Private Charles McPherson Anthony



- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 1302
- Unit
- 11 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Bullecourt, France
- Date of death
- 6 May 1917
- Age
- 26
- Plaque number
- M18A
- Co-located plaques
- M18 - LT Vivian Daniel
- Dedicated by
- Family on 15 February 2020
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private Charles McPherson Anthony of 11 Battalion was born in Kilsyth, Stirlingshire Scotland in 1891 to William and Susan Anthony. He had four brothers and a sister. His eldest brother died before the family moved to Western Australia in 1911.
Charles worked as an ironmongers assistant prior to emigration and then as an orchardist and farmer in the Harvey Area.
Charles enlisted in the AIF in October 1914 and was assigned to 11 Battalion. His brother William had also enlisted that year and served with the Australian Field Artillery.
William returned to Australia in 1918. Charles left Fremantle in February 1915 and by May was serving on Gallipoli. In late July he was evacuated due to illness and later admitted to hospital in England.
In July 1916 he rejoined his unit in France, was wounded but continued on active duty throughout the winter of 1916/17 which was described as the worst winter for forty years.
In the first months of 1917 the battalion was fighting with some successes but suffering heavy losses mainly through enemy shelling.
Private Charles McPherson Anthony, service number 1302, was killed in action on the 6 May 1917. He was 26 years of age.
He has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial in Picardie, France.
His plaque is placed alongside Lieutenant Vivian Daniel, who was in the same 11 Battalion and died on the same day.