Captain Charles LittlerPrint Page

The monument commemorates Captain Charles Littler (1868 -1916), the last Australian soldier to leave North Beach, Gallipoli on the 19th of December 1915 during World War One.

In 1910 Littler became manager of a rubber and coconut company on Mindanao Island, and his extensive knowledge of East Asia was put to good use by the Tasmanian government which had appointed him as its unpaid commercial agent in 1904.

Owing to financial problems Littler returned to Tasmania early in 1914; he enlisted as a lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force on 16 December. At Melbourne on 2 February 1915 he embarked for Egypt with the 2nd Reinforcements, 12th Battalion. He landed at Gallipoli on 25 April and soon after was promoted captain and given command of the beach parties. Responsible for the unloading of stores and equipment at Anzac, Littler and his work parties (consisting of many troublesome soldiers put on beach fatigues as punishment) worked tirelessly to ensure that supplies were constantly available. As beach commandant at North Beach, he played a major role during the evacuation of Anzac and was probably the last Australian to leave. Widely known as the 'Duke of Anzac', he fully earned the Distinguished Service Order awarded a few months later. He was also mentioned in dispatches.

Following Gallipoli the A.I.F. returned to Egypt and Littler became commandant at Moascar Camp near Ismailia on the Suez Canal. In March 1916 he was transferred to the newly formed 52nd Battalion which sailed for France in June. Despite severe ill health he led his company in its attack on Mouquet Farm at dawn on 3 September. In the half-light, as the troops approached a German machine-gun post, Littler was badly wounded, yet continued to struggle toward the gun, where he died.

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