82511
BATTARBEE, Reginald Ernest
| Service Number: | 2616 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 58th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia, 16 December 1893 |
| Home Town: | Alice Springs, Alice Springs, Northern Territory |
| Schooling: | Warrnambool College Academy, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer , Artist |
| Died: | Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, 2 September 1973, aged 79 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Alice Springs Memorial Cemetery, NT Section 5 rowH |
| Memorials: | Warrnambool Soldiers' Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 2616, 58th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 2616, 58th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Nestor, Melbourne | |
| 30 Dec 1916: | Embarked Proceed to France per Princess Clementine | |
| 9 Aug 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1 | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 2616, 28th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 May 2017: | Wounded 58th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), GSW R arm Shoulder L arm Chest Face |
Help us honour Reginald Ernest Battarbee's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by David Sinclair
Born in Warrnambool in 1893 Reginald (known as Rex) Battarbee was the fifth and youngest child of George and Mary Battarbee. His sister Florinda,the eldest,then Malpas, David and Preston.
Malpas, who was a chemist also served in the AIF. A Staff Sergeant, he worked as a dispenser in hospitals in France, India and Australia.
Florinda, a trained artist, older than him by eleven years seemed to foster his creative side.
Postwar he studied commercial art but leant more toward the life of a painter (watercolourist)and outback traveller. This led to what he would probably become most noted for. i.e his friendship with Albert Namatjira. Please see link or book Battarbee and Namatjira by Martin Martin Edmond.
Rex was a 22 year old farmer when he enlisted at Warrnambool on 25th Jan. 1916. As a member of the 58th Battalion he arrived in England aboard HMAT Nestor November 1916. He spent six weeks training on Salisbury Plain within sight of Stonehenge, and on completion visited London whilst on leave.
On the 30th of December Rex proceeded to France and it is known that in March he was near Bapaume doing more training in trench warfare.
In early May the 5th Australia Division were resting in and around Albert before moving to Bapaume. Rex was at Bullecourt on the 9th and the battle had been raging for six days. That night the 5th division relieved the 1st. The accounts from soldiers of the sights on the advance to Bullecourt were shocking. The Germans kept attacking and the Australians beat them off.
On the 12th May the 58th battalion assisted the british 7th division in storming a machine gun post and large dugout, pushing the Germans back. The objectives were met.
Rex was hit by machine gun fire and wounde so badly that he wass left for dead. Two days later he was found unconscious yet still breathing amongst a heap of corpses. Tragically the two stretcher bearers who were carrying him back behind the lines were both killed by shrapnel from a shell burst, yet Rex survived and had to be rescued a second time.
Recieving gunshot wounds to his left hand, right arm and shoulder, chest and right cheek, he was transported to Richmond hospital England, where he spent four months before returning to Australia and another three more years in No 5 AGH Melbourne. He had also contracted tuberculosis as a result of the chest wound and gas damage to his lungs.
Rex was discharged on 9/8/18
He married Ada Bernice Loone at Hermannsberg 7/10/1950 and they had a son and a daughter.
He is buried with his wife .The inscription reads.
They dedicated thier energies to thier faith art beauty and the Aboriginal people of Central Australia.
Text from Battarbee and Namatjira
Click images to start slideshow.