Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Bralla, Edgar – Biography

Edgar Jackson Bralla was born in February 1873 near Blinman, South Australia. He had a brother and a sister, C. A. Bralla and M. A. Bralla. His sister got married and changed her name to M. A. Reid, and she lived in Broken Hill. His father C. Bralla, lived in Farina, South Australia, and his brother lived in 71 Leicester St. Parkside. Edgar was of Roman Catholic religion and lived in Lyndhurst Siding, South Australia, and was single. He was a labourer, until he enlisted for war on the 13 April 1916. His regimental number was 5973 and his AMW Embarkation Roll number was 23/27/4. He was 43 years and 2 months old when he enlisted. At the time, he was 5 ‘3 inches tall and weighed 58.5 kg., with a chest measurement of 33.5 – 35 inches. He had dark skin with brown eyes and black hair, and a large moustache. After enlisting, he was a private and was part of the 10th Battalion, 19th Reinforcements. He trained at Mitcham for 4 months before embarking from Adelaide.

On 12 August 1916, Edgar Bralla embarked from Adelaide on the HMAT A70 Ballarat and went from Adelaide, SA to Plymouth, UK. He left from England and headed to France, on the 22 October 1916 and arrived at Etaples on the 23 October 1916. After a few days, he started marching to the 10th Battalion on 31 October 1916, and became part of the 10th Battalion on 4th January 1917. After fighting for 4 months he was wounded in action fighting in Bullecourt, France on the 6th May 1917. Later that day, he succumbed to his wounds, dying at the age of 44, and was buried in Grevillers British Cemetery (Plot III, Row D, Grave No. 2), France by Reverend E. J. Culler. For his service, he gained a British War Medal and Victory Medal, which were sent back to his brother, as his father had died during the war and his mother died before he even enlisted. A clipping from the local paper stated: FARINA. May 22. — News was received yesterday that Pte. Edgar (Jackson) Bralla had died of wounds at a clearing station "somewhere in France."  "The deceased was widely known and greatly esteemed here. He took keen interest in all local matters, and was an active supporter of the tennis club.

Bibliography

National Archives of Australia 2019, RecordSearch, Australian Government, accessed 11 March 2019,<https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3111941&isAv=N >.

In memory of Private E. Bralla n.d., Commonwealth War Graves Commission, pdf, accessed 11 March 2019, <https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/289683/bralla,-/CasualtyCertificate.ashx?id=289683>.

Trove 1917, Trove (Bralla, Edgar), National Library of Australia, accessed 11 March 2019, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/59145877?searchTerm=(Bralla%2C%20Edgar)%20&searchLimits=q-field0|||q-type0=all|||q-term0=Bralla%2C+Edgar|||q-field1=title%3A|||q-type1=all|||q-term1|||q-field2=creator%3A|||q-type2=all|||q-term2|||q-field3=subject%3A|||q-type3=all|||q-term3|||q-year1-date|||q-year2-date>.

State Library of South Australia 2016, [Private Edgar Bralla], Government of South Australia, accessed 11 March 2019, <http://www.catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au/search~S1?/X(bralla%2C+edgar)&searchscope=1&SORT=D/X(bralla%2C+edgar)&searchscope=1&SORT=D&SUBKEY=(bralla%2C+edgar)/1%2C2%2C2%2CB/frameset&FF=X(bralla%2C+edgar)&searchscope=1&SORT=D&2%2C2%2C>.