Clyde Bird

Clyde Bird

Western Mail 18 Feb 1917
Personal Information
Date of Birth	17 Jan 1896
Place of Birth	Port Augusta, South Australia
Death	22 Oct 1946
Place of Death	Balingup, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 years, 10 months
Description	5'8¼" (1.73m) tall ; 130 lbs 58.967 kg ; fresh complexion ; grey eyes ; light brown hair
Occupation	Railway employee
Religion	Methodist
Address	Mundijong, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Joseph Bird
Military Information
Reg Number	3786
Date of Enlistment	29 Nov 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 9th reinforcement, transferred to the 51st Battalion / 13th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	12 Feb 1916 ‒ 11 Mar 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A28 Miltiades
Date of Return	24 Dec 1918 ‒ 1 Feb 1919
Ship Returned On	HMT Takada
Fate	Wounded in Action 14/16 Aug 1916 Mouquet farm Wounded in Action 16 Oct 1917 Passchendaele Wounded in Action 24 Apr 1918 2nd Villers - Bretonneux Wounded in Action 15 Sep 1918 Hindenberg Outpost Line Returned to Australia
Monument	Mundijong School Roll of Honour Mundijong Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

A fortnight after entering camp, Clyde was allocated to the 9th Reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion with his brother Tom. On arrival in Egypt he was caught up in the revamp of the Australian forces and he and Tom are transferred to the 51st Battalion, effective 2 Apr 1916. On 5 Jun 1916 they embarked on HMT Ivernia and travelled to Marseilles in France arriving on 12 Jun 1916.

Between 14 and 16 Aug 1916 the 51st Battalion was involved in an attack on Mouquet Farm near Pozieres. During this time Clyde was wounded with a shrapnel wound to the head. Evacuated to hospital he also received treatment for mumps before returning to his unit on 10 Nov 1916.

On 16 Feb 1917 he was ill with pneumonia resulting in him entering 6th General Hospital Rouen via the 12th Australian Field Ambulance for treatment, and on 3 Mar 1917 he was embarked on the HMHS Formosa at Le Havre for England. On arrival he was admitted to the Horton County of London War Hospital in Epsom. Between 23 Apr 1917 and 8 May 1917 Clyde enjoyed furlough in England. Recovered he returned to France from Perham Downs on 15 Jun 1917, and rejoined his battalion on 7 July.

On 16 Oct 1917 Clyde's records show he was gassed. However, from the battalion's war diary we can establish that this happened between 11pm on the 14th and 2am on the 15th. Regardless, on 18 Oct 1917 he had returned to the Horton County of London War Hospital, this time with severe shell gas poisoning, having arrived from France that morning aboard HMHS St Denis.

Clyde proceeded to Le Havre in France a third time on 4 Mar 1918 from Southampton. The next day he was admitted to the 39th General Hospital in Le Havre, with venereal disease. Following treatment he was discharged to Base Details on 8 Apr 1915, totaling 35 days ineffective service.

Barely had he rejoined the 51st battalion than it was back in action, this time near Villers-Bretonneux where he was wounded for a third time with a bomb wound to the face. Local newspapers report that Clyde Bird had been wounded for a third time. Able to be treated in hospital in France, he is back with the battalion by 29 Apr 1918.

In September after months of heavy action along the Somme, Clyde is wounded for a fourth time at Vermand, between Péronne and St Quentin. This time with a bullet wound to his right arm, and a wounded left foot. On 21 Sep 1918 Clyde was evacuated to England, and the next day admitted to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, Portsmouth.

Three months later he was seen to be well enough to make the voyage home to Australia, where he was discharged at 5th Military District on 4 Apr 1919.

Post War

1920 Married Bertha May Goodyer in Perth. 1925 with wife Bertha May in Hopetown, a teacher; in 1931 residing in the school house at Dardanup; 1936 school house in Balingup where he remains until his death in 1946. Bertha then moves to 153 Baden street, Joondanna before dying on 3 Sep 1975 in Mt Lawley.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial