Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private Reginald Francis Quartly AM (Service No:NX98697) enlisted in the AIF on 6 November 1942, and marched out to Armoured Corps Training Regiment. Private Quartly was attached to 3 Australian Armoured Diviision Concert Party on 20 December 1942 when he was placed on the seriously ill list (ruptured speen and kidneys) at Wondai Hospital. On 24 November 1943 Private Quartly was attached to 103 Convalescent Depot at Discharge.

Reg was born in London, England in 1912, youngest of five children of Percival (Perc) Francis Quartly (b1876 in London, England) and Lydia (Lizzie) Elizabeth Bedwell (b1874 in London, England). Perc was working as a Bookkeeper and Lizzie was a Bon Bon  (Confectionary) Maker and Tram Ticket Printer in 1901 when they married in London. Perc and Lizzie settled in London, where they raised their family and Parc worked as a County Court Clerk and Bakery and Confectioner's Assistant before immigrating in 1924, arriving in Wellington, New Zealand with their family on board the Corinthic. Perc worked as a Gas Fitter in Auckland, and by 1928 had moved his family to Sydney, where he worked as a Garage Hand, Actor and Cleaner.

Reg started work as an entertainer at eleven years of age in New Zealand, and from the age of sixteen lived in Sydney, where he worked as an Actor, Comedian, Singer and Dancer in musical shows, pantomimes, pageants and silent films. In 1936 in Sydney he married Elizabeth (Betty) Ingram (b1916 in Sydney, New South Wales), and they settled in Sydney, where they raised their family. Reg was an Actor and Producer in 1942 when he enlisted in the Army, and following his Discharge, worked in musical theatre, pageants, pantomime, radio and television. From the 1950s, Reg played a significant role in the development of children's television, and performed weekly for charity. In 1976, Reg was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 'for services in the field of performing arts' (Trove). Reg died in 1983 and Betty in 2007.