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Bacchus Marsh
Avenue of Honour

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Surnames beginning with [ ] - Results 281

Acting Bombardier Charles Douglas Cumming

Service No.:
20070
Unit:
8th AustralianField Atrillery Brigade,
108th Howitzer Battery (32nd Battery)
Tree No.:
N073
Planted by:
John Cumming (Brother)
Image of plaque on tree N073 for Charles Cumming
See Notes (1)
Image of Service Medal - British War Medal Image of Service Medal - Victory Medal
Image of Poppy
KIA

Charles was born in Bacchus Marsh, VIC in 1873 to Charles Cumming and Barbara Walker - he was one of many children, all born in Bacchus Marsh. Charles had two brothers, Athol and Norman (died of wounds), who are also remembered in the Avenue.

Charles was a farmer when he enlisted in the AIF on the 12th of July 1915, aged 42. He embarked aboard the HMAT A7 Medic in May 1916 with the 8th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, 32nd Battery.

In July 1916 Charles disembarked at Plymouth, England - some time after this the artillery brigades were reorganised and the 32nd Battery became the 108th Howitzer Battery. He was promoted to acting Bombardier in October and immediately proceeded to France.

On the 6th of June 1917 Charles was killed in action.

He with quite a number of other fellows had been ordered to proceed to a field, some three or four hundred yards away from the position we then held, to remove some camouflage coverings from some evacuated gun positions ... work had hardly commenced ere a 4.2. shell from the enemy (quite what we term stray one since matters had been fairly quite before - and nothing further came along after) exploded with terrific force right in the centre of one of our parties, killing three men outright, one of whom was the above soldier mentioned.

Source: Red Cross Wounded & Missing - Sergeant Denton

Charles was buried the next day at the Strand Military Cemetery, Belgium.

He is listed on the Shire of Bacchus Marsh Roll of Honour, the Bacchus Marsh & District Roll of Honour, the Roll of Honour for pupils of Parwan State School and the Roll of Honour of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Bacchus Marsh.

Notes

  1. More correctly he was an acting Bombardier - equivalent to a Corporal.

Location of Tree Number N073

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Last updated by lee, Mon, 03 May 2021 14:21:57