Charles Joshua Salter was born on 8 September 1879 in Brunswick. He was the eldest son of Charles James Salter and his wife, Josephine, nee Le Sueur. He had nine younger siblings. He married Carol Beatrice Brenchley (subsequently known as Beatrice Caroline) in 1902. Beatrice was the daughter of Garrison Sergeant-Major William Henry Brenchley of Victoria Barracks, St. Kilda Road. Charles and Beatrice had four children.
Charles applied for a comission 20 January 1916 giving his address as 172 Powlett Street, East Melbourne. He stated that he had had 18 years and 10 months experience in the militia and his rank at the time was SSM (Staff Sergeant-Major) Instructional Staff. His applicaton was apparently knocked back. He applied to enlist again on 20 April 1918. He was still at the same address and he was still serving in the permanent forces with the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2.
His address, 172 Powlett Street, was the sergeant-major's quarters associated with the East Collingwood Rifles Orderly Room next door. The timber orderly room had been constructed in 1864 for the volunteers but in 1884 when the volunteer forces were disbanded and replaced by the Victorian Militia Force the orderly room was one of the few metropolitan halls taken over by the government, and in 1885 additions were made to it: a new transverse hall and a sergeant-major's quarters (since demolished).
This time his application was accepted and he was appointed for Special Service duty at Broadmeadows. He embarked at Sydney on 5 June 1918 aboard the Orontes with other embers of his unit, 2nd Draft Italian Reservists (Staff). He arrived at Liverpool on 11 August 1918. A memo of 1924 from Base Records states that from England he travelled to Italy as Draft Conducting Officer. He embarked for return to Australia on 15 September, arriving back on 17 November. He was discharged on 2 December 1918 (completion of service).
He reapplied for enlistment on 6 June 1919. His address was the same and this time he gave his occupation simply as soldier. As well as his years with the permanent forces he included as part of his military expererience 288 days with the AIF Special Service. He was given a new number (86042) and appointed to Special Services at Holdsworthy, NSW. He embarked from Sydney on 8 July 1919 on the Tros-os-Montes. The Sydney Morning Herald of 10 July reported that:
'The steamer Tras-os-Montes, which left yesterday for London and Rotterdam, via ports, took away over a thousand interned enemy subjects who are being deported from Australia. The majority of the deportees were brought down from Holdsworthy Camp by two trains and embarked on the vessel, which cleared the Heads during the afternoon. The vessel should have left some time ago, and on that occasion had actually cleared the Heads, when it was found that influenza had broken out on board, and she returned to port.'
The ship arrived in London 6 September, and Charles, his duties complete, was on leave from 22 September to 2 October. He left for Australia on 30 October arriving home on 13 December and was discharged on 27 December 1919.
After the war he returned to his previous life, remaining at 172 Powlett Street until c.1937 when, presumably upon retirement, he and his wife moved to Brunswick where he died on 6 Ausgust 1940. The death notice in the paper revealed that he had three brothers, Arthur, Alf and Roy, who had served in the war. Alf and Roy were both killed in action.