Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Roland Inglis Bartlett was born at Orroroo 5th of April 1917, the eldest of six children born to Albert Josiah and Jessie Hannah (nee McCallum) Bartlett. Albert and Jessie farmed ‘Saltia Farm’ Section 135, Hundred of Willowie.

Roland enlisted with the Militia 31 August 1940, joining the 9/23 Light Horse Regiment. He then transferred to 43 Battalion (Btn), a Militia unit which undertook garrison and general defence duties.

He signed up with the AIF 9 January 1942, listing his occupation as shearing contractor. However, he was not sworn in until 28 January. Roland then went on leave without pay (reasons unknown) until 21 February when he joined 3 Training Btn, possibly as a reinforcement for 2/27 Btn.

4 March 1942 Roland transferred to Provost Corps (Military Police). Later that month he was promoted to Acting Corporal. Shortly after that 4 Lines of Communication Provost Company (L of C Prov Coy) was formed at Glenelg to take over the the provost duty for HQ AIF (ME) Base Area, which had just arrived back from the Middle East and whose base units were scattered around Adelaide regrouping. 22 July that unit merged with the similarly named militia provost unit to form SA L of C Area Prov Coy at Wayville, and Roland was transferred to this unit on that day.   

Roland then moved to Alice Springs as the detachment of SA L of C Prov Coy there became 11 L of C Independent Provost Platoon on 15 September. He related that the train was so slow that the troops used to jump off and run up to the engine for some hot water for their tea. He didn’t bother chasing them as there was no where for them to go in the desert. He also recalled that when he was stationed at Alice Springs he had to ride to Camooweal to catch a soldier who had taken some batteries to sell on the black market.

The platoon also had detachments all the way along the convoy route to Larrimah, southeast of Katherine. A brief stint in hospital at 55 Camp Hospital, located a Tennant Creek, followed in early 1943 before his rank of Corporal was confirmed on the 19 May. The platoon expanded in June 1943 as 11 L of C Prov Coy.

9 March 1944 Roland left the Northern Territory for Adelaide where he was discharged 24 March 1944. Roland married Gladys Muriel Ellery 20 March 1946 at the Morchard Methodist Church. They then moved to Brinkworth where they sharefarmed for four years before  purchasing Sections 87, 300 and 301 Hundred of Coomoroo. In 1960 they purchased Sects 61 and 62 and in 1961 bought Sect 82 East and West which makes up the ‘Hillcrest’ block, and in 1968 bought Sects 56 and 57 which made up the ‘Pine Vale‘  Block. They had four sons.  

Roland died 5 September 2003, aged 86 years, and is buried at the Morchard Cemetery, South Australia.

Excerpt from "Diggers From the Dust" (2018) contributed by Di Barrie & Andrew Barrie.