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Married: 1. 1921. West Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:13042/1921.
Wife: 1. Nellie S Russell. nee: Griffiths
Married: 2 1933. Candwindra, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:10827/1933.
Wife: 2 Doris Lilian Russell. nee: Graham.
Died: 1972. Newtown, New South Wales, Australia. Death Cert:60016/1972.
Step Father: Arthur Walter Jobson.
Mother: Elizabeth Jane Jobson. nee: Russell
Charles Sidney Russell enlisted with B Company 33rd Battalion AIF on the 12th of February
1916 at Armidale, N.S.W and left Sydney on board HMAT A74 "Marathon" on the 4th May and disembarked
at Devonport, England on the 9th of July and was marched to the 9th Training Battalion at the
Durrington Army Camp at Larks Hill. A week later charles was admitted to Hospital suffering from
Gastro-Enteritis and after a short stay he returned to camp and
proceeded overeas via Southampton, for France on the 21st of November 1916.
Charles was Taken on in Strength in the field with the 33rd and was marched to the support lines
and a month later he was again treated for Gastro-Enteritis this
time by the 9th Australian Field Ambulance and was removed from the line to recover before returning
to duty on the 23rd of December. Charles remain in and out of the line and his billets until the
27th of February 1917 when he was treated by the 10th and 11th Australian Field Ambulance, suffering
from Scabies, which was causing terrible discomfort for the men
on the front line.
After being treated Charles rejoined the Battalion on the 20th of March and was marched to the front
line and after 3 months of being in and out of action Charles was promoted to Lance Corporal after
Corporal: 442 Arthur Borne HALLORAN was Wounded
in Action on the 25th of June 1917 and less than 2 month later he was promoted to
Corporal on the 13th of August when Corporal Peach was detatched to the 9th Training Battalion.
Just over a month later on the 18th of September Charles was promoted to Sergeant and less than a
month later he was Wounded in Action; 1st occassion on the 12th of October 1917,
during the battle of PASSCHENDAELE where he received a Gun-Shot wound to his
Right Shoulder which saw him evacuated to the 5th General Hospital at ROUEN.
The Battle of Passchendaele saw 60 Officers and 1,322 other ranks loose their lives.
| 33rd Battalion. AIF | 11 Officers | 273 Other ranks |
| 34th Battalion. AIF | 15 Officers | 323 Other ranks |
| 35th Battalion. AIF | 18 Officers | 296 Other ranks |
| 36th Battalion. AIF | 15 Officers | 383 Other ranks |
| 9th Machine Gun Company. AIF | 1 Officer | 36 Other ranks |
| 9th Light Trench Mortor Battery. | - Officer | 11 Other ranks |
Charles was evacuated to England on board the Hospital Ship "St-Patrick" on the 25th of October and after nearly a 4 month stay he was discharged and reported to the Overseas Training Battalion on the 18th of February 1918 and proceeded overseas for France via Southampton on the 4th of March, and was marched in to ROULLES on the 5th. Charles found himself in a bit of trouble when he was Charged Disobeying a Lawful Command (At Sea) and forfieted 4 days Pay byLieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD Comanding Officer, 33rd Battalion AIF.
’On the 16th April, the rumours of a new German Offensive against Amiens seemed to be definitely confirmed. A German prisoner, taken by the French, volunteered the that Villers Bretonneux was to be attacked the next day. The 5th Australian Division, which had come line on the night of the 6th/7th April, and held the sector from Villers Bretonneux (inclusive) to the Somme canal was warned to be ready to retake the town, if captured by attack from the north ; and other preparations and counter-preparations were made. About 4 A.M. on the 17th, Villers Bretonneux, Bois d'Aquenne, to the west of it and the village of Cachy, to the south, were heavily drenched for three hours with phosgene, mustard and irritant gasses. But no assault followed. As soon as possible the local garrison, consisting of the 6/London(58 Dvn) and the 33rd Australian Battalion, was got out of the shelters in the town into the trenches around it. The gas shelling was repeated in the evening from 4 to 7 P.M., next morning and on the following days, being increased so as to include Bois I'Abbe, but with greatly reduced results. Nevertheless it was impossible for anyone to move that area without feeling some ill-effects from the mustard gas, and there were, in all, 1,074 gas casualties.’ (Bean; History of WW1)
Charles was 1 of these and casulties and was Wounded in Action; 2nd occassion on the 18th of April when he suffered from Severe Gas Burns and Poisoning and was admitted to the 5th Casulty Clearing Station on the 19th.
Charles was evacuated to England on board the Hospital Ship "Grantally Castle" on the 27th of April and remained in England until the 17th of July when he retuned to France via Folkstone and was marched back to the front line with the 33rd but after nearly a month back in action Charles was treated by the 9th Australian field Ambulance on the 24th of August 1918, suffering from Dislcation Semilunar Cartlages of the left knee and was treated at the Military Hospital at BETHENAL GREEN and invalided back to England on board the Hospital Ship "Grantally Castle" on the 25th of August and was admitted to the 1st Auxillary Hospital at HAREFIELDand after a period in hospital he was granted furlo on the 26th of November at HAREFIELD before reporting to the AIF Headquarters in London on the 9th of December and returned to Australia on board the Hospital Transport "Ulysses" on the 18th of January 1918 and disembarked in Melbourne victoria on the 4th of March and travelled to Sydney and was discharged from the AIF on the 16th of July 1920.
Charles British war Medal:44570, Victory Medal:43576 and Returned from Active Service Badge: 184384 to 543 SGT C S RUSSELL. 33BN AIF were acquired from Downies Auction, Melbourne in April 2008 and are now in the collection.
Charles was a single 24 year old Farm Labourer from Back Plain, Barraba, N.S.W upon enlistment. His first wife Nellie Russell died in 1930 at Marrickville, N.S.W. Death Cert:2045/1930 and his second wife Doris Russell died in 1973 at Newtown, N.S.W. Death Cert:60537/1973.
Unknown father and Elizabeth Jane Russell nee: Unknown had 4 children, 3 boys and 1 girl. Charles Sidney Russell born 1892 at Barraba, N.S.W. Birth Cert:6226/1892. Albert W Russell born 1895 born 1892 at Barraba, N.S.W. Birth Cert:10891/1895. Wilfred G Russell born 1897 born 1892 at Barraba, N.S.W. Birth Cert:1358/1897. Malina K Russell born 1899 born 1892 at Barraba, N.S.W. Birth Cert:10070/1899.
(Australian National Archives)
Under Construction 05/04/2008.
