Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Bernard was the youngest of eight children of Alfred Frederick Brookes (b1890 in Cooper Lake, Victoria) and Louisa Sarah Dyson (b1893 in Perth, WA). Alfred moved to Guildford WA with his parents in the early 1900s and was a Farmer at Metricup (near Cowaramup in the Margaret River region of WA) when he married Louisa in 1912 in Narrogin WA. By 1936 Alfred and Louisa had moved to Perth WA with their family and Alfred worked as a Bricklayer.

Bernard was working as a Bricklayer's Assistant in November 1941 when he enlisted in the Australian Army (Sapper; Service No:WX17613) under his older brother's name. In a 1945 Statutory Declaration (National Archives Australia) Bernard states '... when I went to enlist on 11 Nov 41, I was not old enough for the AIF. My age was 18 yrs and 4 months. The sjt in the recruiting office asked if I had any older brothers, and suggested I use their name to enlist. Using my brother Herbert's name and age, I enlisted there and then. A week later, 17 Nov 41, Herbert himself enlisted using my name and put his age up three years'. Bernard served in the Northern Territory and was a Driver attached to 22 Mechanical Equipment Park Coy when he was Discharged in September 1945.

In September 1945 Bernard married Bernice (Betty) Olive Clark (b1925 in Yandina, QLD) in Brisbane, QLD - Betty was living in Stafford, Brisbane QLD. Bernard and Betty lived in Armadale, Bunbury and Narrogin WA where Bernard was a Log Hauler. He died in 1990 and Betty in 2012.