Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 4th April.... Harold Lyle Bartlett was born at Adelaide, South Australia in 1898. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 7th July, 1917 as an 18 year old, Fitter & Turner from Glenelg, South Australia.

Sapper Harold Lyle Bartlett embarked from Melbourne on HMAT Nestor (A71) on 21st November, 1917 with Signalling Reinforcement & disembarked at Suez on 15th December, 1917. He then embarked on H.M.T. Abbbassieh on 8th January, 1918 & disembarked at Taranto, Italy on 13th January, 1918. He entrained from Italy to France.

Sapper Bartlett was left in Isolation at Cherbourg, France on 22nd January, 1918.

Sapper Bartlett was marched in to No. 3 Camp Details at Parkhouse, Wiltshire on 14th February, 1918. From there he was posted to Engineers Training Depot (Signalling Section) at Clifton on 16th March, 1918.
Sapper Harold Lyle Bartlett was sent sick to Military Hospital, Bedford, England on 28th March, 1918.

Sapper Harold Lyle Bartlett died at 2 pm on 4th April, 1918 at Military Hospital, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England from Pneumonia. He was buried in Kempston Cemetery, Bedfordshire, England.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/kempston.html
Headstone photo courtesy of Clive Hughes

Sapper Harold Lyle Bartlett (20470) was a member of 5th Division Signal Company.

An only child, Harold was born in Adelaide on 8th October, 1898 to Herbert Edgar Bartlett and Emily Annie, nee Lyle. Herbert was born at Grace Plains in 1869 and was one of ten children.

Harold enlisted on the 7th July, 1917 at Mitcham Camp. He was 5 ft 7 ¼ inches tall with blue eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion. At the time of signing up he was employed as a fitter and turner at Dobbie & Coy. The family lived in Glenelg.

He was unable to embark until his 18th birthday. He embarked at Melbourne on 21st November on the Nestor and disembarked at Suez where he joined the Australian Camp. After being on active service in North Alexandria, he contracted pneumonia. He was embarked on board the Abbassieh to Taranto in Italy. He then travelled to the port of Cherbourg, France where he was left in isolation at the hospital in January, 1918. He then travelled to Parkhouse and then Clifton in England. He was finally repatriated to Kempston, Military Hospital in Bedford, England where he died of pneumonia on the 4th April, 1918, aged 19 years and 6 months.

He is buried in the consecrated portion of the Kempston Cemetery.

His parents requested the return of any personal effects. These were in a package being carried on board the ill-fated “Barunga” which was lost at sea with all cargo as a result of enemy action. These items included “1 map, 1 pr trousers, 1 knife fork & spoon (combined), 1 drinking cup, 1 metal mirror in case, 1 clasp knife and lanyard, 1 safety razor and brush in case, 1 razor, 1 book of views, 4 devotional books, 1 notebook, 1 printing frame, 1 strop, 1 comb, 1 wrist watch, cover & strap, money belt, 2 diaries, 9 coins, 1 ring, medallion, camera, 1 note book and wallet containing negatives & photos, letters, 1 brooch, 1 pr gloves, badges, 1 lanyard, 1 pr mitts, 2 kit bag handles & locks, 1 disk and cord, 1 housewife, 1 jack knife, 1 comb, 1 razor”.

Sapper Bartlett was posthumously awarded the Victory Medal, the 1914/15 Star and the British War Medal on 25th July, 1921.

Courtesy of Laura Parsons