SERGEANT RICHARD BARTLETT
345 – 1st Tunnelling Company / Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company
Richard Bartlett was born at Emerald Hill, Victoria in 1881 the son of James and Mary Ann (nee Dawson) Bartlett. His apprenticeship as a plumber was with Allen, in South Melbourne for five years and military experience was gained by seven years with the Senior Cadets. In 1903 Richard Bartlett married Rose Mayman at Chiltern, Vic. A son, Richard Harry, was born in 1903 at Carlton.
Richard and his wife Rose were living at Buttlejork, Vic in 1903 where he was a labourer and in 1914 were at Bayswater, Vic. A second son, William Ian, was born in 1915 at Croydon, Vic.
At the Melbourne Recruiting Depot on August 11, 1915 the thirty-four year old plumber applied to enlist for active service abroad. Passing the medical examination Forms of Attestation were completed and he is described on enlistment as 179cms (5ft 10ins) tall, weighing 66.8kgs (147lbs) with a chest expansion of 84-92cms (33-36ins). Complexion was fresh with blue eyes and fair hair. Distinctive marks were three vaccination scars on his left arm and moles between his shoulders. On his left forearm was a tattoo and a scar on his right knee. Religion was Church of England and next-of-kin was his wife Mrs Rose Bartlett of Bayswater, Vic who he allotted three-fifths of his pay in support of her and their five children. He signed and took the “Oath of Enlistment” the same day.
Basic training commenced on September 1, 1915 with the 21st Depot Battalion at Warrnambool, Vic until October 12 when he was re-allotted to the 23rd Depot Battalion at Royal Park, Melbourne to November 9. From there he was transferred to the Engineers’ Training camp a Seymour, Vic where he joined ‘C Coy’ 3rd Depot Battalion to December 1. He was isolated at Ascot Vale hospital for about ten days before joining the 12th Battalion on December 13 but on December 20 was transferred to the Mining Corps at their training camp in Casula near Liverpool, NSW. His rank was Sapper from December 21, 1915 and was promoted in Routine Order no. 40 to be Second Corporal on February 8. His regimental number was 345 and was assigned to the No. 2 Company of the Corps.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
His civil qualification of plumber was more beneficial to the work of the Australian Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and was taken on strength with the company on October 5, 1916 and promoted to Corporal.
On December 1, 1916 he was admitted to the 18th Casualty Clearing Station with Diarrhoea and returned to duty on December 5.
He was attached to the 2nd Army Workshops in Bailleul on December 16, 1916 organised by the 1 / 2 Cornwall Army Troops, R.E. and rejoined the company on January 24, 1917.
He attended the 3rd Army Mine School on March 1, 1917 and returned to duty on April 23.
On June 16, 1917 he went sick to the 15th Casualty Clearing Station and admitted with Osteo-arthritis and two days later was conveyed on A.T.31 to the 1st Canadian General Hospital being admitted with Rheumatism. Ten days later was discharged to Etaples entering the 6th Convalescent Depot and four days later went to the 5th Convalescent Depot at Cayeux. On August 14, 1917 he was transferred to Base Details at the Aust General Base Depot at Havre then marched out to rejoin his unit five days later.
On September 2, 1917 he was to be Sergeant due to the evacuation of Sergeant W.C. Gilbert and sent to the Officers’ Cadet Training School.
He entered the 15th C.C.S. on October 6, 1917 for treatment of Piles then sent to Rouen for admittance to the 8th General Hospital with Haemorrhoids three days later. He was conveyed on the hospital ship Grantilly Castle to England on October 18 with Bronchitis and admitted the next day to the 3rd Western Hospital at Newport. Discharged to the 1st Aust Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford on November 16 and left three days later for furlough and to report to the No.1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on December 2, 1917.
From Headquarters, London he arrived at Sutton Veny on December 4 and relocated to the Overseas Training Brigade at Deverill on December 10. Nine days later on December 19 he proceeded from Southampton to France arriving the following day to the A.G.B.D. at Rouelles and rejoined his unit five days later on Christmas Day, 1917.
Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform for serving twelve months abroad.
Service continued without further incidents and was counted in an audit of the Company on October 1, 1918. He was with his unit when Peace was declared and the company remained on the front continuing to generate electricity and supply and service small engines and pumps for water supplies to those assisting with the rehabilitation of their areas.
Orders were received to prepare for demobilisation on March 8, 1919 as he has been a 1915-16 enlistee and they left for the Aust Infantry Base Depot on March 17 and crossed the English Channel marching into the No 2 Training Brigade at Codford. After demobilisation Sergeant Bartlett embarked for Australia on the H.T. Runic on April 27, 1919. Base Records advised his wife on May 16, 1919 that he was on his way home. The ship docked in Melbourne (3rd M.D.) on June 10, 1919.
Military Discharge was issued in Melbourne (3rd M.D.) on July 25, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment. He returned to Bayswater, Vic in 1919.
The British War medal (35125) and the Victory medal (34870) were issued to Sergeant 345 Richard Bartlett, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company for serving his country. Both medals were collected from Victoria Barracks, Melbourne and receipted the same day on September 22, 1922.
Medical and Service Records were forwarded to the Repatriation Commission – Melbourne Branch on August 1, 1927 from Base Records.
In 1931 he was a farmer at Mumblin, Vic with his wife and in 1936 they were living at Somers Avenue, MacLeod and the following year 1937 were at 37 Stewart Terrace, Heidelberg, Melbourne with no occupation.
Base Records forwarded a Statement of Service and Medical Records to the Repatriation Commission in Melbourne, Vic on December 2, 1936.
He was a hospital attendant in 1943 and their residence was at Torbay Street, MacLeod.
Richard Bartlett passed away about December 9, 1946 at 65 years of age at Campbellfield, Vic. The Funeral announcement was published in:
His ashes were placed under Rose no. 07 in Bed 20 within the Pittosporum Garden F1 of the Springvale Botanical Crematorium. Commonwealth War Graves dealt with the Necropolis Trust on December 19, 1946 and he has a War plaque in the Garden of Remembrance, Springvale Necropolis, Melbourne, Vic.
The Melbourne branch of the Repatriation Commission requested from Base Records a Statement of his Service which was sent on December 17, 1946.
His wife Rose Bartlett died about September 23, 1973 age 91 and her ashes were placed in the same location.
© Donna Baldey 2013