Virtual
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Australia

Born in Armidale NSW in 1881, Jack was the third of eight children of Richard Clifford Bartlett (b1845) and Jane Smith (b1846 in George's Plains, Bathurst, NSW). Richard (a Plasterer) and Jane married in Bathurst in 1883 and lived there and briefly in Brisbane QLD before moving their family to Perth WA in the 1890s. Jane died in 1900, and Richard worked in Subiaco, Perth WA as a Plasterer.

Jack had been apprenticed to his father for five years before moving to Busselton WA, where in 1915 he married Elsie Jane Howard (b1889 in Albany WA) - their son Jack Clifford was born in December 1915. Jack enlisted in the AIF in October 1915 and was a Private (Service No:881) with 32nd Infantry Battalion. On 21 July 1916 Jack was Reported Missing, and on 12 August 1917 a Court of Inquiry in the Field (France) pronounced him KiA. In July 1917 Jack's father had written to the Secretary of the Australian Red Cross asking for help in finding out about Jack - Richard stated that he had been told by a returning soldier that he had seen Jack in England - they had met in the YMCA Rooms and had a cup of coffee together (National Archives Australia). The Secretary responded 'We wish we could give you some hope of his being a prisoner of War, but we fear that there can be no doubt as to his fate' (19 October 1917).  A Court on Inquiry held in the Field on 12 August 1917 found that Jack had been KiA on 20 July 1916. Thomas Skehan (Service No:10500) reported that 'on July 19th about 6pm at Fleurbaix he saw Bartlett killed. They had just gone over the top when he staggered against him, and must have been dead before he fell ...... about two hours later he noticed him laying on the ground face downward, dead' (Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files).

Elsie Jane lived in Busselton WA with her son Jack Jnr before moving to Perth WA in 1929, where she worked as a Waitress. By 1949 Elsie was living in Rockingham WA where she died in 1966.

Jack Bartlett was born in Armidale in the northern tablelands of New South Wales in 1892 to Richard Clifford and Jane Gale Bartlett (nee Smith) who married in June 1883 in Bathurst, New South Wales. Jack is believed to be the third of eight siblings.

The family briefly lived in Brisbane, Queensland before moving to Subiaco, Perth Western Australia in the later part of the 1890’s. It was in December 1900 Jack’s mother died at the age of 54 years. Jacks father worked as a plastering contractor in Subiaco where Jack was an apprentice plaster with his father for five years. It is believed one of Jack’s brothers worked with the father as plasterer.

In 1915 at Perth, Jack married Elsie Jane Howard where they had a son, Jack Clifford Bartlett who was born the same year in the district of Wellington near Bunbury, where they had moved to Busselton, Western Australia.

In July 1915 Jack enlisted into the A.I.F. at Blackboy Hill, Perth Western Australia. On enlistment Jack listed his address care of Post Office Busselton. Jack’s younger brother, James enlisted into the A.I.F. in October 1916 where he was initially attached to 16th Infantry Battalion before transferred to the 44th Infantry Battalion. James returned to Australia in 1919. Jack’s sister, May Bartlett joined the Australian Army Nursing Service in June 1915. In 1919 she was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class and continued to work at Perth hospital for many years.

On enlistment Jack was attached to 32nd Battalion, conducting his training at Blackboy Hill military camp Perth. At the end of September 1915, Jack sailed from Fremantle for Adelaide with other enlistees of 32nd Battalion to join the other half of the battalion.

The 32nd Battalion was raised on the outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia as part of the 8th Brigade in August 1915. Two companies were raised from South Australia, A and B companies with C and D companies formed in Western Australia.

Jack embarked from Adelaide, South Australia in November 1915 aboard HMAT Geelong A2, attached to C Company. Arriving in Egypt in December 1915 the battalion conducted further training at Tel-el-Kebir, before embarking to France in June 1916. On arrival in France Jack was sent Morbecque near Hazebrouck in northern France.

It was in July 1916 that Jack with the battalion moved to their billets at Fleurbaix in preparation for an assault on the German trenches at Fromelles. The plan was to use the Australian Fifth Division which included Jack’s battalion along with the 31st Battalion, which was part of the 8th Brigade. The task of the 31st and 32nd Battalions task was to assault the German trenches on the left flank crossing only 100 metres of no man’s land to get the trenches. The 32nd Battalion was on the extreme left flank with their job made more difficult, not only did they have to protect themselves, but advancing on the German lines where they had to block off the Germans off their left, so they did not come around behind them whilst advancing. The assault was due to commence at 6pm on 19th July 1916.

Jack with his battalion and 31st Battalion formed the first and second waves of the attack. Even before the attack commenced the Australians not only suffered casualties from the German artillery but also from their own inexperienced Australian artillery who lacked the skills to provide artillery cover for the assault.

With the Australian’s suffering heavy casualties from the artillery and German machine gun fire the men from the 31st and 32nd battalions commenced their assault, against all odds they were able to capture a small section of the German trenches. With no follow up support by the Australians and continued German counter attacks the Australians were forced to withdraw.

Jacks fated was witnessed by a Private Thomas Skehan 1051, who states in Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing files dated 2nd January 1917, that he saw Bartlett killed. “We were charging at the time of his death he had just gone over the parapet, and he was hit almost instantaneously falling back against the parapet dead. About 2 hours later I noticed him laying on the ground face downwards dead.”

Private Jack Bartlett 881 was reported as missing. In July 1917 his father had written to the Red Cross making inquiries into Jack. His father had been told by a return soldier, that he had met Jack in Weymouth Camp England in February 1917, that he was under observation for six months having been wounded in the hand. Inquiries were made at the Weymouth Camp, with no record of Jack been at the camp.

 It was by a Court of Inquiry in August 1917, that Jack was pronounced killed in action on 20th July 1916. He has no known grave, he is commemorated on VC Corner Australian Military Cemetery, Fromelles France. He was 24 years of age.