Private Charles Victor Boyes
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 323
- Unit
- 4 Machine Gun Company
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Polygon Wood, Belgium
- Date of death
- 26 September 1917
- Age
- 20
- Plaque number
- L400B
- Co-located plaques
- L400 - PTE Arthur Holroyd
- L400A - PTE William Perks
- Dedicated by
- Family on 8 June 2024
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Charles Victor Boyes was born in Brookton, Western Australia in October 1896. His parents Edward and Jane Eleanor Boyes (nee Atkins) were married in Beverley.
Charles was one of eleven siblings with seven brothers and three sisters. He attended school in Beverley, where his family lived and worked.
On leaving school Charles was employed by the West Australian Government Railways (WAGR) in Northam as an engine cleaner.
Charles enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in March 1916 in Northam. He conducted his training at Blackboy Hill where he was attached to 4 Machine Gun Company.
Charles embarked with the fourth reinforcements from Fremantle in August 1916, arriving in Plymouth, England in September 1916. He continued training before proceeding to France.
On 26 September 1917, Charles and his company were on the right flank with the Australian Divisions for the Battle of Polygon Wood. Moving forward at 6:45am, the Australians were met with ferocious artillery barrage from the German lines.
Charles’ company was in support of this attack. The exact fate of Charles is unknown, but reports were that several men from 4 Machine Gun Company were examining a German dugout when a number of German artillery shells exploded. An officer and several men from 4 Machine Gun Company were killed.
Private Charles Victor Boyes, service number 323 of 4 Machine Gun Company, was killed in action at Polygon Wood Belgium on 26 September 1917. He was 20 years of age.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
His plaque is placed alongside Privates Arthur Holroyd and William Perks from the same unit who died within months of each other.