Ernest James Brandon Bettenay
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | c1897 |
| Place of Birth | Canning Mills, Western Australia |
| Death | 1968 |
| Place of Death | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Age at Enlistment | 18 years, 6 months |
| Description |
5' 5" (1.65m) tall ; 111lbs 50.349 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; dark brown hair |
| Occupation | Motor mechanic |
| Religion | Methodist |
| Address | Lodge road, Eagle Junction, Queensland |
| Next of Kin | Mother , Mrs Jane Elizabeth Bettenay (nee Peglar) |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 373 |
| Date of Enlistment | 6 Jan 1916 |
| Rank | Lance Corporal |
| Unit/Formation | 4th Division Cyclist Company, 2nd reinforcement, transferred to 1st Aust Ammunition Sub Park, transferred to 1st Div Motor Transport Company |
| Date of Embarkation |
1 May 1916 ‒ unknown arrival "unknown arrival" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation. |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray |
| Date of Return | 4 Jul 1919 ‒ 20 Aug 1919 |
| Ship Returned On | HMT Norman |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Monument | Unknown |
| Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
Father was Matthew Bettenay. Ernie's address on enlistment was Goondiwindi, and the letter of permission signed by his parents gave him leave to join the Queensland Expeditionary Force.
War Service
Enlisted in Warwick and on entering camp at Enoggera he was assigned to the 11h Depot Company until he was posted to the 8th reinforcement draft for the 31st Battalion. Made an allotment of 2 shillings (20 cents) per day to his mother. While with the Depot Company, on 17 Mar 1916 he was granted 2 days leave an 12 hours travel time to attend to business at home.
On arrival in Egypt he was found to be surplus to the battalion's needs and was transferred as a reinforcement to the 4th Division's Cyclist Company.
He travelled from Alexandria to Marseilles on board the HMT Tunisian, leaving Alexandria on 10 Jul 1916, disembarking at Marseilles on 17 Jul 1916.. In France he was transferred to 1st Anzac Corps Ammunition Park on 1 Oct 1916. On 14 Dec 1916 he was mustered as a Driver Motor Transport, and 9 days later he was seen by the 5th Australian Field Ambulance and treated for a cold.
Transferred to the 1st Division Motor Transport Company on 19 Mar 1918, he was appointed Lance Corporal on 7 Oct 1918, and acted as Temporary Corporal from 14 Nov 1918 to 18 Apr 1918.
Immediately after the Armistice, Ernie took leave in Nice in southern France from 23 Nov until 12 Dec 1918. Suffering with scabies, on 7 Feb 1919 he was seen by the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, treated and sent to the Rest Station. On 11 Feb 1919 he was transferred to the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance, and discharged to duty on 17 Feb 1919. On 18 Apr 1919 he was seen by the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance and referred to the 20th Casualty Clearing Station before being placed on
His repatriation to Australia began on 1 May 1919 when he returned to the UK for processing. Before coming home he spent a couple of periods in hospital in Dartford, with furunculosis (deep infection of hair follicles). 1 May 1919 -
Discharged 2nd Military District 6 Oct 1919.
Roll Of Honour - List No. 466. Ill T/Cpl Ern. Jas. Brandon Bettenay, Eagle Junction.[1]
Post War
Married in 1922 to Janet Winning Storrie.
Electoral Roll entries - 1919 in Lodge road, Eagle Junction, a mechanic; 1925 - 1954 in Cook street, Yeronga; 1958 - 1968 retired at 52 Petrel avenue, Mermaid Beach Qld.
The Courier Mail 17 Dec 1952 announced the engagement of daughter Joy to William Shirley.
Notes
Ernest was born in Canning Mills.
- ↑ "ROLL OF HONOUR". The Queenslander (2756). Queensland, Australia. 28 June 1919. p. 10. Retrieved 18 May 2017 – via National Library of Australia.