Private Charles Malcolm Baker

  24 Tennyson St, Kensington.  Reproduced with the permission of view.com.au.

From this single-fronted terrace house at 24 Tennyson St, Kensington, salesman Charles Malcolm Baker, known as Malcolm, left in 1916 to do his bit for the war effort.   Initially allocated to the newly formed 39 Infantry Battalion, Malcolm later transferred to the battle-hardened 7 Battalion which had strong links to the Essendon district.

Rod Martin is on a roll, and tells the story of Malcolm Baker's war service on the Empire Called website in his usual sparkling style.

Percy Fallshaw of the 39th Battalion

Crozier, Frank: The sinking of the Ballarat, 25 April 1917  (AWM ART 13329)

Joiner Percy Fallshaw was 24 and married when he joined up in January 1917.   He and his comrades in the 39th Infantry Battalion might not have made it to the charnel-house of Europe when their troopship, the Ballarat, took a German torpedo in the English Channel. The men were all successfully taken off the ship, and the 39th continued on its way.  Rod Martin takes up the story of the 39th Battalion's engagement at Broodseinde Ridge in September 1917, the Third Battle of Ypres towards the end of 1917, and then the hard slog of 1918 leading to the end of the war.  The Battalion was pitilessly worn down to a meagre 368 men, but Percy Fallshaw was one of those who came home.

Chenhall family members at 27 Byron Street, Moonee Ponds, early 1916.   Back row from left: Gordon McRae (Elsie’s fiancé), Elsie, Ida Chenhall nee Morell, Sergeant Cecil Chenhall, Ethel, Ruby Chenhall, Charles Clayton. Front row, seated: Leura, Mrs Morrell, Mary with Bob on her knee, Ruby, Howard Trathan, Clarence Clayton Chenhall (son of Ethel and Charles).  Ruby married Howard Trathan.  Photo courtesy of the Chenhall family collection.

Cecil Chenhall, a 21 year old salesman, had trained with the 58 Infantry (Essendon Rifles).  In January 1916 he enlisted in the AIF and embarked as a Sergeant with the 39 Infantry Battalion.  This interesting photo shows the family gathered, possibly to farewell the soldier.  Cecil embarked on 27 May 1916, and on the same day, Gordon McRae, picture above at the far right, enlisted.  Howard Trathan, sitting cross-legged on the right, enlisted later in October 1916.  One of the three did not return.