CATER, Bertie William
| Service Number: | 5564 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 May 1916, RAS Showground, Sydney |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 20th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, 21 March 1892 |
| Home Town: | Granville, Parramatta, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Railway Carriage Builder |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Hangard Wood, France, 7 April 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Granville St Mark's Anglican Church Memorial Windows, Granville War Memorial, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 29 May 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5564, 20th Infantry Battalion, RAS Showground, Sydney | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 5564, 20th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 5564, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney | |
| 7 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5564, 20th Infantry Battalion |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Bertie William CATER was born in Newcastle, NSW, on 17 March 1892. He joined the NSWGR&T on 21 October 1913 as a Wagon Builder in the Locomotive Branch at Clyde. By this time his family was living in Dean St, Granville. On 29 May 1916 he was released to join the AIF.
On 7 April 1918 he was killed in action at Hangard Wood in France. He was buried in an isolated grave ‘three-quarters of a mile North of Domart sur la Luce, and five miles South South West of Corbie’.
The Red Cross Enquiry Bureau file for Bertie includes statements from witnesses standing next to him when he was killed, such as: ‘On 7 April 1918 Fritz was shelling Villers-Bretonneux on the Somme front when a shell burst and Cater, who was standing by the side of me, was killed and I was wounded at the same time. I knew Cater in civil life.’ Private Leslie James Edwards (5333).
Sergeant Birkitt of the 20th Battalion stated: ‘… he was buried at Hangard Wood (on the field). I erected a cross for him. There is no doubt about his identity. He was one of my men I am sorry to say.’
Submitted 21 May 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Bertie William CATER was born in 1892 in Newcastle, New South Wales
His parents were Ephraim Charles CATER and Rose Emma CHEESEMAN who married in Newcastle in 1885
He enlisted on 29th May, 1916 at the RAS Showground in Sydney and embarked with the 20th Battalion, 15th reinforcements from Sydney on the HMAT Euripides on 9th September, 1916
Bertie was Killed in Action by shellfire on 7th April, 1918 in Hangard Wood in France - his name is memorialised on the Australian War Memorial and the Villers Bretonneux Memorial
Medals: British War Medal & Victory Medal.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Bertie William CATER was born in Newcastle, NSW, on 17th March 1892. He joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways on 21st October 1913. He was a Wagon Builder in the Locomotive Branch at Clyde. By this time his family was living in Dean St, Granville. On 29th May 1916 he was released to join the AIF.
Bertie joined the AIF with the rank of Private (Service Number 5564). He was posted to the 15th Reinforcements to the 20th Infantry Battalion. He nominated his father, Ephram Charles Cater as his next of kin.
He embarked aboard HMAT A14 ‘Euripides’ at Sydney on 9th September 1916. He reached Plymouth in England on 26th October 1916. After a period with the 14th Training Battalion he left England for France on 13th December 1916. He joined the 20th Infantry Battalion in France on 17th December 1916.
Just over a year later, while his unit was in Belgium, he was granted leave in England between 24th December 1917 and 8th January 1918.
On 7th April 1918 he was killed in action at Hangard Wood in France. He was buried in an isolated grave ‘three-quarters of a mile North of Domart sur la Luce, and five miles South South West of Corbie’.
Private Leslie James Edwards (5333), who was standing next to him when he was killed, wrote: ‘On 7 April 1918 Fritz was shelling Villers-Bretonneux on the Somme front when a shell burst and Cater, who was standing by the side of me, was killed and I was wounded at the same time. I knew Cater in civil life.’
Sergeant Birkitt of the 20th Battalion stated: ‘… he was buried at Hangard Wood (on the field). I erected a cross for him. There is no doubt about his identity. He was one of my men I am sorry to say.’
Bertie is commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France.
Sadly, for his family, the customary package containing Bertie’s personal effects sent to his next of kin was lost at sea when the vessel carrying it, the SS ‘Barunga’, was sunk by enemy action.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Click images to start slideshow.