BUSBRIDGE, Reginald James
| Service Number: | 5666 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 April 1916, Enlisted at Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 48th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Balaklava, South Australia, 21 April 1892 |
| Home Town: | Rosewater (Greytown), Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Striker |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 9 June 1917, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known grave Panel 27, Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Balaklava District WW1 Roll of Honour, Balaklava WW1 & WW2 Honour Roll, Balaklava WW1 & WW2 Memorial, Gawler Baptist Church WW1 Honour Roll, Gawler Council Gawler Men Who Answered the Call WW1 Roll of Honor, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5666, Enlisted at Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 5666, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Barambah embarkation_ship_number: A37 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 5666, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Barambah, Melbourne | |
| 18 Oct 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 48th Infantry Battalion, Transferred from the 10th Battalion to the 48th Battalion at Etaples | |
| 9 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 5666, 48th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5666 awm_unit: 48 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-06-09 |
Help us honour Reginald James Busbridge's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of James Fitzgerald and Annie Busbridge of Yatala, SA; brother of Clarence William Busbridge, Albertine Roy Busbridge and Gertrude Ethel Busbridge.
Husband of Vida Ethelend Eleanor Harriet Busbridge of Chad Street, Yatala, SA. Reginald and Vida married on 6 August 1915 in the residence of W. Busbridge of Gawler, SA
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Paul Lemar
BUSBRIDGE Reginald James_5666
Reginald was the first son of Annie BUSBRIDGE and was born on the On the 21st of April 1892 in Balaklava. His birth certificate registered his father as “James FITZGERALD”.
His mother Annie married Samuel Thomas MARRIOTT on the 12th of February 1901 at his grandfather’s home, Mr James BUSBRIDGE, Jacob Street, Gawler.
His stepfather Samuel was the son of Oliver MARRIOTT & Sarah Chamberlain HALES and was born on the 23rd of July 1852 aboard the ship “China”, on route to South Australia.
Samuel was a widower with 3 children. He was previously married to Ellen MILL on the 20th of February 1884 in the Baptist Church, Hundred of Hall. They had 3 boys from 1885 to 1898, all born in Balaklava.
His wife Ellen had died from heart failure on the 9th of July 1998, just 6 days after the birth of their last son.
Reginald grew up in Balaklava
Reginald married Vida Ethelend Eleanor Harriet BUSBRIDGE on the 6th of August 1915, his cousin. Vida was the daughter of Annie’s elder brother, Richard.
Reginald & Vida lived in Yatala and Reginald was a blacksmith striker.
On the 12th of April 1916, Reginald enlisted into the 48th Battalion in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 5666. He listed his wife as next of kin.
His unit embarked from Melbourne, on board the HMAT A37 Barambah on the 27th of June 1916.
They entrained in England before embarking for Estaples on the 7th of October.
Reginald was lucky to miss a lot of the fighting as he was admitted to hospitals on numerous occasions over the next 3 – months, suffering from trench feet and gastroenteritis.
He fought at the Hindenburg Line in Bullecourt, but was then transferred to hospital due to gastroenteritis.
On the 12th of May 1917, he rejoined the 48th Battalion in France.
The 48th Battalion was involved in heavy fighting in Messines. The were positioned at Steenwerck and were moving to La Creche.
Sadly, on the 9th of June 1917, Reginald was killed by mortar shelling in Messines, they were located near Bon Fermier Gully.
His body was never recovered, he has No known grave.
Reginald & Vida had no children.