Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Herbert Clarence Behaun, known as Bert, was born on 11th April 1892 at Cairns QLD, the only child of Harriet Behaun who remarried when he was 9 years old.  Bert’s education took place at Toowoomba Grammar School QLD and he went on to work as a clerk.  In 1914 he achieved honours in shorthand at the Cairns Technical College which would later stand him in good stead regarding future employment. 

On 11th May 1915 Bert, aged 23, enlisted for WW1 in the Australian Imperial Force at Brisbane QLD.  He’s described as being 5ft 10ins tall with a fresh complexion, light brown eyes and red hair.  His service number was 2605, his rank Private and he was assigned to the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance, part of the 4th Light Horse Brigade (4th LHB).  He proceeded to Fraser’s Paddock Camp at Enoggera, Brisbane, where he completed his initial training. 

On 4th June 1915, a month after enlisting, Bert married Muriel Bates.  Just 12 days later he embarked from Brisbane on 16th June 1915 on HMAT Borda.  He disembarked at Suez, Egypt, on 22nd July 1915 and proceeded to Almaza Camp at Heliopolis where the 4th LHB undertook further training.  In July 1915 the decision was made to break up the 4th LHB and deploy its regiments to Gallipoli as dismounted reinforcements for the first 3 Light Horse Brigades which had landed in April.  The 11th and 12th Light Horse Regiments arrived at Gallipoli on 29th August 1915, Bert included.  He was attached to the 5th Light Horse Regiment which was camped in Reserve Gully.  He remained at Gallipoli for the rest of the campaign being evacuated with the troops on 21st December 1915.  He proceeded to the Light Horse camp at Heliopolis then in early March 1916 he transferred to the 3rd Field Ambulance at Tel-el-Kebir Camp.  He embarked with them on 27th March 1916 from Alexandria on HMT Kingstonian and disembarked at Marseilles, France, on 3rd April 1916. 

While serving with the 3rd FA Bert was involved in the battles of Pozieres and Mouquet Farm in July/August 1916.  In early November 1916 Bert was attached for duty with the 1st Division Headquarters briefly and upon his return to his unit 3 days later on the 11th, found that the Corps Rest Station at Buire, which the 3rd FA were running at the time, had been bombed in the early hours of that morning.  The following extract from the unit diary explains what happened: “At 00.40 this morning an enemy aeroplane flying low, dropped 6 bombs on the 1st Anzac Rest Station.  Five patients were killed outright, thirty three wounded more or less seriously and three slightly.  Of the personnel at this station one was killed, four seriously wounded and one slightly wounded.  All of these belonged to No. 3 Australian Field Ambulance.  One bomb was dropped on the Orderly Room, destroying a number of the records of the station and of the unit.  Damage was done to four marquee tents and eight bell tents.  The distinguishing lamps were burning brightly at the time the attack was made.” 

That same day Bert was promoted to Corporal and the next day was promoted to Sergeant Clerk.  He took leave twice in April/May 1917 to England and Paris.  As part of the 3rd FA he was involved in the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt in May 1917 as well the 3rd Battle of Ypres from 31st July to 10th November 1917 which included Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde and the 2 battles of Passchendaele. 

Bert was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) on 1st January 1918 with the following recommendation made on the 20th September 1917: “For exceptional devotion to duty and unremitting labour in maintaining the efficiency of the unit during the period 26th February, 1917, to date. Not only in his own department, but in every aspect of the work of the unit this N.C.O. has exercised the most useful influence and beneficial example, allowing no additional labour or exceptional circumstances to interfere with the cheerful performance of his duties. His exceptional ability and experience have been at all times most willingly at the service of the unit and have very materially assisted in promoting its efficiency and morale.”

Bert’s name appeared on King George’s New Year’s Honour List 1918 for having been awarded the MSM. 

Bert took leave to England in late January 1918 and re-joined his unit 2 weeks later at Sec-Bois south-east of Hazebrouck.  He, with the 3rd FA, were involved in the battles of Lys and Hazebrouck in April 1918.  In early June 1918 Bert proceeded to the Australian Corps School at Abbeville then on 24th June 1918 he transferred to the 3rd Australian Hospital (3AGH) at Abbeville.  He re-joined that unit from the Corps School in early October 1918.  He took leave to Rome just before Christmas and re-joined his unit on 11th January 1919.  On 8th February 1919 he embarked from France for England for return to Australia.  He embarked from Devonport on 28th February 1919 on HMAT Anchises and disembarked at Brisbane on 20th April 1919.  He was discharged from the service on 19th June 1919. 

On 26th July 1919 he was presented his MSM by the Governor General at Albert Square Brisbane, now known as King George Square.  In 1919 Bert changed the spelling of his surname from Behaun to Behan. 

On 5th January 1920 Bert and Muriel welcomed their daughter Betty. 

In 1922 Bert began working as a court shorthand reporter for the Department of Justice in Brisbane then in 1927 he got the job as a “Hansard” man for the Australian Parliament and the family moved to Canberra ACT.  The “Hansard” reports on the proceedings of the Australian Parliament and its committees.  In 1934 the family moved to Sydney for Bert to take up duties with the NSW Parliamentary reporting staff.  In 1947 he was appointed as Chief of the NSW Hansard Staff.

In 1933 Bert retired after several years serving as President of Legacy Club.  He was also the Senior Vice President of the Federal Capitol Territory branch of the Returned Soldiers and Sailors Imperial League of Australia and in that role he attended the Anzac Day service that year in Canberra with the noted war historian C E W Bean as special guests. 

On 11th November 1935 Bert and Muriel suffered the loss of their daughter when she died at the Holyrood Hospital in Brisbane QLD aged 15.  This was 19 years to the day when Bert was promoted to Corporal in WW1 and the day that the Corps Rest Station had been bombed with the loss of some of his comrades. 

Herbert Clarence Behaun was awarded for service in WW1 the Meritorious Service Medal, 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Anzac Commemorative Medallion.   

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 5th April 2023.