Private Ernest Bradbury

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Ernest Henry Bradbury
Ancestor's date of birth: 20/09/1881
Ancestor's date of death: 15/09/1929
Cause of Death: Bronchial Pneumonia
Service Number: 1122
Colony or State of enlistment: WA, Place of Enlistment: Collie
Unit: 2 Bn Australian Commonwealth Horse
Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: On enlistment
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): LT, Date Effective: 01/06/1918
Murray Page: 432
Contingent: First Australian
Ship: Manchester Merchant, Date of Sailing: 26/02/1902
Memorial details: Buried Presbyterian Cemetery, Karrakatta, WA.
Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal and SA 1902 clasps. Military Medal (MM), 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Personal Characteristics: Height: 172 cm; Chest: 88 cm; Weight: 61 kg in 1914; Complection: fair, Eyes: blue; Hair: fair; Religion: Presbyterian. Calling - engine driver.
Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided.
Details of service in war: Enlisted 9 January 1902 at Collie, WA. Status - single. March - May 1902 on Natal border and west Transvaal.
Service and life after the Boer War: Enlisted on 7 Sep 1914 at Helena Vale, Western Australia, appointed No.855 Private, 11 Battalion, embarked for active service overseas on 31 Oct 1914, embarked in Egypt 2 Mar 1915 to join the M.E.F., Gallipoli, disembarked at Alexandria on 7 Jan 1916, transferred 1 Mar 1916 to 51 Battallion at Tel-el-Kabir, transferred to 13 Training Battallion on 12 May 1916 Serapeum, embarked Alexandria on 6 Jun 1916 to join BEF, disembarked at Plymouth 16 Jun 1916, proceeded overseas to France 17 Jul 1916, marched into 4 Division Base, Etaples on 26 Jul 1916, taken on strength 13^th Machine Gun Corps 31 Aug 1916, marched into M.G. Training Corps Depot, Grantham, ex France 3 Jan 1917, transferred to 4 Div. Machine Gun Corps 13 Feb 1917, proceeded overseas to France 7 Sep 1917, awarded the MILITARY MEDAL 16 Nov 1917, proceeded to England 24 Nov 1917, joined No.5 Officers' Cadet Bn., Cambridge 7 Dec 1917, appointed Second Lieutenant 1 Jun 1918 and posted to MG Coy, proceeded overseas to France 14 Jul 1918, taken on strength 4 MG Bn. 18 Jul 1918, wounded in action (gassed) 24 Aug 1918, transferred to England 31 Aug 1918 and admitted to 3rd London General Hospital 1 Sep 1918, promoted to Lieutenant 1 Sep 1918, discharged 25 Oct 1918 and marched into Overseas Training Bde., left England 14 Dec 1918 for return to Australia on H.T. Burmah, disembarked Fremantle 22 Jan 1919, appointment in AI. 23 Mar 1919 and terminated Perth.

Born at Clermont, Queensland 20 Sep 1881 to William Henry Bradbury and Jane Eliza Roberts, the family moved to Western Australia about 1897 and lived in Collie for many years. Ernest Henry Bradbury died after 2 days of illness at the Point Heathcote Mental Home on 15 September 1929. He was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery, Karrakatta, Perth, WA on 17 September 1929. He was survived by his mother, sisters, Mrs. Ada Jane Foster and Mrs. Irene May Bell and neices and nephews. As well as the Military Medal from the King, Ernest received the 1914/15 Star (no. 1173), British War Medal (no. 449) and Victory Medal (no. 448). The whereabouts of his Boer War and WW1 medals is unknown, possibly with the descendants of his sisters.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Wayne Rodney Roberts, Lutwyche QLD
Relationship to Ancestor: First cousin twice removed

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