Charles Court - Early Life

Early Life

Court's family emigrated from his birthplace Crawley, Sussex, England, to Perth when he was 6 months old. He went to Perth Boys School (Hale School). His Salvation Army parents induced him to play the cornet in their Sunday parades and he became a proficient player. He began formal music training at 12 and became a member of the RSL Memorial Band. He also inherited a strong union background from his father, a plumber, and joined the Musicians Union at the age of 14, playing in annual May Day parades. In 1930 he competed in the national band competition held in Tanunda and won the brass solo competition, the "Champion of Champions".

Court aspired to study law but his parents could not afford the university fees, so while working as a newspaper delivery boy he studied accounting at night school. In 1927 he was articled to a firm of auditors and eventually qualified as an accountant and went into his own practice in 1933. He became a foundation partner of Hendry Rae & Court in 1938, which he remained a partner in until 1970.

Charles Court enlisted in the AMF in September 1940. He was soon given a commission and sent to the officers' training school in Geelong. In January 1942 he transferred to the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). He joined the First Armoured Division, becoming Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General (DAQMG) and was promoted to captain. He was redeployed to the Northern Territory in 1943 for a brief period. After further training he was posted to New Guinea in early 1945 as a major, receiving an acting promotion to lieutenant colonel. Most of his service was on Bougainville Island as AQMG with the Second Australian Army Corps, serving under Lt. General Stanley Savige. He was awarded an OBE for his service between April and September 1945, in maintaining and co-ordinating communication and supply lines in the outer islands. See generally Bougainville campaign (1944-45).