Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Charles William Walton was born on 27 May 1889 at St Andrews, South Canterbury, the eldest son of Walter George and Sarah Louisa (née Hodgkinson) Walton. He started at Esk Valley School in 1894 and transferred to Otaio in 1899, where he left in 1904 to work at home.

When he got the call-up in 1917, Charles was working as a farm hand for a Mr Hayder and gave his last address as Pleasant Valley. Initially he posted to C Company of the 27th Reinforcements on 13 March 1917 as a private, a rank he retained for the remainder of the war. A month later he was transferred to the 26th Reinforcements. With training coming to a close Charles had his first brush with military justice, being admonished for overstaying his leave for two days (13 to 15 May).But with his initial training in New Zealand complete, punishment seems to have been minimal, and he left New Zealand on 9 June on the transport ship Willochra. On arrival in the UK he marching into Sling (a UK training camp) on 16 August 1917, and was assigned to B Company, 4th Canterbury Regiment. Just over a month later, with some more training underway, he proceeded overseas on 24 September. Arriving at Etaples, France, Charles was posted to 1 Company, 1st Canterbury Regiment at the beginning of September. Between 20 to 27 of that month he was detached to the Brigade School for additional training, before returning to his unit.

On 29 December 1917 Charles was reported as “sick in hospital’. He had been admitted to 4 NZ Field Ambulance, but after two weeks rejoined his unit on 15 January 1918. Illness struck again on 11 July 1918, again being evacuated sick to hospital with the NZ Field Ambulance. Four days later he was admitted to the 3rd Canadian[?] Stationary Hospital. Eight days later, on 23 July, he was transferred to 1st Australian General Hospital where he remained for four days until being discharged back to base depot. At Etaples he was reattached to his unit strength at the convalescent depot on 1 August 1918. Just over three weeks later though he was obviously fit again, being temporarily transferred to No.2 Entrenching Battalion from 25 August until 2 September.

On 30 September 1918 Charles was reported missing, later being recorded as a prisoner of war. Back at home the Evening Post reported Charles as missing in action on 23 October 1918, less than a month prior to the end of hostilities. Happily, on 16 December the same newspaper reported Charles as one of a group of repatriated prisoners. He was released and had arrived at the POW reception and dispersal camp at Ripon in the United Kingdom by 9 December 1918.

With the war ended Charles returned home on the Corinthic on 12 March 1919, disembarking in Lyttelton on 22 April. Discharge from service finally came on 21 May 1919. He have his intended address as C/- Mr Morris, Clayton Station, Fairlie. Having served for two years and 70 days, including 116 days in New Zealand, for his service Charles was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

After the war, on 10 March 1920 at Chalmers Manse, Timaru, Charles married Frances May Butters, whose brother had married Charles' sister in 1919 at Chalmers Church. On 26 August 1920 over two hundred people gathered at Esk Valley to do honour to the ex-pupils of the school who had served in the war. A monument which had been erected by the efforts of ex-pupils to the memory of their fallen schoolmates, was unveiled. The “Roll,” arranged by Mrs Smithson and presented by her to the school, consisted of thirty-eight photographs of the boys who had left for the war. Underneath each was inscribed his name and reinforcement group. In a central oval the Union Jack and New Zealand flags appeared with the inscription: “For King and Country, 1914-1918.” Included in the names was that of C. W. Walton.

Charles’ brother Alfred (service no.43068) also served in World War One.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [10 February 2018]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [10 February 2018]; School Admission records (South Canterbury brances NZSG) [10 February 2018]; Geraldine Cemetery headstone image (Timaru District Council) [10 February 2018]; Timaru Herald, 31 August 1920 (Papers Past) [06 February 2018]; SCRoll web submission by A williams, 27 April 2024; 'Roll of honour ' [Missing] in the Evening Post 23 October 1918 p3, & 'New Zealand Army' [Soldiers repatriated] in the Evening Post 16 December 1918 p8, courtesy of Papers past at https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ [accessed 7 May 2024]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG, Tony Rippin, South Canterbury Museum

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.