Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alfred Edward Bendy was born on 29 November 1892 in Frome, Somerset, England. He was the son of a Farrier Master, Richard William Bendy (1853-1909), and Minnie Emily Williams (1858-1910). He migrated to Australia aboard the Orient Line ship Orsova on 27 May 1910, a year and a half after the death of his father and two months after the death of his mother. He was aged 17 when the ship sailed, travelling as a third-class passenger. While he came from a large family with eight brothers and sisters and presumably had strong ties to Somerset, perhaps the recent deaths of his parents were the catalyst for his move to Australia.

In London, he had worked for five years as an apprentice grocer with Harrod & Co. Grocers, the business that would ultimately become the British luxury department store Harrods. His older brother, Richard William Bendy (1880-1956), and his wife, Ellen Elizabeth Warner (1885-1969), joined him in Sydney soon after their marriage in England in 1911. They had a son, Richard Edward Bendy (1912-1995), and a daughter, Ivy Ellen Bendy (1914-2002), born on 14 March 1914.

Alfred put his apprenticeship to good use in Australia and obtained work as a grocer. When war broke out in August 1914, he didn’t enlist immediately. Instead, he waited until 28 December 1915 before presenting at Victoria Barracks in Sydney and applying for enlistment. He officially enlisted on 17 January 1916 and was given service number 15510. His brother, Albert Victor Bendy (1888-1938), had already enlisted in England and served on the Indian frontier with the Somerset Light Infantry. Alfred listed his sister-in-law, Mrs. Ellen Bendy of 148 York St, as his next of kin on his enlistment form.

He did not depart for overseas service until nine months after enlistment. Instead, from 21 March 1916, he was stationed with the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC) in New South Wales.

He embarked from Australia on 30 September 1916 aboard HMAT A6 Aeneas as one of the eighteen men of the AAMC September 1916 Reinforcements. Arriving in England, he was sent to the AAMC Training Depot at Park House, near Tidworth, on 20 November 1916. He then moved to the 8th Training Battalion on 13 December 1916. He was taken on strength with the newly formed 17th Field Ambulance Brigade on 6 July 1917. This unit had been formed the previous month for service with the 6th Australian Division; however, the division could not complete its formation due to a lack of men. When the 17th Field Ambulance was disbanded on 25 October 1917, Alfred returned to the AAMC at Sutton Veny.

It was not until 6 January 1918 that he finally proceeded to France. Alfred was sent to the Australian General Base Depot at Rouelles, where he stayed until June 1918. He joined the 4th Australian Sanitary Section on 21 June 1918. At the time, the unit was stationed in Cagny, southeast of Amiens. A review of the war diary for that month suggests that work in a sanitary unit was unglamorous. The work involved building and cleaning latrines, collecting food refuse, operating incinerators to burn rubbish, keeping the streets clean, and guarding manure dumps.

The unit remained in Cagny during July 1918. The focus was on ensuring that camp areas where food was stored remained free from flies, which were increasing in number due to the inability of other units to follow the advice of the Sanitary Section and bury their piles of horse manure adequately. Their failure to do so increased the incidence of dysentery among the fighting men. It took a reminder from the Corps and Divisional Headquarters to get unit commanders to focus on improving compliance with this mandate to bury manure properly.

The Sanitary Section also maintained a workshop where men worked as carpenters and tinsmiths. In the workshops, they made portable box-pattern fly-proof latrines. The workshop also produced food safes, grease traps, and refuse bins, despite the war diary recording difficulties procuring timber from Corps engineers during the month. These “sanitary appliances,” collectively produced in the workshops, were vital for maintaining cleanliness and order in the camps of the fighting units supported by the Sanitary Section. The AIF was on the move in August 1918. However, the Sanitary Section remained in Cagny. Troops passed through the Sanitary Section’s area of work around Cagny, with unit members carrying out work throughout the month.

During September 1918, the 4th Australian Sanitary Section operated in the Framerville area. However, Alfred transferred to the 12th Field Ambulance on 17 September 1918, along with 12825 Lance Corporal Harry Tharratt and 4422 Private Norman Francis Mahony. The 12th Australian Brigade AIF was used in an attack on the Hindenburg Line on 18 September 1918. The Germans had retreated to the Hindenburg Line after the failure of their March offensive. The 12th Brigade, comprising the 45th, 46th, 47th, and 48th Battalions AIF, in conjunction with the 4th Brigade, attacked on a two-brigade frontage.

The medical arrangements for the Brigade for the attack were four squads of ambulance stretcher-bearers under the command of an NCO, plus two runners, placed with each of the Regimental Medical Officers of the attacking battalions, which were the 45th, 46th, and 48th Battalions. The bearers carried two stretchers and two blankets per squad and were based at each battalion’s Regimental Aid Post. At 5:20 a.m. on 18 September, the 4th and 12th Brigades attacked enemy positions northwest of St. Quentin. By 6:20 a.m., a steady stream of wounded were filtering into the Advanced Dressing Station from the Regimental Aid Posts. They were evacuated by car to the Main Dressing Station at Hancourt. The attack was successful, and the expected heavy casualties did not eventuate.

The last two months of the war saw the 12th Field Ambulance engaged in training. Alongside the typed entries in the November 1918 war diary is an entry in pencil next to 11 November 1918: “Armistice with Germany signed.” On 20 November, the war diary recorded: “Removal of most of the restrictions re censorship of letters, permission granted for Troops to be in possession of cameras.” The next day, the unit was told to prepare to move into Germany. However, the unit instead proceeded to Waulsort in Belgium.

On 8 December 1918, Alfred was sent on leave to the United Kingdom but, while there, contracted influenza, which resulted in his admission to hospital in Harefield. He remained there until New Year’s Eve. He was detached for duty with Headquarters AIF in London on 24 January 1919.

While still in England, Alfred married Violet Elizabeth Palmer (1896-1935) at Holy Trinity Church in Kilburn on 23 August 1919. She sailed with him to Australia aboard Orvieto on 6 March 1920. Alfred was discharged from the AIF on 27 June 1920.

The couple settled in Artarmon, Sydney, and had one child, a daughter, Marion Muriel Lillian Bendy (born 1924). Sadly, Violet passed away at the young age of 39 in 1935.

In 1942, during World War II, Alfred joined the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) as a Private and was given service number N389734. He was unemployed then but listed his occupation as a grocer. He was taken on strength with the 7th Garrison Battalion at Brookvale. However, in April 1942, he became dangerously ill with pneumonia, requiring six months in hospital. He was discharged as medically unfit on 15 December 1943.

In 1954, Alfred returned to England. He passed away there on 13 March 1957.

He received the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service with the AIF. The inscription on the rim of his British War Medal reads 15510 PTE. A.E. BENDY. 4-SA Sec. A.I.F.