Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Ewart Gladstone Bartrop was born in Balmain, New South Wales, Australia to Herbert Bartrop and Mary (née) Martin on 7th of February 1890, who were British immigrants¹. Bartrop got his early years of schooling in many educational institutes including Sydney Boys’ High School and then continued his education by getting a scholarship at a Training College located in Woollahra in 1908. He also attended The University of Sydney between 1910 and 1913 and achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Arts. He pursued a career in teaching Mathematics at Bathurst High School in 1912². Bartrop married Ethel Frances Brown on the 10th of April 1915, who gave birth to his first son Bert William Bartrop on the 14th of March 1916, a year later³. During Ethel’s pregnancy, Bartrop’s brother Henry Herbert Bartrop, was killed in action during the Gallipoli Campaign, in Dardanelles⁴. 

He enlisted in Bathurst High School, as a Gunner for The Great War on 14th of February 1917, shortly after moving to Haberfield⁵. He embarked onboard the HMAT A28 Miltiades to Glasgow, Britain on 2nd of August, which he reached two months later on 29th of October. After reaching Glasgow, he was sent overseas to Rouelles in Northern France. Four days later he was taken on as strength for the First Field Artillery Brigade⁶

He then fought his first battle in The Battle of Villers Bretonneux . His performance in the Battle of Villers Bretonneux earned him a promotion to Bombardier on 18th of May 1918, a non-commissioned officer rank in The Royal Artillery, equivalent to the rank of Corporal in the infantry, responsible for overseeing artillery fire and ensuring strikes are on-target. He then fought in The Battle of Le Hamel during 4th of July 1918, as part of The Battle for The Somme. He then had less than a month of break before he fought in The Battle of Amiens, the first phase of a series of attacks by The Allied Forces as part of “The Hundred Days” which greatly contributed to bringing the war to an end. The battle lasted from 8th of August through to 11th of August 1918⁸. Unfortunately, after this battle Bartrop fell ill, on 14th of September 1918 he was admitted to The 1st Australian Field Ambulance in France with the diagnosis of PUO (Pyrexia/Fever of Unknown Origin)⁹. He was transported to The 2nd General Hospital located in Le Havre, Paris on 16th of September¹⁰. Upon worsening of his condition he was transferred to The 1st Convalescent Depot in Le Havre a week later¹¹. He was discharged after his condition stabilised and proceeded overseas to Folkestone, London, along with the First Field Artillery Brigade, to report to Headquarters¹². He was chosen and assigned to Cambridge Officer’s School, under the A.I.F’s Education Scheme, on 7th of October 1918¹³. Shortly after his appointment to the Education Scheme, he was temporarily promoted to 2nd Lieutenant (Lieutenant’s Aide/second in-command) and was posted for duty with the AIF¹⁴. He graduated as an Educational Officer (responsible for training new troops/candidates) for The First Field Artillery Brigade on 30th of October 1918, and proceeded overseas to France and rejoined First Field Artillery Brigade as an Educational Officer on 3rd of November¹⁵.

The war ended on 11th of November, meaning that Bartrop officially survived the war. Over the next three months as an Educational Officer he was quickly recognised and promoted to a Lieutenant (responsible and commanding an entire platoon of infantry) on 1st of February 1919¹⁶, making him a commissioned officer. He marched for Paris and joined with Quota 43 (Groups created for easier repatriation) to return to Australia on the 26th of April¹⁷. In England, he embarked for Sydney on the Konig Fredericksburg. He disembarked on 10th of August 1919 and on 13th of August, he terminated his appointment in the AIF¹⁸. 

After returning to Australia, Bartrop reunited with his wife and son, and moved to “Iris Glen” Victoria St. E.Maitland, their new residence that was received through The War Service Homes Act¹⁹. Additionally his wife gave birth to his daughter Betty Bartrop, a year later²⁰. He took up teaching positions in schools including Bathurst High School²¹. Unfortunately, he fell ill again, the diagnosis was Tuberculosis, which he contracted when deployed²². He took up an easier position as a teacher at Sydney Technical High School during 1921²³. Teaching for 2 years, while battling tuberculosis. Sadly, William Bartrop passed away in the Prince of Wales Hospital due to Tuberculosis on 22nd of December 1922²⁴. His son, following his footsteps, ended up fighting in the second world war and surviving²⁵.

