Charles Henry MAIDENS

Per his military service record (regimental no. 4930), Charles Henry Maidens was born at Doncaster, England.[1]  He gave his age as 38 years and 1 month, his marital status as single, and his occupation as labourer.  His description on his Certificate of Medical Examination was height 5 feet 5 inches tall, weight 10 stone, with a fair complexion, light brown eyes, and brown hair.  His religious denomination was Church of England.  He claimed that he had 6 years and 11 months previous military service in England, and had been invalided with fever.

He completed his medical examination at Molong on 22^nd October 1915, and was attested by Captain Nicholas at ‘Molong (8 miles east)’, along with several other Coo-ees, on 22^nd October 1915.  He was made Acting Corporal on the Coo-ee March on the same day.

After completing the Coo-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as a reinforcement for the 13^th Battalion.

He initially retained his rank of Acting Corporal when he was a Liverpool Camp.[2]

However, on 21^st February 1916, Acting Corporal Maidens was charged at Liverpool with being drunk and incapable of performing duty on 19^th February 1916. He was reduced to the rank of Private and fined 20 shillings.

On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was General Post Office, Sydney, N.S.W.[3] His next of kin is listed as his father, C. Maidens, 91 Catherine Street, Doncaster, England.

On 8^th March 1916 Private Maidens, along with many of the other Coo-ees, departed Sydney on the HMAT A15 Star of England with the 15^th reinforcements for the 13^th Battalion, and arrived in Egypt on the 11^th April 1916.

On 7^th June 1916 Private Maidens left Alexandria aboard a transport bound for France.  He arrived at Marseilles on 14^th June 1916.

On 18^th July 1916 Private Maidens was admitted to the 26^th General Hospital at Etaples, France, suffering Cystitis. On 22^nd August he was discharged to No. 6 Convalescent Depot.

Private Maidens was taken on strength of the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot in France on 7^th September 1916.

On 25^th October 1916 Private Maidens marched out to the 1^st ANZAC Headquarters in France with a draft of P.B. [permanent base] men.

On 13^th December 1916 Private Maidens was sent to a rest station suffering from Influenza. On 2^nd January 1917 he was transferred to the 20^th Casualty Clearing Station at Heilly, France. On 3^rd of January 1917 he was admitted to the 8^th General Hospital at Rouen, France, with debility. On 21^st January 1917 he was sent to No. 2 Convalescent Depot at Rouen for base details. On 23^rd January 1917 he marched in to the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples, France.

On 4^th April 1917 Private Maidens was detached to the 1^st ANZAC Salvage Corps at Etaples.

A Medical Board found him medically fit for duty on 9^th May 1917.

On 26^th May 1917 Private Maidens rejoined the 13^th Battalion, when it was training at Doulieu, France.[4]

Private Maidens served with the 13^th Battalion for almost two months on the Western Front until 23^rd July 1917, when he was sent to the 13^th Australian Field Ambulance, suffering D.A.H. [disordered action of the heart]. On 24^th July he was moved to the 2^nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. On 25^th July he was placed aboard the 38^th Ambulance Train, and moved to the 4^th General Hospital at Rouen, France. On 4^th August 1917 he was discharged from hospital, and marched into the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot.

On 15^th August 1917 Private Maidens went before a Medical Board and was found medically unfit ‘Age V.D.H.’ [valvular disorder of the heart].  He was placed aboard a ship at Le Havre and sent to England. He marched into the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 16^th August 1917.   He was classed as P.B. [permanent base] by a Medical Board the same day.

On 29^th August 1917 Private Maidens was charged with smoking on parade. He was awarded 3 days Field Punishment No. 2.

On 18^th September 1917 Private Maidens was transferred to the No. 4 Command Depot at Codford, England. A medical report in his service record dated the same day recorded ‘Very nervous. Slight tachy cardia. Age 46’.  [So his age appears to have been about 44 when he joined the Coo-ee March, not the 38 years and 1 month that he stated on his Attestation Paper].

On 7^th November 1917 Private Maidens was sent to the Group Isolation Hospital at Hurdcott suffering Scabies. He was discharged on 15^th November 1917.

On 24^th November 1917 Private Maidens was transferred to the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, England.

On 18^th January 1918 Private Maidens was charged with being absent without leave from 2130 on 16^th January 1918 until 2220 on 16^th January 1918. He was awarded 3 days Field Punishment No. 2.

On 15^th April 1918 Private Maidens departed England aboard the H.M.A.T. Marathon bound for Australia, for medical discharge ‘over age D.A.H.’.

He arrived in Australia on 12^th June 1918.

He was discharged medically unfit on 12^th December 1918.

Note: In a letter in his service record dated 19^th September 1935, he stated that he ‘had a dugout blown in on me. I received shell shock and D.A.H.’

[1] NAA: B2455, MAIDENS CHARLES HENRY

[2] ROUTE MARCHES (1916, January 5). The Farmer and Settler (Sydney, NSW : 1906 – 1955), p. 3. Retrieved December 3, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116676486

[3] Australian War Memorial. First World War Embarkation Roll, Charles Henry Maidens,  4930.

[4] Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries, 1914-18 War – AWM4 Subclass 23/30 – 13th Infantry Battalion, May 1917