sgt    406

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 2 years, 2 months ago

Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

 

Company Quarter Master Sergeant Scharness, 7th Infantry

Battalion (Killed). Essendon Gazette 10 Jun 1915.

 

Scharness C*    Colour Sgt    406    Charles           7 Inf Bn    21    Joiner    Single    Meth        

Address:    Flemington, Dover St, 58    

Next of Kin:    Scharness, Mary Ann, 95 Hall St, Moonee Ponds    

Enlisted:    15 Aug 1914      

Embarked:     A20 Hororata 19 Oct 1914    

Prior service:  58 inf Regt.

 

Friend of:

Garner-G-G--L--Sgt-411  DOW (See 1917 In Memoriam below)

Greig-G-F-Sgt-407  KIA             (See 1917 In Memoriam below)

 

Date of death:  25/04/1915

BEACH CEMETERY, ANZAC

 

AUSTRALIANS EXPRESS
HIGH CONCEPTION OF DUTY
READY TO DIE FOR EMPIRE
Quartermaster - sergeant Charles Scharness has a high conception of
a soldier's duty. Writing from Mena Camp to his mother, who lives in Hall
street, Moonee Ponds, he says: —


Lord Kitchener, the greatest soldier in the world at present, once did
what I am doing now. He has been through many wars, and has come out
all right, and so will I. But, indeed, if anything should happen to me, why
worry ? You should be proud that it did happen to me while I was doing
this work."

AUSTRALIANS EXPRESS HIGH CONCEPTION OF DUTY (1915, March 23). The Herald

(Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242267980

 

OUR SOLDIERS  

WITH THE TROOPS  

IN EGYPT        

LETTER FROM AN ESSENDONIAN  

 

Quartermaster Charles Scharness, who was born in Moonee Ponds, and left with the Essendon Rifles with the first Australian Contingent, writes to his mother from Mena Camp, Cairo, as follows:

 

Just a line to let you know I am back again at Mena, safe and sound, and in the best of health. We arrived  in camp here again about two hours ago. How pleased I am to get the photo, which will always find room in my pay book wherever I may go. I say "my pay book," for that is the soldier's bible on active service, for if he loses that he cannot receive any money for a long time. Therefore, it is our most important bit of equipment one has to look after.

 

To-day has been a long one for me. We left our position on the canal (which was about 80 miles from here) about four o'clock this morning. We have been travelling until about six to-night; in all, we have marched about 12 miles. The rest of the journey we did by train, with all our equipment, etc., weighing at  least 80 lbs. You can imagine that I feel pretty tired.

 

The whole week we have been away we have not been out of our clothes once. We arrived at the canal about midnight, after a hurried departure from this camp. I am beating about the bush in telling you my past weeks experience, so I will start from the first and tell you all. About a week ago, we were to go out one night for training, but owing to the weather blowing a gale and not being able to see more than  a yard ahead of you for sand dust, the parade was cancelled. Well, the only thing for us to do was to turn into bed, for there was no pleasure in getting your eyes cut out by the sand in such weather. About one o'clock in the morning I was woke up and told to pack up and prepare to move to Ismalia as soon as possible after day break in the morning. I could not realise for a while, and wondered if I had been dreaming, for here I was with a store full of goods, and with such a sudden warning. We knew that the Turks were expected to make an attack on the canal at any time, but never thought that we would be needed, for it is so strongly fortified, and there are so many Indian troops there. But, anyhow, orders were received that more troops were required, and as I have told you, we have made a name for ourselves already, and are reckoned one of the best battalions in camp. With the 8th Battalion, we were the ones chosen to go.        

 

By 12 o'clock the next day, we were seated in the train with two hundred rounds of ammunition, ready for the fray. It was then I managed to snatch a few minutes to scribble that card which I sent. The journey down was long and dreary, for we had not much sleep the night before, and after the rush to get things fixed up as much as possible before leaving camp, we had to march eight miles to the station; loaded up as we were, then to be packed up in dog box carriages  like sardines. I would love to have been able to have taken a flashlight of my carriage. You would see a head here and there popping up from underneath a lot of equipment. I stretched my self in the gangway; my head and shoulders I found room for; but as to the rest of my body, at times I did not know where it was. It seemed to be all dead with the weight on top of it.

