Charlie Monteath was born in the West Scotland town of Dumbarton in 1888. The youngest of seven children to Robert Monteath and Christina Walker, he was educated at Bridgend Public School and for a time worked as a butcher. Charlie was in his early 20s when both his parents passed away, prompting from him emigrate to Western Australia in mid-1911.
On arriving in Fremantle Charlie fell in with the Caledonian Society and, in early 1913, he took on an administrative role with the newly formed Fremantle Caledonian football club. At the end of the clubs’ third season he was one of 14 members of the Caledonian club to answer the call by joining the AIF.
Charlie enlisted as a Private in the 28th Battalion in September 1915. His eldest sibling, John, has been killed in Flanders, Belgium, the previous October while on duty with the British Army’s Cameron Highlanders infantry unit. Another brother, Thomas, also served with the British Army in World War 1.
Following training at Blackboy Hill camp Charlie departed for Egypt where, in March 1916, he was transferred to the 51st Battalion following a reorganisation of the AIF. His new unit moved to France in mid-year and took part in the disastrous Battle of Fromelles which resulted in over 7,000 Allied casualties.
Charlie fought at Mouquet Farm during August and September after which his unit shifted to a quieter part of the frontline in Belgium, where they would endure the harsh winter of 1916/17. As the Germans withdrew toward the Hindenburg Line, he participated in the Battles of Noreuil, Messine and Passchendaele.
After a year and a half of constant action, Charlie was granted leave in October when he went to Scotland and married Agnes McFarlane, a resident of the town of Moffatt. He returned to northern France the following month and in early 1918 was deployed to defend positions around the village of Dernancourt.
Charlie was severely wounded in the abdomen by shrapnel when the 51st Battalion came under heavy shellfire on 30 March, 1918. Although he was evacuated to the 13th Field Ambulance, he died of wounds later that day.