Bartrop was remembered as a respectable and gentlemanly man loved by many, mentioned in articles “I heard a number of the old girl students of the (Bathurst High) school speaking sorrowfully of his passing because they simply adored their late gentlemanly teacher.”²⁶ Including mentions in reports “WEG Bartrop was a much respected mathematics teacher in selective high schools in Sydney”, leaving behind a fine legacy²⁷ as an exemplar Australian and respectable individual.

References:
1. NAA Archives - “William Ewart Gladstone Bartrop”; Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive
2. Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive
3. Ancestry.com - “William Ewart Gladstone Bartrop”
4. Virtual War Memorial Australia (VMA.org)Title: “Henry Herbert BARTROP”
5. National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au) | Title: “Bartrop William : SERN LIEUT : POB Sydney NSW : POE Sydney NSW : NOK W Bartrop Ethel Francis”
6. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
7. Virtual War Memorial Australia (VMA.org) - Title: “1st Field Artillery Brigade”
8. National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au) | Title: “Bartrop William : SERN LIEUT : POB Sydney NSW : POE Sydney NSW : NOK W Bartrop Ethel Francis”
9. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
10. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
11. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
12. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
13. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
14. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
15. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
16. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
17. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
18. Ibid, National Archives of Australia (NAA.gov.au)
19. Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive
20. Ancestry.com - “William Ewart Gladstone Bartrop”
21. Wordpress (awr2014.wordpress.com) | Title: “Bartrop, William Ewart Gladstone”
22. Ibid, Title: “Bartrop, William Ewart Gladstone”
23. Ibid, Title: “Bartrop, William Ewart Gladstone”
24. Ibid, Title: “Bartrop, William Ewart Gladstone”
25. Virtual War Memorial Australia (VMA.org) - Title: “Henry Herbert BARTROP”
26. Trove (trove.nla.gov.au), Title: The Bathurst Times (1909-1925)/Sat 30th Dec 1922/Page 4/A WOMAN’S WAY
27. Wordpress (awr2014.wordpress.com) | Title: “Bartrop, William Ewart Gladstone”

Bibliography (Harvard Citation):

1. Stevenson, K. (no date) Bartrop w - William Ewart gladstone teacher, Google Drive. Available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1Baxdbgqvbm5jYc_HeBDgtYinYFzNMz67 (drive.google.com) (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 
2. NAA, National Archives of Australia | B2455, BARTROP W, National Archive of Australia. Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx? (recordsearch.naa.gov.au)Barcode=3055049 (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 
3. William Ewart Gladstone Bartrop, b.1890 d.1922 - ancestry® William Ewart Gladstone Bartrop - Ancestry®. Available at: https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/william-ewart-gladstone-bartrop-24-k6p3y (www.ancestry.com) (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 
4. VMA, Henry Herbert Bartrop, Virtual War Memorial | Henry Herbert BARTROP. Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/140236 (/explore/people/140236) (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 
5. VMA, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Virtual War Memorial | 1st Field Artillery Brigade. Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/424 (/explore/units/424) (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 
6. Bartrop, William Ewart gladstone (2014) An Australian War Requiem. Available at: https://awr2014.wordpress.com/the-choir-remembers/bartrop-william-ewart-gladstone/ (awr2014.wordpress.com) (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 
7. Battle of Amiens (no date) Australian War Memorial. Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/amiens (www.awm.gov.au) (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 
8. VMA, William Ewart bartrop, Virtual War Memorial | William Ewart BARTROP. Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/283112 (/explore/people/283112) (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 9. A woman’s way - bathurst. December 30, 1922. - The Bathurst Times (NSW : 1909 - 1925) - 30 dec 1922, Trove. Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/117582123?browse=ndp%3Abrowse%2Ftitle%2FB%2Ftitle%2F482%2F1922%2F12%2F30%2Fpage%2F13367804%2Farticle%2F117582123# (trove.nla.gov.au) (Accessed: 05 August 2024). 
10. William BARTROP (no date) The AIF Project. Available at: https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=15657 (aif.adfa.edu.au) (Accessed: 05 August 2024).