Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

No.5 Battery, 2nd Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Union Defence Force, South African Land Forces

Awarded on:

November 15th, 1945

Citation:
"During June 1942 Major CHARTERS was captured in the Western Desert. Masquerding as German soldiers he and another officer stole a vehicle and joind an enemy convoy proceeding towards SIDI BARRANI. During a short halt they broke away, and although they were fired upon they were not caught until later the same afternoon when they were seen and chased by a fast car moving armoured car. Major CHARTERS was sent to MODENA (Camp 47, Italy).
After participating in an unsuccessful tunnelscheme, Major CHARTERS escaped in August 43 from a fatigue party colelcting Red Cross parcels. When the train in which he travelled was shunted into a goods yard he was caught as he tried to saunter away. As a result he was returned to MODENA. In the confusion of the arrival of the Germans, Major Charters climbed the perimeter wall. Outside he joined three other officers and together they travelled to the Pescara district where they were caught in an attempt to participate in an organised evacuation scheme. They were sent to CHIETI (Camp 21). With one of his companions Major CHARTERS hid in a hole they had dug and when the serch for them had been abandoned they left the camp. Resuming their journey South, they finally met British forces about eight weeks later. Major CHARTERS volunteerded immediately for active service with the British forces."

Although in the recommendation his surname is spelled as Charters, the London Gazette refers to him as Charter (without the 's').