Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

David was the eldest son of Frank Filley BUSBRIDGE & Florance Amelia WOOD and was born on the 27th of April 1899 in Gawler.

His parents were married on the 15th of November 1897 at his grandfather’s residence, Mr James BUSBRIDGE, Jacob Street, Gawler

His father was brick maker

His mother Florance died on the 12th of September 1917 in Gawler, when he was 17 years old.

Unbeknown to his father, on the 24th of July 1918, David, enlisted into the 6th General Service Reinforcements, B Company. He had previously served 5 years with the Gawler Senior Cadets and 1 year with the 80th Infantry in the drill hall in Gawler.

On the 31st of July 1918, his father wrote to the recruiting department in Adelaide objecting to David’s enlistment. The letter stated that he wanted to carry the wish of his late wife, that no child was to enlist until the age of 21 years.

It appears the letter was not acknowledged and on the 22nd of October 1918, David embarked from Adelaide, on board HMAT A36 Boonah.

The HMAT A36 Boonah was the last Australian ship to leave Australia for the war.

Luck was to favour Frank as just days out from Durban, South Africa, word was received aboard the Boonah that an armistice had been signed, bringing the hostilities of WW1 to an end. Orders were received for the ship to replenish its supplies in Durban and return to Australia.

While tied up in Durban, local stevedores loaded supplies onto the ship and were billeted on board with the troops. Unbeknownst to those on the Boonah, the stevedores were infected with the Spanish Flu. The flu had been transmitted to the Australian troops and in the close quarters of the overcrowded Boonah on the trip back to Australia, the perfect environment existed for the flu to spread. Rough seas and cold weather on the return trip ensured that the troops remained in close confinement, providing the perfect environment for the flu to spread.
Five days after the Boonah’s departed Durban, the first flu-like symptoms began to appear. By the time the ship arrived back at Fremantle on the 12th of December, more than 300 cases had been reported and Commonwealth immigration authorities refused to allow the soldiers to disembark knowing of the global pandemic which was underway, and which had until then spared Western Australia.

The ship anchored in Gage Roads of Fremantle while authorities considered Rottnest and Garden Islands to quarantine the soldiers. Public outrage grew against the refusal of the immigration authorities to allow all of the soldiers ashore with casualties growing each day.

After some delays, approval was granted for about 300 of the sickest soldiers to be moved ashore to the Quarantine Station at Woodman Point, south of Fremantle. Three of the men died on the first day at the station and it took three days for 337 men to be brought ashore.

For those left on board the ship, conditions were believed to be deplorable. Authorities insisted on a seven-day incubation period with no new cases being cited to prove that the disease had burnt itself out. Unfortunately, new infections and deaths continued.

The situation continued to deteriorate further with more soldiers dying and more than 20 nursing and medical staff becoming infected. By 20 December, Woodman Point was housing over 600 soldiers and after nine days of acrimony, and despite breaking quarantine regulations, the ship sailed east with the remaining troops, presumably to defuse the situation.
Another 17 cases were discovered between Albany and Adelaide and the remaining men, including David, were disembarked at Torrens Island Quarantine Station on the 24th of November 1918.

No further deaths occurred and after being given the all-clear, the remaining men returned to their homes.

David was discharged on the 27th of January 1919.

He married Eileen May MORRIS

In 1939 he lived at 145 Mead Street, Largs Bay and he was a baker.

The family moved to Berri before 1949.

They had 2 daughters

He was a member of the Berri RSL Sub Branch.

David died in July 1988 in Berri and is buried in the Berri Cemetery with his wife.