PRIVATE C.K. WISE, 16TH BATTALION AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE. 1914-15 Star (1874 Private, 1

PRIVATE C.K. WISE, 16TH BATTALION AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE. 1914-15 Star (1874 Private, 16th Battalion AIF). Mint state, with original silk ribbon, and accompanied by its original card box of issue and original registered envelope addressed to Private Wise’s next of kin, his sister, Cissie Wise.

Private Wise was killed in action in France on 11.4.1917, during the first attack on Bullecourt.

Medal accompanied by 15 pages of photocopied service papers. Charles Knightley Wise was born in the parish of Queen’s Ward, Glasgow, Scotland. He enlisted at Perth, Western Australia, on 18.1.1915. At the time of enlistment he was 21 years and 1 month old, gave his trade as that of labourer and his next of kin as his sister, Cissie Wise (her address initially given as 8 Maxwell Road, Glasgow, but later changed to 182 Queen’s Drive, Strathbungo, Glasgow). Wise was posted to the Depot Company, 4th Reinforcement, 16th Battalion AIF, on 18/1/1915, embarked at Freemantle for Gallipoli aboard the “Argyllshire” on 19/5/1915, and was taken on the strength of the 16th Battalion at Gallipoli on 2/6/1915. He was wounded on 13/8/1918 and again slightly wounded on 30/8/1915, being admitted to hospital at Lemnos on 5/9/1915. Wise was discharged from hospital the same day and returned to duty in Gallipoli. After the evacuation of Gallipoli he disembarked, ex Mudros, at Alexandria, on 30/12/1915. Subsequently, with his battalion, he transferred to France, disembarking at Marseille on 19/6/1916, and was killed in action on 11/4/1917.

Photocopied papers include a receipt form completed by Cissie Wise for Private Wise’s effects, on which sheet is written a complaint about the army’s failure to return some of his effects “What about his pocket book, letters, case, watch and ring, etc”. In addition to not receiving all of her brother’s effects, Cissie also had to pay postage due on the registered package forwarding her brother’s 1914-15 Star, the post office noting the package had been “posted out of course” and slapping a tuppeny postage due stamp on it.