Charles Richard Pyke

Charles (Charlie) is the son of James Tweed PYKE & Catherine Forbes OPPY (aka WALTERS) The census describes Charlie as a labourer living at 420 Dawson Street Ballarat.

At one time Charlie & his nephew John Andrew BUCHAN were employed by a local company "Alfred Mills & Sons" of Street 34 Victoria Market (see photograph).

Charlie, V42272, was conscripted into the army - 57th Battalion (Ogilvie's Own) at Dandenong. This unit split & the 39th was formed. Sent to New Guinea with "Emu Force" in 1942 he won the Military Medal on Kokoda Track.

His enlistment documents give his DOB as 11 October 1917. Charlie built a house at Noble Park (lived in by daughter Heather & family). He was employed by Wunderlich Tiles at Blackburn.

At one time he worked for his brother-in-law Robert Edward (Ted) BUCHAN on a market garden & lived with Ted & his wife, Charlies sister, Gladys, for 9 years.

Retiring to Grantville on Western Port Bay he had a half cabin fishing boat anchored in the bay. He is remembered for the sea grass he used to collect, there was an excess of it on the beach, he had mounds of it in which he grew clean potatoes. Charlie and wife Myrtle later returned to Dandenong West and lived at 1 Elletson Court, Dandenong West.