Military History

Read attended Officer School at Albany 15.5.1916, he returned and went to Duntroon for Officer Training 18.9.1916 and returned to Perth
Embarked from Fremantle per ‘Miltiades’ A 28 for England 29.1.1917.
Roll Rank 2nd Lieut.
Roll Unit Commander of 9th Reinf. 51st Infantry Battalion, AIF.
Read disembarked at Devonport with the 51st Infantry Bn. 27.3.1917. He marched in to 13th Training Bn. at Codford 28.3.1917. He attended an Officer’s Course at Candahar Barracks, Tidworth 7.5.1917. Read marched in to Codford for preparation to embark overseas. He embarked per for France as 2nd Lieutenant and marched to Le Havre 10.7.1917. He was admitted to hospital sick 21.9.1917 with ‘Trench Fever’ and invalided to England per HS ‘Ville de Liege’ 25.9.1917. Read was placed on a Regimental Seconded List. He was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital 25.9.1917 and discharged to Sutton Veny 22.11.1917. Read proceeded overseas to France 17.1.1918. Read was wounded in action at Villers-Bretonneux with severe GSWs to his thigh and buttock 25.4.1918. He was transferred by 25th Field Ambulance to 5th Casualty Clearing Station, France 26.4.1918. Read was promoted to Lieut. 26.4.1918. He embarked as an invalid for England per ‘Guildford Castle’ 30.4.1918 and admitted to the 5th Auxiliary Hospital 3.6.1918. He was then transferred to 'Lockleys' the home converted to Hospital of th eDe La Rues, known as Lady de la Rues Hospital 17.6.1918. This convalescent home for Officers was located in  rural Hertfordshire (Reported in West Australian Newspaper 27.5.1918). Read was discharged to the Overseas Training Bn. 27.8.1918. He proceeded overseas to France 1.9.1918. The 51st Bn fought at an outpost on the Hindenburg Line in September 1918.(AWM 51st Bn.) Read took leave to UK 4.1919. He marched out 13.4.1919 for return to Australia.
Embarked Southampton per ‘Orsova’ for Australia 18.7.1919.
Returned/Disembarked Fremantle 6.8.1919.
Discharged 5.10.1919.
Final Rank Lieut., 51st Infantry Bn. AIF.
Medical Condition NK.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Read gave his address as James Street. His brother C.W. Read was located in James Street, West Guildford, WA.
Photos HMAT 'Miltiades'. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM P08559.001
             3rd Australian General Hospital at Wandsworth.UK.c 1916. Postcard by Card House
             Australian Troops in trenches near Villers-Bretonneux May 1918. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E04828
             Stretcher bearers of the 8th Field Ambulance, near Villers-Bretonneux, France . Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E02863

Information Source
AWM P08559.001. HMAT 'Miltiades'. Photographer unknown, photograph sourcd from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E04828. Australian Troops in trenches near Villers-Bretonneux May 1918. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E02863. Stretcher bearers of the 8th Field Ambulance, near Villers-Bretonneux, France . Photgrapher unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll Charles William Read
AWM 51st Battalion
Card House.3rd Australian General Hospital at Wandsworth.UK.c 1916. Postcard
NAA: B2455, Read Charles William
West Australian Newspaper
Wise H. and Coy. Western Australian Post Office Directories.SLWA

James Street, Guildford, WA.

Associated Images