BRADNEY, Reginald Raymond
| Service Number: | 1888 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 December 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 54th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Keira Village, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, 14 April 1896 |
| Home Town: | Coolamon, Coolamon, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farm Hand |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Fromelles, France, 19 July 1916, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery Plot III, Row A, Grave No 4 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Enlisted under alias Reginald Raymond WILDMAN
True family name being Bradney.
He was 20 and the son of Mrs. Oriel A. Jones, of Polding St., Yass, New South Wales.
INSCRIPTION on his wargrave
BORN 14-4-1896 KIAMA N.S.W. SON OF AURIOL A BRADNEY "WILDIE" LIKED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM
submitted by Geoffrey Gilon
A letter from his natural mother best describes his circumstances:
Mrs Oriel Jones, mother, Polding Street, Yass, to Base Records, 8 May 1920: ''He had no nearer relatives than myself. He was my son, illegitimate unfortunately, so that his father's name would not be necessary. Wildman was not my son's name, it was Reginald Raymond Bradney, but as he lived with people of that name for a time he was mostly called Reg Wildman, and when he was registered for Cadets some years [ago] was advised to register under the name he was known by. The next nearest relatives would be my borthers, [2376] Private John Bradney, 56th Batt. killed in action, Pte W.E. Bradney, 54th Batt. killed in action, Dvr Donald W. Bradney, 14th Howitzer Battery, returned to Wagga, and Pte D. Bradney of Coolamon and my four sisters.'
Extract from his service record:
Joined 2nd Bn, Gallipoli, 31 May 1915.
- Admitted to hospital, 1 June 1915; transferred to Convalescent Camp, Cairo, 9 June 1916 (influenza); rejoined Bn, Gallipoli, 13 July 1915.
- Admitted to Fleet Sweeper, 19 July 1915 (diarrhoea); transferred to 24th Casualty Clearing Station, Lemnos, 29 July 1915; rejoined Bn, 28 August 1915.
- Admitted to Field Ambulance, 18 October 1915; transferred to No 3 Australian General Hospital, 18 October 1915 (abscess on neck); to Lowlands Division Casualty Clearing Station, 24 November 1915; rejoined Bn, Tel el Kebir, 12 January 1916.
Transferred to 54th Bn, 14 February 1916; Tel el Kebir, 16 February 1916.
Transferred to Brigade Police, 23 February 1916.
- Admitted to 15th Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 8 April 1916 (pneumonia); rejoined Bn from Police, 15 April 1916; transferred to No 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 17 April 1916 (gastritis); to 15th Field Ambulance, 17 April 1916; discharged to duty, 18 April 1916.
Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.
Reported missing, 19-20 July 1916.
Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in action, 19-20 July 1916'.
Compiled by Steve Larkins Oct 2018
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