THIS BLOG POST HAS BEEN UPDATED
AND CAN NOW BE FOUND HERE:
Raymond Everard BARTRAM
born in Richmond, Victoria, Australia in 1892 to
born in Richmond, Victoria, Australia in 1892 to
George Andrew BARTRAM and Isabella SHANDS
George and Isabella were married on 27 August 1878
George and Isabella were married on 27 August 1878
in Richmond, Victoria, Australia
and had seven children.
Ray enlisted on 3rd July 1915 in the
Ray enlisted on 3rd July 1915 in the
Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) and
embarked Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) with
8th Reinforcements, 14th Battalion,
service # 2682aboard the SS Makarini on 15 Sep 1915
service # 2682aboard the SS Makarini on 15 Sep 1915
Just 4 weeks later Ray Bartram became dangerously ill
with appendicitis and did not recover until after Christmas in December 1915.
The following year - on 8th December 1916 -
Ray Bartram was promoted to Corporal and on
26 May 1917 was promoted to Sergeant.
12 days later he was killed in action
12 days later he was killed in action
at Messines Ridge in Belgium
along with 5 of his comrades by a
high explosive shell on 7th June 1917.
The article on the Battle of Messines
can be located HERE and in part reads
It has been argued that the Battle of Messines was the most successful local operation of the war, certainly of the Western Front. Carried out by General Herbert Plumer's Second Army, it was launched on 7 June 1917 with the detonation of 19 underground mines underneath the German mines.
The target of the offensive was the Messines Ridge, a natural stronghold southeast of Ypres, and a small German salient since late 1914. The attack was also a precursor to the much larger Third Battle of Ypres, known as Passchendaele, decided upon by the British Commander-in-Chief Sir Douglas Haig following the collapse of the French Nivelle Offensive earlier in May 1917.
General Plumer had begun plans to take the Messines Ridge a year early in early-1916. Meticulous in manner, Plumer preferred to plan for limited successes rather than gamble all on a significant breakthrough.
The target of the offensive was the Messines Ridge, a natural stronghold southeast of Ypres, and a small German salient since late 1914. The attack was also a precursor to the much larger Third Battle of Ypres, known as Passchendaele, decided upon by the British Commander-in-Chief Sir Douglas Haig following the collapse of the French Nivelle Offensive earlier in May 1917.
General Plumer had begun plans to take the Messines Ridge a year early in early-1916. Meticulous in manner, Plumer preferred to plan for limited successes rather than gamble all on a significant breakthrough.
The following website has quite a bit on the battle of Messines including some images and is titled:
an unofficial history of the
Australian & New Zealand Armed Forces.
The attack effectively began on 3rd June when the preliminary bombardment intensified, and was kept up until 0250 hrs on 7th June when Raymond Everard BARTRAM was killed.
he was 23 years of age.
The above is an informal outdoors portrait of three Bartram brothers who have met up whilst on active service, from Richmond, Vic. Identified left to right: 6955 Private (Pte) Reginald Percy Bartram, 37th Battalion; 2304 Pte Arnold Roy Bartram, 60th Battalion; and probably 2682 Sergeant (Sgt) Raymond Everard Bartram, 46th Battalion.
all three brothers were killed in 1917
Arnold Roy BARTRAM - KIA 13 May 1917
Raymond Everard BARTRAM - KIA 07 June 1917
Reginald Percy BARTRAM - KIA 04 Oct 1917
Raymond Everard BARTRAM - KIA 07 June 1917
Reginald Percy BARTRAM - KIA 04 Oct 1917
Ray Bartram is buried at the Messines Ridge Cemetery in
Mesen, West Vlaaderen, Belgium.
No comments:
Post a Comment