7th July 1917 Captain LINKLATER I strongly recommend that the Military Crosses be awarded to Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER, and Lieutenant walter John Clare DUNCAN. In the battle of MESSINES RIDGE,

Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER. In the Battle of MESSINES RIDGE from June 7th to June 11th, Captain Charles Henry Linklater displayed great courage and splendid leadership. He constantly sent back valuable information. In spite of heavy losses he kept his men in the highest of spirits and consolidation and an excellent line. He establised and visited the first advance post at THATCHED COTTAGE and later at FUZE COTTAGE.

London Gazette 1st June 1917. Page 5422 Position 66.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 4th of October 1917. Page 624 Position 78.

4th October 1917.

Informant; PrivATE: 711 Walter Edward BRIGGS I am sorry to see that Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER is missing. he was a fine officer, a fine chap, one of the very best. No dought he was a fine chap.

Ward 18. Harefield.

NOTE: Captain: LINKLATER'S name appears in German Death List.

8th October 1917.

Informant; Private: 1512 Edwin James Harold BROWN    Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER was in Command of C Company. He was wounded at St Ives, Alugestrent in June 1917 but it was read out in Battalion Orders that he died of wounds.

D Company, Stretcher Bearer. Australian Camp.

10th August 1917.

Informant; Private: 1487 George MILLER I believe that the word came through to the Battalion from Germany thet Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER (33rd Battalion C Company) is a prisoner. Lieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD would confirm this. He was captured in June at Messines whil taking a strong point.

3rd Southern General Hospital. Cowley, Oxford.

Home address; Easter Breich Farm, West Calder, Scotland.

4th September 1917.

Informant; Corporal: 1647 Ernest Albert FRASER 9th Light Trench Mortor Battery. Refer to Lieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD Officer Commanding 33rd Battalion who is still in France and who received word that Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER was wounded and that he was a Prisoner of War in Germany.

3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, DARTFORD, England.

11th October 1917.

Informant: Private: 801 Walter John KELLETT I was in an attack made during the night of June 7th. Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER wished to go over and see how his men were getting on but a company runner went first Private: 5011 Christopher Edward FOWLER and as he did not return the Captain went after him. The Captain never returned. Lieutenant: 800 Ruben Charles FLETCHER heard from him from a camp in Germany. I have since heard from Lieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD that Captain: LINKLATER died in Germany.

Edmonton Hospital, London, Ehgland.

12th October 1917.

Informant; Lieutenant: 800 Rupert Charles JONES I regret that we have no information yet concerning Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER but will be glad to forward it to you immediatley any tidings reach us. Note: Captain LINKLATER'S name appears in the German Death List. 7.8.1917.

26th October 1917.

Informant; Sergeant: 2000 Richard Charles MAY I knew that Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER (33rd Battalion) was wounded in action and taken prisoner during the attack on June 7-9 at Ploegsteert. He was then reported as missing. I believe that Lieutenant: Richard Henry BLOMFIELD (now in England wounded) heard through the Red Cross that he had died of wounds in Germany on August 7th.

Captain: LINKLATER was reported missing between 7.6.17 and 14.6.17. The last time I saw him was on the evening of the 6th June 1917, alive at Ploegsteert Wood, we had just come out of the trenches. He went into the trenches again on the 8th June with one Battalion, He went into action on that night and as far as I am aware he was never again after that date. It was generally believed in the Battalion that he had died of wounds whilst a prisoner in Germany on the 7th August 1917.

3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford England. Home Address 169 Ferrers Street, South Melbourne, Victoria. Australia.

27th October 1917.

Informant; Private: 2922 Victor Harold MACKIE I have heard Captain: Wilfred Frank HINTON (33rd Battalion A Company) speak about Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER (33rd Battalion C Company) who was missing one night. Some of our men went out to take a strong point and got into difficulties. Captain: LINKLATER went out to find them and was lost. We all think he must be a prisoner. I was not there myself and can not give the date or place.

3rd Southern General Hospital, Cowley Section, Oxford.

6th December 1917.

Informant; Lieutenant: 2559 Robert Horner FLETCHER 33rd Battalion. I was on duty in the new front line opposite St Yves on the morning of the 11th of June 1917. Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER was C Company Commander and at about 12:30am went forward to a post at Thatched Cot, 500 yardsin front of our line to await the reports from a party under Lieutenant: 1263 Edwin Charles Pond THOMAS of A Company which had been sent forward another 400 yardsto occupy Fuze Cot. At about 1:00am no word from the party having reached Thatched Cot. Captain: LINKLATER went forward with his runner Private: 950 William Stanley SMITH to try and get in touch with the party. They did not reach Fuze cot. Two runners had been sent back by Lieutenant: THOMAS at about midnight of the 10th-11th June but did not reach Thatched Cot until about 3:45am, when they stated that they lost their direction and had encountered a German Post. They lay in a shell hole thirty yards from the post to await daylight and while lying there they saw two figures approaching from the direction from which they themselves had come.

When these two figures were about 20 yards from the post they were challenged in English and two shots were fired. Then bombs were thrown from the German Post and the figureds disappeared. By the light of a veery light the runners saw about ten Germans apparently searching where they had last seen the two figures. There was nobody out from the lines at the time but the two runners, Captain: LINKLATER and his runner Private: SMITH Inquiries made by 2nd/Lieutenant: Richard Henry BLOMFIELD C Company of 33rd Battalion showed that Captain: LINKLATER'S name appeared on the German Death List of August 7th.

Note: Private: 950 William Stanley SMITH- MISSING. 7/12.6.1917. Captain: LINKLATER appears on German Death List of 7.8.1917 with no further evidence to report death in Germany.

3rd L.S. General Hospital Wandsworth, England.

7th September 1918. Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER.

By his gallant conduct and his devotion to duty and set his men a magnificent example and inspired them with the greatest confidence and affection. He also did valuable work at GALLIPOLI and was MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES, June 4 1917.

London Gazette 25th August 1917. Page 8823 Position 12.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 20th of December 1917. Page 3381 Position 19.

Charles Henry Linklater was a Wool Merchant for Woolstonecraft, N.S.W. upon enlistment.

(Australian National Archives)