BALSOM, Charles Thomas
(Service number 23/1320)
| First Rank | Rifleman | Last Rank |
|---|
Birth
| Date | 03/06/1895 | Place of Birth | Geraldine |
|---|
Enlistment Information
| Date | 23 August 1915 | Age | 20 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address at Enlistment | Mangorei, Upper Taranaki | ||
| Occupation | Farmer | ||
| Previous Military Experience | Territorials | ||
| Marital Status | Single | ||
| Next of Kin | Robert Harland BALSOM (father), Mangorei, Upper Taranaki | ||
Military Service
| Served with | NZ Armed Forces | Served in | Army |
|---|
Embarkation Information
| Body on Embarkation | New Zealand Rifle Brigade | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit, Squadron, or Ship | E Company, 2nd Reinforcements to 1st Battalion | ||
| Date | 13 November 1915 | ||
| Transport | Willochra or Tofua | ||
| Embarked From | Destination | ||
| Other Units Served With | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Unit Served With | |||
Military Awards
| Campaigns | Egyptian; Egyptian Expeditionary Force; Western European | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Medals | 1914-1915 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal | ||
Award Circumstances and Date
No information
Prisoner of War Information
| Date of Capture | |
|---|---|
| Where Captured and by Whom | |
| Actions Prior to Capture | |
| PoW Serial Number | |
| PoW Camps | |
| Days Interned | |
| Liberation Date |
Death
| Date | 28 September 1931 | Age | 36 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Death | New Plymouth Public Hospital | ||
| Cause | |||
| Memorial or Cemetery | Te Henui Cemetery, New Plymouth | ||
| New Zealand Memorials | |||
Biographical Notes
Charles Thomas Balsom was born on 3 June 1895 at Geraldine, the fifth son of Robert Harland and Mary Jane (née Symons) Balsom. Robert and Mary, who both hailed from England, married on 9 October 1880 at St Mary’s Church, Timaru. On 3 July 1882, the Freemasons of Saint John’s Lodge presented a medal to each of the boats’ crews who was instrumental in saving life on the occasion of the shipping disaster in the Timaru Roadstead on the 14th May. Included among the men decorated with medals was R. H. Balsom. Mr Balsom was foreman on the permanent staff of the Landing Service when, in November 1884, the service was transferred from the Harbour Board to the direct control of the Harbour Master and the permanent staff members received three weeks’ notice of dismal. “Captain Webster then engaged as his permanent deputy Mr Balsom, who will henceforth have entire charge under Captain Webster.” It was in December 1893 that Mr Balsom resigned from his position with the Timaru Harbour Board after 14 years of service.
Charles started his schooling at Geraldine, transferring with some of his siblings to Upper Mangorei School, New Plymouth in April 1901 when the family moved to the North Island. In December 1900, Mr R. H. Balsom offered for sale his land, etc., at Geraldine, and in early March 1901 a clearing sale – farming stock and plant and household furniture - was held. The family moved to Mangorei, Taranaki.
Charles Thomas Balsom enlisted on 23 August 1915. He had served with the Territorials. Farming with his father at Mangorei and single, he named his father as next-of-kin – Robert Harland Balsom, Mangorei, Upper Taranaki. Rifleman C. T. Balsom embarked with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 2nd Reinforcements on 13 November 1915. On the first Sunday in June 1917, there was a very large congregation at Whiteley Memorial Church, when a special patriotic service was held, during which a roll of honour was unveiled by his Worship the Mayor. “The roll contains the names of 153 members of the New Zealand forces who have been, or whose parents have been, associated with one or other of the churches in the Whiteley Methodist Circuit.” Recorded there is Private Chas. Thomas Balsom under Second Reinforcements. He embarked per the “Willochra” on 8 March 1919 at Southampton to return to New Zealand. He was discharged on 13 May 1919 and awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in Egypt and Western Europe.
Charles married Evelyn Maud Lethbridge in 1920, and they had a son and a daughter. Charles Thomas Balsom – beloved husband of Evelyn Maud Balsom – died on 28 September 1931 at New Plymouth Public Hospital, aged 36 years. His funeral left the New Plymouth Public Hospital Gates at 115pm on 30 September 1931 for Te Henui Cemetery, where he was buried in the Services Section. Evelyn lived on for more than 67 years, dying in January 1999 at the age of 100 years and outliving both her son and her daughter. She was cremated a New Plymouth.
Three brothers of Charles Thomas Balsom served in World War One – Cecil John Balsom, James Clement Balsom and William Amos Balsom who died of wounds in France on 1 September 1918. A son of Charles served in World War Two – Newton Clive Balsom, and several nephews – Harland Kenneth Balsom, Leslie Ralph Balsom, Ian Murray Kenneth Balsom and Sydney Neville Balsom, Charles Snooks (Charlie), Douglas James Snooks and Graham Ronald Snooks. Mary Jane Balsom who died in August 1930 and Robert Harland Balsom who died in January 1939 were buried at Te Henui Cemetery, New Plymouth.
Sources
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [17 December 2023]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [17 December 2023]; School Admission Records (New Plymouth Branch NZSG) [17 December 2023]; South Canterbury Times, 4 July 1882, 12 November 1884, 20 December 1893, Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1931 (Papers Past) [17 December 2023]; Te Henui Cemetery burial record & New Plymouth cremation record (New Plymouth District Council) [17 December 2023]; Te Henui Cemetery headstone transcription [17 December 2023]
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