The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (39) Lance Corporal Charles Handcock, 38th Battalion, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Dennis Stockman, the story for this day was on (39) Lance Corporal Charles Handcock, 38th Battalion, First World War.

39 Lance Corporal Charles Handcock, 38th Battalion
DOD 10 November 1918
Photograph: H06534

Story delivered 15 June 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Charles Handcock, whose photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

Charles Handcock was born in Echuca, Victoria, and grew up on his family’s property in Myrrhee. He was the eldest of nine sons and a daughter born to Mr and Mrs Charles Handcock. After attending the local state school he worked on his father’s farm, where he proved to be an industrious worker. In 1912 he married Lilian Cox, and they had three children: Norman, Elsie, and George.

Eight of the Handcock brothers enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. Charles did so in February 1916. After a period of training in Australia, he left for England with the 37th Battalion and arrived in France in November 1916. He remained with his battalion throughout several major offensives, including Messines in June 1917 and the German Spring Offensive of 1918.

He proved to be an able soldier and was quickly promoted to Lance Corporal. In September 1918, in the face of high casualty figures and a low reinforcement rate, the 37th Battalion was ordered to disband. Despite a mutiny among its members, the battalion was eventually disbanded with a fighting strength of just 90 men. Handcock was transferred to the 38th Battalion.

On 2 November 1918 Charles Handcock fell ill and was sent to hospital. His condition steadily deteriorated, and eight days later he died of bronchopneumonia in the Australian Hospital in Brighton, England. It was the day before the Armistice.

One more Handcock boy died during the war: Charles’s younger brother Jack had been killed on Gallipoli in the earliest days of fighting for the AIF. Three more brothers were seriously wounded: Robert was hit in the shoulder at Pozières and repatriated to Australia during the war; Richard was seriously gassed in 1918; and Frank suffered a paralysed arm and was shot in the ankle, eventually losing his leg.

The local district recognised the Handcock family as “one of the most patriotic and loyal families in the Commonwealth”. Indeed, Charles Handcock senior would have allowed the ninth son to “follow the example of his brothers” had it not been for the end of the war. For their services to “King and Country”, the Mayor of Wangaratta presented Mr and Mrs Handcock with a solid marble clock “as an expression of appreciation and admiration for the sacrifices” they made.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Charles Handcock, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.