 

When we arrived at the journey' s end, we marched about a mile from the station into the desert and camped for the night, rolling ourselves in our greatcoats, with our equipment for a  pillow and our rifles in our hands. At one side we snatched what sleep we could. Throughout the night a heavy dew fell, which wet us through. We were up at 6 o'clock again. Our  breakfast consisted of a biscuit and a half and a drink of tea. Throughout, the day was spent in resting and making ourselves as fresh as possible. Here we stopped for a week in the open. Some of our chaps were sent into the trenches, and the remainder of us lay ready to pop in at any time, but our luck was out, for the Turks had begun to retire while we were on our way down. They made their attack, but were utterly defeated. Our Indian friends gave them a very rough time of it and a great surprise. We were in the thick of where the fight had been the day before, as shell had land ed in the lake but a few hundred yards from where we were.

 

You must get a map of Egypt and follow our movements. It was Lake Tismah near which we were camped. Though the aeroplane scout reported that the enemy had retired about 6 miles into the desert and were still moving eastward, every precaution was exercised should they make another attempt to cross the canal. But for three days we lay about in readiness, and each time the aeroplanes came in they had the same news that the enemy were still retiring, much to our disgust, to think that we had missed our chance to do our bit in earnest and have a scrap. After the fourth day we had a free leg and could go for a march. The route we took was around the town or Ismailia, which we found in a very deserted state but for a few women folk. The rest had shifted to safer quarters.

 

Hundreds of Turkish prisoners were captured, which we arranged with the guards to send to barracks at Cairo. The hospitals were full of wounded, the ground in front of the trenches being strewn with dead.  The Gurkha soldiers have a great hatred against the Turks, for they played a dirty trick on them in flying the white flag of truce, and when a party went out to the enemy they shot them down. Consequently, any Turks who came their way after that they treated pretty badly. The Indians were not particular in burying the Turkish dead, for many of them were left with an arm or leg poking out of the ground.

 

Yesterday, we had a march all along the trenches, after which we all had a swim in the lake, which is salt water and has a fine beach. The canal runs through this lake. After we got back in camp again we received orders to return to Mena again, for it was found that the Turks were now about 30 miles back and still retiring as fast as possible towards Jerusalem. Consequently, our officers came to the conclusion that they had got a good enough doing for their part, and it was no use for us to stop there, for the country is not suitable to finish our training on. The week which we spent was full of interest and quite a change from Mena, which is now a monotonous  hole, though we endured a little privation. We found plenty of Turkish  equipment, with bayonets and rifles and ammunition galore, which had   been left behind them; but l had quite enough to carry without loading myself up with this stuff. All I brought back with men was one Turkish cartridge for a souvenir: Some of the cartridges were full of wooden bullets, covered with lead-coloured paint, which we put down as a trick of the  Germans to load these ignorant Turks up with a lot of ammunition to encourage them into the field. It is not the poor simple Turk that wants to fight, it is those behind them; but they will get their turn ere long.

 

I have given you a rough idea of our past week's doings, but could write pages of little instances that happened. There are lots of little things I would like to send to different ones, but my money that I have allowed myself does not go far, for there is always something cropping up to be paid for- either mess bills or money for washing, or books which I might want --and  it is pay for everything you want to see. As I spent what money I had on the boat, I have nothing in hand to fall back on.

 

I am in the best of health, and though my thoughts are often of home, I do not worry, for I will be back again very soon among you again. Lord Kitchener, the greatest soldier in the world at present, did what I am doing now once, and has been in many wars. He is all right, and so will I be all right. In fact, should anything happen to me, why worry? You should be proud to say that anything happened to me while doing this work. Well, I will have to come to a close and turn in.   I say "turn in," but I found when I came to get my blankets that there is only a single one left; so I will have to make the best of it.

 

OUR SOLDIERS. (1915, April 1). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 6 Edition: Morning.. Retrieved September 6, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74588335 

 

Com. Q.M. Sergeant C. F. Scharness,

 

killed in action, was 22 years of age, and was born at Moonee Ponds. He was the only son of Mrs. M. A. Scharness and the late Mr. F. Scharness, of Moonee Ponds. He was educated at Essendon State school, and served his apprenticeship as joiner with James Moore and Co. Ltd. He was an enthusiastic in all military matters connected with the 58th Regiment, Essendon, and was also a member of the A.N.A. lodge, Essendon branch.

