Charles Sedgwick Olver

First Name: 
Charles
Middle Name: 
Sedgwick
Last Name: 
Olver
Mother's Name: 
Alice (nee Coe)
Father's Name: 
William Olver
Date Enlisted: 
Thursday, June 24, 1915
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Lance Sergeant
Unit: 
2nd Australian General Hospital
Awards: 
1914/1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Friday, November 26, 1965
Place of Death: 
Victoria
Details: 

Lance Sergeant Charles Olver (Service no. 8092) was born in Victoria circa 1885. He became a clergyman and in 1909, while in Singleton NSW he married Mabel Leaver.They went on to have four children and by the time war came he was at the Wollongong Congregational Church and living with his family at The Mance.

Charles made the decision to leave his wife and children and enlist, not as a Padre but in the medical corps. He embarked on HMAT A71 Nestor on 11th October, 1915 with 1st Special Reinforcements, 1st Australian General Hospital. He served in Egypt, England and the Western Front. Private Olver was transferred to 2nd Australian General Hospital as nursing staff and promoted to Corporal on 22nd February, 1917. Prior to returning to Australia in June, 1919 was promoted to Lance Sergeant. He was discharged on 19th September, 1919.

Charles Olver is remembered on the Wollongong Congregational Church Roll of Honour.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, OLVER CHARLES SEDGWICK

Comments

I am a grandson of Charles Olver. He only had 3 living children. My mother, Margaret Joyce, her sister Gwen and their brother Keith.
All the best Ross

Hi there, my great great aunt Elizabeth Mary Morrison married James Coe. Mary's father and brother had involvement with the Congregational Church in Hawthorn in Melbourne which I'm lead to believe Charles later served in.

I am fascinated by the rank, lance Sargent, I could be wrong, but I have never heard of such a rank.
All the best Ross

The Australian War Memorial list Lance Sergeant as - a rank above a Bombardier.

A number of Olver's National Archives of Australia papers (NAA: B2455, OLVER CHARLES SEDGWICK) record his Rank as L/Sergeant.