Capt. Charles Andrew LA NAUZE Clicking on Photo will return to Page K,L,M

LA NAUZE Captain Charles Andrew 11th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force Born 16 Sep 1881, in Mauritius Educated: Royal College, Mauritius Married; Accountant / Bank accountant, Western Australian Bank, of 116 Piesse Street, Boulder, WA. Next Of Kin: Wife; Lily Rose La Nauze, of 116 Piesse Street, Boulder, WA. No photos of Captain La Nauze are known to exist except for that which appears here, kindly supplied by this officer's family.

Moved to Australia at age 16. 'Held commission in Australian Defence Force since 1905.' 'Grandson of Captain La Nauze of the Indian Light Cavalry and of Major Hodgson of the Hussars, and brother of George La Nauze who was supervisor of the Cable station on Cocos, when the Emden visited that place.' (AWM 131 Informant widow, of 20 Hardy St, South Perth, WA).

Previously served in the '1st Battalion, Victorian Infantry Brigade', and 5th Australian Infantry Regiment (Reserve of Officers), then Goldfields (later renamed 84th) Infantry, as Lieutenant. Commissioned 26 July 1901.
CWGC lists wife's address as: 20 Hardy St, South Perth, WA. NOK (in addition to wife) as: Father; Andrew R. J. La Nauze. Mother; Grace Blanche La Nauze. Info above is from embarkation roll. Promoted to Captain from Lieutenant on 26th April 1915.

Wife, Lily. Eldest son of Andrew La Nauze, of Melbourne, late of Mauritian government and grandson of Major Hodges, H.M. 8th Royal Hussars, and Major La Nauze, 1st Indian Light Cavalry. (Perth Western Mail 23 Jul 1915 p36).

Killed during the 9th and 11th Bn. attack from Holly Ridge towards Turkey Knoll, 28th June:
'As Lieutenant Macdonald led out the first wave, a Turkish shell carried away his shoulder and arm. Many of his men fell killed or wounded, and the first line was driven in. Lieutenant Parry then took charge, and an attempt was made to reach the knoll by a detour under cover of Silt Spur. A few men reached a point near the enemy's trenches in the neighbourhood of the knoll, but all were killed, Parry himself being shot dead by a sniper. Captain La Nauze, commanding the reserve platoon, was killed by a shell. Leane himself and Lieutenant Kelly were wounded. A portion of the company lay out behind what cover it could find, and sniped at the enemy's trenches, but none of its foremost troops ever returned.' (Bean V2 p304; diagram same page; photo of terrain facing p300).

Part of a letter from Lance Corporal Alex F. Marshall, C Company, 11th Bn, to his father:
'The 9th and 10th Battalions moved out to the attack soon after midday, supported by ours, the 11th. The enemy met us with a tremendous fire, and our men went down lie nine-pins, the greatest number of casualties being, of course, in the 9th and 10th, though C Company, 11th, suffered severely. Of our officers, Captain Leane alone remained. Captain Le Nauze, Lieutenants Parry and Macdonald were killed, and Lieutenant Kelly wounded. ...as I passed out of the recess I met a party carrying Captain La Nauze out. He was just breathing his last.' (Perth's Sunday Times 14 November 1915 p14).

'When we landed I was alongside Captain Annear, and we had not advanced 20 yards up the beach before he fell, shot through the mouth, dying instantly. Lieut. Macdonald, who was formerly an area officer on the fields, was wounded slightly at the same time. After being invalided for a month he returned to the front, and was killed in the same dugout and at the same time as Captain La Nauze.' (Letter from Corporal R.H. Brodribb, No. 8 General Hospital, Fremantle, in Kalgoorlie Western Argus 31 Aug 1915 p2).

Top Of Page