 

CAREERS OF THE FALLEN. (1915, June 7). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 12. Retrieved February 14, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154957803

 

Essendon Gazette, 10 June 1915

 

Comp. Q.M. Sgt.  Scharness (killed in action) was born at Moonee Ponds 22 years ago. He was the only son of Mrs. M. A. Scharness and the late F. Scharness, of Moonee Ponds, and was educated at the Essendon State School.

 

He was colour sergeant of the 58th Regiment, Essendon, under Colonel H. E. Elliott. He was also one of the guard of honour to the colours presented by His Excellency Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson to the 58th (Essendon Rifles). When war broke out he was one of the first to enlist. While in Egypt he was promoted to the rank of Comp. Q.M. Sgt  of B Comp., 7th Battalion, A.I.F. He was also an enthusiast in all military matters connected with 58th Regiment, Essendon. He was a member of the A.N.A. Lodge, Essendon.

 

Essendon Gazette 29 July 1915

 

The following letter has been received by Mrs. Scharness, mother of C.Q.M.S. C. Scharness, who was killed in action:~


FIRST BATTALION INFANTRY.
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
Gallipoli Peninsula.


Dear Mrs. Scharness,
I beg to offer my deepest sympathy in connection with the death of your son in action on the occasion of our making a landing on April 25th. Your son was highly esteemed, and his death is felt to be a great loss to his battery. You will have received some of his personal belongings ere this. A New Testament, evidently well read, was amongst his possessions. He was buried on Tuesday, April 27th, by the Senior Chaplain of the New Zealand Force, Rev J A Luxford, who is a Methodist minister. His death was reported to me on Wednesday, 28th April. His grave is being attended to. He is buried in what we call the Hillside Cemetery at Anzac Cove. It overlooks the blue waters of the Aegean Sea, and is in a beautiful position. We are putting a stone fence round it for present and wooden crosses over the graves, but we hope there will ultimately be an Australian memorial erected over all the names on it. I pray that God will console you in your bereavement.
JAMES GREEN*
Senior Methodist Chaplain

 

*Chaplain 1st Class James Green, aged 50, of Newtown, Sydney.

 

ROLL OF HONOUR.

At 4 p m. yesterday Mr. W. Warren Kerr, president of the Chamber of  Commerce, unveiled a roll of honour, prepared by the employees of James Moore and Sons Pty. Ltd., to perpetuate the memory of their fellow-employees who have gone to the front. The ceremony took place at the offices of the firm. Altogether the roll contains the names of 61, two of whom, Quartermaster Sergeant Sharness and Captain E. A. Evans, have been killed in action, the former in the landing at Gallipoli, and the latter in France. After a feeling speech by Mr. Kerr (who has lost his only son in action, Sergeant Barry, rendered the "Last Post" in honour of the fallen.  

 

CALL FOR MEN. (1916, August 12). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 20. Retrieved July 5, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1593355

 

 

War Service Commemorated

Essendon Town Hall R-Y

Essendon State School

Patriotic Concert 1914

South Essendon Methodist Church*

Essendon Gazette Roll of Honour killed

Regimental Register

“Send off to the Essendon Boys”

58th Infantry Football Club (Essendon Rifles)

 

Killed in Action

 

SCHARNESS.—A tribute of love to the memory

of our beloved friend, C.Q.M.S. Charles Schar-

ness, who was killed in action at Gallipoli 22nd

May.

He rose responsive to his country's call,

and gave for her his best- his life -his all.

-(Inserted by his sincere friends, Maie, Lean, Han,

and Beat.) 

 

Family Notices. (1915, June 7). The Argus 

(Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 1.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1522241

 

In Memoriam

 

SCHARNESS.- Killed at Gallipoli on the 25th

April, C.Q.M.-Sgt. 7th Battalion, Charles, lov-

ing and only son of M. A. Scharness, 38

Chaucer street. Moonee Ponds.

So dearly loved; so deeply mourned.

-(Inserted by sorrowing mother.)

