Charles ‘Charlie’ Benedict Gorman

GORMAN, Charles -‘Charlie’ Benedict- – – – – SPC 1908-1909

DoB:- – 1894, Purnim (near Warrnambool), VIC

Father:- – Owen Gorman

Mother:- – Mary Fran, nee Sinnott

The College Annual of 1916-1917 informed its readers –

-‘Pte Charles Benedict Gorman attended the College during 1909, and on leaving spent some time as a bank clerk, and afterwards as clerk in the offices of Nestles Condensary at Warrnambool. He held the rank of Lieutenant in the Citizen Forces, and was for some time instructor in the AIF. He is now on the way to the front.’

Service No:– 3793

Rank:– – Lance Corporal

Unit:– – 29th Battalion

Charlie Gorman enlisted on 28 April 1916. He was a single man, aged 21 years and eight months old. He was five feet, eight and a quarter inches tall, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. He worked as a commercial clerk.

On 19 September 1916, Private Gorman embarked from Sydney aboard the Commonwealth, for overseas service. He disembarked at Plymouth on 14 November and the following month proceeded over to France, on 17 December 1916.

He was appointed Acting Corporal in Etaples, France in December 1916, and after a brief time in hospital, joined his unit on 28 January 1917 at the front.

On 23 March 1917, Lance Corporal Gorman was wounded in action, sustaining shell wounds in his back, leg and mouth. He died of those wounds the following day at the 3rd Australian CCS.

He is remembered at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension in France.

The letter of thanks and acknowledgement sent on behalf of King George to all families who lost a soldier in the war, was returned to the war office by Charles Gorman’s father, as were all his son’s medals. Owen Gorman’s inscription on the returned letter reveals the depth of his grief at the loss of his son.

-‘For whom was my son led out to his martyrdom? God will answer.’

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