COMMANDO Edition 1 2020

daughter, stepped up to the plate as 2nd/4th
Squadron representative, taking over from Ralph
Coyne 2nd/4th in 2009. Cheryl reported that the Black
family had a long-standing connection with the
Commando Association going back many years,
particularly for the Anzac Day lunches, annual dinners
and other events. The Commando Association could
always guarantee there would be a table full of the
Black family. It was last year, 2019, that their table won
the cast model of the WW2 soldier in the Anzac Raffle,
and a bottle of ‘plonk’. Cheryl went on to say that after
the war Charles was part of the well-known “Painting
Company”. It is referred to in George Lambert’s book,
“From Tidal River to Tarakan”. It describes the
comradeship of the 2nd/4th lads who painted about
three houses a year for their members, who were
struggling. Can you imagine that today? It was
generally known that the lads shared quite a few ales at
the end of the day. Charlie was renowned for drinking
Fanta, however the unwritten rule was that no one
touched a bottle till the work had finished for the day.
Charlie coached his son Colin’s junior football team
at the Murrumbeena Football Club, in the under age
group, and contributed to the club in many different
ways. He was made a life member of the club in 1974.
He worked for the same building firm, Dura
Constructions, for 34 years and was a highly esteemed
member of their staff. Charlie worked on major projects
throughout Victoria, and had a very strong work ethic.
He rarely, if ever, took a day off. When he retired from
the company at the age of 62, the firm gave Charles
and Lorraine a trip to Bangkok, Singapore and Hong
Kong, as a mark of their appreciation for all that he had
done. This trip ignited in them the travel bug, and from
there they travelled to England and to many parts of
Europe. They also travelled to Asia, New Zealand and
many parts of Australia.
Charles passed away on Saturday, the 26th of
October 2019, just 3 months shy of his 97th birthday.
Charlie was a man of very few words. He was a devoted
husband, and was very proud of his sons Paul and
Colin, his daughter-in-law Karen, and grandson
Andrew. He was also very loyal to his friends, and never
spoke ill of anyone. Charlie might have been a quiet
man, but he achieved much throughout his life. He
could well be the epitome of the quiet achiever and
had many proud achievements. He was a life member
of the Victorian Football Association Reserve Grade; he
received a Certificate of Appreciation for recognition of
outstanding service to the Australian Football League
Umpires Association, was a Life Member of
Murrumbeena Football Club and was one of the first
AFL Interchange Stewards and remained so for 23
years. He was an Honorary Life Member of the 2nd/4th
Commando Squadron, and a Life Member of the
Australian Commando Association of Victoria for
service during WW2. Many Association members will
remember Charles as a quiet man who always had a
twinkle in his eye and a smile for everyone.
‘Lest we forget.’
Commando 4 Life
12 COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 1 I 2020