The Argus 25 April 1916

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2103384

 

SCHARNESS-ln loving memory of my dear and

only son, Charles, CQM. sergeant of D Com

pany, 7th Battalion, who was killed in action

April 25, 1915, at Gallipoli

Sadly missed

His memory ever dear

(Inserted by his loving mother, M A Scharness )

The Argus 25 April 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1613078

 

 

SCHARNESS.--In loving memory of
my dear and only son, Charles,
C.Q.M. Sergeant of D Comp., 7th.
Batt., who was killed in action, April
25th, 1915, at Gallipoli.
Sadly missed, his memory ever dear.
-Inserted by his loving mother, M.
A. Scharness, and sisters Ethel and

Alice.

 

Family Notices (1917, April 26). The

Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla

and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee

Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74602345

 

GARNER.-In loving memory of Sergeant George

Garner, who died at sea, of wounds received at

Gallipoli, on 14th July, 1915; also a tribute to the

memory of his friends, Charlie Scharness and

George Greig, both killed in action.

What if to-morrow's cares were here  

Within its rest!  

I'd rather He unlocked the day,

And, as the hours swing open, say,

"My will is best."    

-(lnserted by his loving parents, brothers,

and sisters.)     

The Argus 14 July 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1635682

 

SCHARNESS.-In loving memory of my dearly

loved and only son, Charles, C.Q.M.S., 7th Bat-

talion, D Company, killed at landing Gallipoli,

April 25, 1915.

Ever remembered, sadly missed. -(Inserted

by loving mother.)

The Argus 25 April 1918

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1654889

 

IN MEMORIAM.

SCHARNESS.--In loving memory of my dear

son, Charles,. C.Q.M.S. of 7th Battalion, B

Company, killed at landing. Gallipoli, April

25th, 1915. His memory ever dear, so sadly

missed.

-Inserted by sorrowing mother.

Family Notices. (1918, April 25). The

Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and

Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds,

Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74605723

 

SCHARNESS.— In loving memory of my dear and

only son, Charles Scharness, C.Q.M.S,, of 7th

Battalion, A.I.F., killed in action, Gallipoli, on

April 25, 1915, aged 22 years and 7 months.

Ever remembered.

--(Inserted by his loving mother, Moonee Ponds.) 

The Argus 25 April 1919

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1460731

 

SCHARNESS.— In loving memory of my dear and

only son, Charles Scharness, C.Q.M.S., 7th Bat-

talion, killed in action at Gallipoli on the 25th April,

1915.

Love and remembrance last for ever.

--(Inserted by his loving mother.)

The Argus 24 April 1920

 

SCHARNESS.— In loving memory of my dear

son, C.Q.M.S. Scharness, 7th Battalion, killed

in  action 20th April, 1915, at Gallipoli.

Ever remembered.

— (Inserted by his loving mother.)

The Argus 25 April 1921

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1750711

 

SCHNARNESS. In loving memory of my dear

son, C.Q.M.S. Charles Scharness, 7th Battalion,

who was killed in action at Gallipoli, 25th April, 1915.

Ever remembered.

(Inserted by hits loving mother, Moonee

Ponds.)

The Argus 25 April 1922

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4659853

 

SCHARNESS.-In loving memory of my dear and

only son, C.Q.M. Charles Scharness, 7th Batt.,

killed in actlon at Gallipoli, April 25, 1915. -

Ever remembered,

-(Inserted by his loving mother.) 

The Argus 25 April 1923

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1892688

 

SCHARNESS.— In loving memory of my dear son,

Charl, C.Q.M.S., 7th Battn., killed in action at Gallipoli.

Ever remembered.

--(Inserted by his loving mother.) 

The Argus 25 April 1924

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1915169

 

SCHARNESS.— In loving memory of my dear  

and only son, Charl, C.Q.M.S., D. Company,    

7th Battalion, killed at Gallipoli

Ever remembered. --(Mother.) 

The Argus 25 April 1925

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2085932

 

SCHARNESS.— In loving memory of my dear and  

only son. C.Q.M.S. Charles Scharness, of 7th Battn.,

killed in action at landing, April 25,  

1915.

Ever remembered.  

--(Inserted by his loving mother.)

The Argus 24 April 1926

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3747255

 

SCHARNESS.— In loving memory of my dear    

son, Charles, C.Q.M.S., 7th Battalion, killed    

in action, April 25, at Gallipoli.    

Ever remembered.  

--(Inserted by his loving mother.) 

The Argus 25 April 1929

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3997906

 

1927 and 1928 not checked, no notice in 1930.  No further years checked.

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