Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Until I get time to write a story, here is some informaion;

Albert Stanley and Una are my grandparents. Bert died well berofe I was born, my dad was only in his early teens. Nan was a wonderful lady who died befpre I was married.

Bert was born in Broken Hill and lived there a huge portion of his life not counting time serving in France in WW1

8851/1893

HENDY

ALBERT S

JOHN

ARMANAL A

BROKEN HILL  

Bert signed up for active service and was in the 16th Battalion - 13th reinforcements. Dad has a bugle belonging to him. The stories are vague, but dad was always of the understanding that the bugle was presented to him after a particuarly bad battle were only 10 og the platoon survived. Below is information on the 16th. Whether the battle mentioned was the one he survived, I may never know, but can only assume. Each ANZAC day Berts great grandson Ben Simmonds (my son) plays this beautiful, battle dented bugle with pride. 

The 16th Battalion was one of the most highly decorated regiments in the armies of the Allied forces.  Three Victoria Crosses were awarded ( Pte O'Meara, Pozieres 1916; L Cpl Axford, Hamel 1918; Lt McCarthy, near Madame Wood 1918), there were 2 Companions of the Order of the Bath, 1 Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, 11 Distinguished Service Orders, 33 Military Crosses, 44 Distinguished Conduct Medals, 159 Military Medals and a string of foreign and ancillary decorations.

Arguably the most remarkable pair of 16th Battalion men was Harry Murray and Percy Black.  They joined together in 1914 as private soldiers from Manjimup in the south-west of Western Australia.  Lt Col Harry Murray VC CMG DSO MC DCM Croix de Guerre, ended the war as the most highly decorated soldier after having risen from a machine gun private to command of a machine gun Battalion of 64 guns in 1918.  Major Percy Black DSO DCM Croix de Guerre, was killed at Bullecourt on the 17th of April 1917 fighting with the 16th.  It was Harry Murray who had the traumatic task of cutting his friend from the wire after an action which cost the Battalion 650 casualties of the 800 who went into action.  Lt Arnold Potts (later Brigadier A.W. Potts DSO OBE MC of Kokoda Track fame) led his 45 men of the 4th Light Trench Mortar Battery in the action and lost 34 of them, some by 'friendly' fire from the new fangled British tanks.  The 4th Brigade lost a total of 2450 men of the 3000 who fought on that fateful morning. 

Articles indicate Bert was a bandsman in the army and was involved with music before and after the war.

  16 may 1919

Mrs. A. Hendy, of 42 Beryl-street, bas been advised that her son, Bands- man Albert S. Hendy, 16th Battalion, is returning home by the transport Marathon, due to reach Melbourne about June 5. Private Hendy has been on service for three and a half years.

 WEDDINGS.

The marriage took place on the evening of August 28 of Mr. Albert Hendy, youngest son of Mrs. A. A. Hendy, of 42 Beryl-Street. and late bandsman of the 16th Battalion A.I.F., to Miss Una Carpenter, of Adelaide. The ceremony was quietly performed at the house of Pastor E. J. Tuck, the bridegroom being assisted by his brother (Mr. Arthur Hendy), while Miss Longrin, of Adelaide, performed the duties of bridesmaid. About 30 guests assembled at the home of the bridegroom's mother, where the wedding breakfast was laid. A musical programme was arranged, the main contributors being Mrs. A. A. Hendy, senr., Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hendy, Messrs. Fred "Williams, Ern. Smith, Les Annclls, George Perry, W. "!?r. I Scott. H. Wilson, Stevenson, A. F. i Cooley Master Bob Hendy, and Misses Doris Dawson, Cunningham, and Bodda. Numerous presents were received, one of which came as an unusually pleasant surprise, when Mr. Les Anneals, ' on behalf of members of the R.A.O.B., presented the bridegroom. I with a marble clock as a token of the esteem in which he is held as a member. The chair was occupied by Mr. J. Sutton.