BERMAN, Bert Ewen
| Service Number: | 5049 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 13th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Coonamble, New South Wales, Australia , 21 June 1896 |
| Home Town: | Five Dock, Canada Bay, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Fort Street High School, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | University dental student |
| Died: | Killed in action, Gueudecourt, France, 4 February 1917, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Coonamble Municipality and Wingadee Shire HR, Coonamble War Memorial, Five Dock War Memorial, Petersham Fort Street High School Great War Honour Roll, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5049, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 5049, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of Victoria embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
| 31 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 5049, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Star of Victoria, Sydney |
Help us honour Bert Ewen Berman's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Bertie was the son of Frederick Thomas and Jane Berman of Five Dock, New South Wales. His father was the head teacher of the Five Dock Public School.
Just prior to enlisting Bertie was a student in dentistry at the Sydney University.
He was a Sergeant Major while training in Australia and was made an Acting Sergeant in France while training men at Etaples. When he joined the 13th Battalion at the front on 14 December 1916, he reverted back to a Private.
He was reported missing the 13th Battalion’s famous attack on Stormy Trench, 4 February 1917, in which Harry Murray won the Victoria Cross.
He did have a witness to his death who stated, “I went away with Berman in S.S "Star of Victoria" in March 1916. He went away as a Sergeant-Major. He was 5' 10" in height, dark, clean shaven. I saw him killed on 4th February 1917 at Gueudecourt. He was a Stretcher-bearer and was attending to the wounded when he was struck by a shell and was killed instantly. I saw his grave after he had been buried on 5th February 1917. He was a very good fellow, a real gentleman.”-5065 Pte. F.L. Canty.
The local newspapers reported, “Mr. and Mrs. F. T. Berman, of the Public School, Five Dock, and formerly of Moss Vale, have received definite information that their youngest son, Coy. Sergt. Major Bertie Ewen Berman, aged 21 years, was killed in action in France in February last. Major Clayton, O.C., writes of him:—"He is a most efficient, intelligent, and capable officer, possessing great capacity for leadership and tact, and discretion in handling men. The commandant of the training camp considered him, perhaps, the smartest and most efficient instructor he had, Imperial or otherwise.”
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