Charles McKinley

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Thu, 07/01/2016 - 13:52

First Name:

Charles

Last Name:

McKinley

Mother's Name:

Margaret Bowie, formerly McKinley, nee Ross

Father's Name:

William McKinley

Date Enlisted:

Tuesday, September 26, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

41st Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Friday, October 5, 1917

Place of Death:

Passchendaele, Belgium

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

Charles McKinley (Service No 2616) was born in Albion Park, N.S.W. around 1878.

Charles had moved to Queensland and was living at Gurrumbah when he enlisted in Cairns at the age of 40; he was single and worked as a miner. Charles' mother, Mrs Peter Bowie who resided in Wollongong, N.S.W. was his nominated next-of-kin.

He embarked from Brisbane on HMAT A55 Kyarra with 5th Reinforcements, 41st Battalion on 17th November 1916. The troops arrived in England on 30th January 1917 and after training in England and France, Charles joined 5 Platoon, B Company, 41st Battalion in the field on 12th July 1917.

On 5th October 1917 he was involved in the fighting at Passchendaele, Belgium when he was killed in action. Charles' service records have no details about his death.

Charles is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium; Plot XLIV, Row B, Grave 27.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, MCKINLEY C