Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

02/10/1915

Date of Discharge

20/09/1919

Place of Enlistment

Goulburn NSW

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

12/03/1896

Place of Birth

Queanbeyan NSW

Address (at enlistment)

Sutton Road, Queanbeyan NSW

Occupation

Labourer

Next of Kin

Thomas Southwell (father), 'Willow Lodge', Sutton Road via Queanbeyan NSW

Service Number

2228, 59822

Final Rank

Private

Final Unit

2 Division Ammunition Column AIF

Queanbeyan RSL Wall of Remembrance, Crawford St, Queanbeyan NSW
Roll of Honor Queanbeyan Public School, Isabella Street, Queanbeyan NSW
Memorial Gates, Sutton Public School, Sutton

Charlie Southwell was born in Queanbeyan and enlisted twice; the first occasion in Goulburn in 1915 with the 6th Light Horse Regiment. He was farewelled in October 1915 at Queanbeyan along with his brother James and Jack Kanaef, and left for Egypt in March 1916. He was hospitalised with mumps upon arrival and during 1916 also suffered from influenza, conjunctivitis and rheumatic fever which resulted in him returning home and being discharged medically unfit on 24 October 1916. He re-enlisted on 28 May 1918 and served with the 55th Battalion and arrived in London in October 1918. He went to France in January 1919 and joined the 2nd Division Ammunition Column in April. Southwell returned to Australia in July and was discharged on 20 September 1919.

Between enlistments he worked at the Royal Military College, Duntroon as a labourer. He lived in Ainslie post war and served in World War 2. Southwell died on 24 May 1970 and is buried in Woden Cemetery.

Description - height 5 feet 7 inches, weight 140 pounds, chest 34-36 inches, fair complexion, grey eyes, light brown hair, Methodist.

Rex Cross, 'Bygone Queanbeyan', 1980
Lyall Gillespie, 'The Southwell Family, pioneers of the Canberra district', 1988
Ross Howarth, 'Civilians employed at the Royal Military College of Australia, Duntroon, from 1911 to 1931', RMC Duntroon, November 2000
Narelle O'Rourke, 'A Country Nurse and Midwife', 1989
Our Queanbeyan 'Boys' No.3, Howard & Shearsby, Yass (postcard)
NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)
Queanbeyan Age - 15 October 1915