Charlie Camilleri – NZ MALTESE ANZAC
By Mark Caruana

Another Maltese ANZAC who joined the NZ Expeditionary Forces was Mosta-born Charlie Camilleri, son of Giovanni and Mary Camilleri of 44 Sda Speranza, Mosta.

Charles was born on the 4th August 1895. He left Malta for New Orleans at an early age. His passport application held at the Malta National Archives is dated 17 March 1911 and he was then 16 years old and his father signed his consent for him to travel to America. On the boat Liguria there were other Mosta passengers all destined for New Orleans, one of whom was a next-door neighbour, a Giuseppe Muscat, son of Calcedonio, aged 17 years. The group arrived in New Orleans on the 4th April 1911.

Three years later we find Charles arriving in NZ in 1914 and working as an acrobat with a circus-performing company in NZ.
Charles joined as a private with the Otago Infantry Regiment of the NZ Army on the 4th June 1917. He was described as being 5 foot 2 inches tall and of dark complexion. Charles did six months military duties in NZ and then was posted overseas where he served for two years in France till the termination of his engagement on the 5th Dec. 1919. For his contribution to the war effort, he was awarded the British War Meal and the Victory Medal.
A few months before the termination of his engagement, he married Hilda May Coscoigne at St Giles London on the 10th July 1919.

The NZ 1919 Electoral Roll lists him as a gas fitter residing at Rothwell St, Saltwater Creek, Timaru and the 1928 electoral roll also lists him at the same address and his occupation given as linesman. There are no further entries for later years. Could he have left NZ?

My good friend Joe Deguara tells me that family talk in the Deguara household in Mosta believe that Charles and Hilda moved to Vitoria Australia.

Through his good friend Victor, Joe Deguara also confirmed that the date of birth as the 4th August 1895 and not 1896 was incorrectly written down in official records that enlisted Charlie Camilleri a Malta-born ANZAC in the NZ Army.

Lest we forget. Public - Mark - Researcher - 16 July 2015 - Research completed by Mark Caruana