Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Albert Edward Bertram Biography

By Henry Schultz - 2017

Albert Edward Bertram was born to Augusta Emily Bertram in Goodwood, Adelaide in 1889. By his mid-20’s, Albert was a packer and still living in Norwood with his mother and family. Albert was a member of the Church of England, and at the time of embarkation was described as having brown hair, blue eyes, and a medium complexion. Aged 26 and 10 months, he was 5ft 5.75inches and weighed 118lbs when he was deemed fit for active service on 7th October 1916. As a Private, Albert was about to join the war with other South Australians, an event that would change his life forever

As part of the 8th reinforcement in the 50th infantry battalion, Bertram embarked from Adelaide on the HMAT Berrima on 16th of December 1916. Bertram did not partake in training in Egypt, as that had occurred before he joined the army. He disembarked in Devonport, England on 16th of February 1917. Within days he and the battalion had marched to Hurdcott Camp, 120 miles from Devonport, on the 21st of February. From there he proceeded to Codford, another 11 miles on 6th of March 2017. After Reaching Codford, Bertram and the infantry made their way South East 50 miles to Southampton, and it was from there they moved into France.

The 50th Infantry Battalion fought many battles in France, however it was in Passchendaele that Albert became one of the 1,557 total wounded in the 50th infantry battalion. Passchendaele is renowned for being a key battle, as approximately 40% of Germany’s army was involved, 66% percent of Britain’s and all 5 of Australia’s divisions. As a reinforcement, Bertram suffered a severe gunshot wound to his right buttock, and was officially wounded in action on 19th of July 1917. This was Bertram’s first conflict, as he had only been an unused reinforcement before this.

Due to his injury, he was moved back to England where he rehabilitated for several months. He was admitted from 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol, and transferred to Dartford on 1st of August. On the 7th, he was sent back to Hurdcott to report for duty to his battalion, and re-joined his unit in the field on the 13th.

After re-joining his unit, Bertram fell ill with an undiagnosed disease, however this was most likely influenza due to the cold wet conditions at the time in his location, and it was mentioned to have been present in the battalion. Bertram was sent to hospital on account of his sickness. He was not there for long however, as he was sent to hospital on the 6th of September 1918, and returned on the 17th of the same month.

Throughout the next few months, Bertram was involved in several battles with his battalion. The battles his battalion faced between 1917 and 1919 were: Battle of the Somme, Villers Bretonneux, Bullecourt, Messines, Battle of Hamel, Battle of Amiens, Ypres Albert, Menin Road, Hindenburg Line, Polygon Wood, Epehy, Passchendaele and France & Flanders.

After these battles, and several months after the war was over, Albert Edward Bertram was promoted to Lance Corporal, his first and only promotion as a soldier. A lance Corporal is a rank of non-commissioned officer in the British army, above private and below corporal, and the lowest non-commissioned officer rank in the Australian Army. He was promoted on the 1st of May 1919.

Albert Edward Bertram returned home from England back to Australia on the Ajana ship. He arrived back in Adelaide on 19th August 1919, aged. Bertram died on the 13th of August 1958, aged 69 and is currently buried at North Road Church Cemetery, Adelaide.

Contributed by Heathfield High School

Albert Edward Bertram was born in Goodwood, Adelaide, South Australia, on 6 November 1891. By his mid-20s, he was a packer and a member of the Church in England. According to his attestation papers, he was said to have blue eyes, brown hair, and a medium complexion at the time of embarkation. At age 26 and 10 months, weighing 118 lbs (54 kg) as he decided to be fit enough to join the service on 7th October 1915, along with many other South Australians. 

Bertram then embarked from Australia on the ship Berrima, on the 16th of December 1915, and arrived in Devonport, England roughly 8 weeks later on the 16th of February 1916. He did not partake in any training in Egypt, as he had previously completed the training before he joined the army. Bertram then joined the 13th Training Unit of the 50th Battalion on the 6th of March 1917. On that same day, he reached Codford, and his infantry made their way to France from Southampton, on the 24th of June 1917.

Between the 24th of June 1917 and the 19th of July 1917, Albert Edward Bertram’s infantry fought many battles, but on the 19th of July 1917, Bertram was one of the 1,557 soldiers injured. He suffered from a gunshot wound and he was sent to the hospital in England on the 24th of July 1917. That next day, on the 25th of July 1917, he was sent to the hospital of Bristol for a wound in his right buttock. Bertram received a severe burn on his right hand, and he was sent to the 3rd Aux hospital in Dartford, where he was then granted leave on the 7th of August 1917.

24 days later, on the 31 of August 1917, he went back to France, where he took part in some training, and worked at a depot. On the 3rd of July 1918, he journeyed back to France where he re-joined his unit on the 13th of July, where he took part in more fighting. Bertram was then again wounded and on the 5th of August 1918 where he was sent to the General Hospital, where he was diagnosed with Pyrexia and suffered from fevers. He was sent to a hospital in England on the 12th of October 1918, to treat the severity of the fever where he recovered and had leave in London on the 18th of December 1918. Several months after the war ended, Albert Edward Bertram was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 1st of May 1919, his first and only promotion as a soldier. A Lance Corporal is a rank that is above private which was his original role, but below corporal.

Bertram then returned home to Australia after 3 years of fighting in the war on the Ajana ship. He returned back to Australia on the 9th of October 1919 aged around 29 years. He passed away on the 13th of August 1958 aged 66, death not yet discovered, and is currently buried in the North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth, South Australia. Albert Edward Bertram received 3 medals, including the British War medal, where an individual would have to have entered an area of active fighting, not just serving overseas. He also received the Victory Issue Medal, which is prescribed to people who took part in the war on duty between the 5th of August 1914, and the 11th of November 1918. The last medal that Bertram received was the Star Issue, which is granted to military personnel, who served between the 5th of August 1914, and the 31st of December 1915.