Tooraweenah via Gilgandra
1116
1st Light Horse Regiment,
RTA June 1919
Lance Corporal Charles Weymouth Sheldon was a 27 year old farmer of Tooraweenah when he enlisted on April20, 1915. He trained in Sydney and embarked from Sydney on August 16, 1916 on the HMAT ‘Merere’ destined for Egypt with the 1st Light Horse Regiment.
Charles was born in 1888 near Serviceton, Victoria to Thomas and Mary Sheldon nee McNamara.
The medical examination described him as 5’9” tall, 128lbs (58kgs), chest 31-34” expansion, fair complexion, blue eyes, good vision, light brown hair and no distinctive marks. His religion was Church of England. He stated he had been rejected but passed on re-examination.
After the Gallipoli Campaign finished in late December 1915, the troops regrouped in Egypt. The infantry, the artillery and support troops were sent to the Western Front in France. The Light Horse Regiment remained in Egypt and trained for desert warfare to protect the Suez Canal.
On January 14, 1916, Charles, as part of the Light Horse Regiment, was attached to the Western Frontier Force and defended the Western approach of the Suez Canal from the Senussi Tribesman.
By mid 1916 the Light Horse was part of the Anzac Mounted Division and based at Romani, patrolling the Katia-Bir-el-Adb oasis area and learing how to live and fight in the hot, sandy desert conditions.
On May 29, 1916 Charles was promoted to Lance Corporal and was involved in the Battle of Romani on 2nd to the 4th August 1916.
From August 13, 1916 until September 18, 1916, Charles experienced the common problem of ‘Piles’ (haemorrhoids) and was treated and convalesced in the 31st General Hospital, Port Said; the 3rd Australian General Hospital in Abbassia and the British Red Cross Convalescent Hospital.
On September 18, 1916 Charles rejoined the unit at Romani but was hospitalised again on October 7, 1916 at Kantara. He was diagnosed with Malaria and admitted to the 24th Southern General Hospital and then the 14th Australian General Hospital until October 19, 1916.
Lance Corporal Charles Sheldon would have been involved in the Battles at Magdhaba, El Arish and Rafa, which secured the Sinai Peninsula.
In February and March 1917, Charles attended a School of Instruction and returned to his unit on March 30, 1917 at El Arish. According to the War Unit Diary the troops were practising with live bombs. He missed the first attack on Gaza and was present in the 2nd unsuccessful attack on Gaza
His one and only fall from grace was when he was charged with Neglect of Duty on June 24, 1917. While in charge of the Beer Guard, he lost one case of beer!!.
From August 17, to September29, 1917 he had a relapse of Malaria and was passed through the Field Ambulance, the 24th Stationary Hospital to the 24th Australian General Hospital at Abbassia
Charles rejoined his unit in time for the attack on Beersheba. The 4th and 12th Light Horse made the cavalry Charge of Beersheeba with the Light Horse in support to secure the town and protect the wells. The fall of Beersheba opened the way to gain Gaza and they reached Jerusalem on December 11 1917.
On March 23, 1918 Charles was near Bethlehem when he was admitted to hospital with Diarrhoea. This was the last time he was to be in the front line. He was classified unfit in June 1918 due to a weakness of the cartilage in his legs. In July 1918 he was attached to Administration of the YMCA in Cairo.
He commenced his return home to Australia on April 29, 1919 on the ‘Dorset’ and disembarked in Sydney on June 11, 1919. He was discharged as medically unfit on August 3, 1919.
Lance Corporal Charles Sheldon was issued the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
The NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages Register lists a death for Charles Weymouth Sheldon in 1960 in Manly.
Charles brother, Leslie Sheldon served in the 3rd Battalion in France and returned in May 1919. Both brothers took up Soldier Settlement blocks at Biddon,. Leslie’s block was part of ‘Springdale’ and he named it ‘Willaston’. Charles Sheldon took up a block that was also part of ‘Springdale’ and he named it ‘Moascar’ after the Australian Light Horse Headquarters in Egypt.