Royal Field Artillery
The Bartlett family moved to Quenington in the autumn of 1900 from Poulton to the live at the Grandage. As agricultural workers, over the previous 15 years the family had lived in Winson, Bibury, and Poulton in Gloucestershire, and Filkins in Oxfordshire.
William George Bartlett was born in the September Quar ter of 1886 in Winson, Gloucestershire, the eldest child of Frank Bartlett and Mary Annie Okey. His siblings were Alfred (1888), Charles John (8 September 1890), Henry Francis (21 February 1893, also known as Francis Henry, and Frank Henry), Algey Edwin (23 February 1897, also known as Algy, Algie and Algernon), Albert J (1899, known as Bertie), and Joseph (1902, known as Joe).
He married Laura Lydia Oatley on 24 February 1913 at the Parish Church, Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire and emigrated to Australia soon afterwards with the permission of the British military authorities as he was still a reservist. With the outbreak of war, he was recalled to the UK in December 1914, mobilised into the Royal Field Artillery (RFA), Woolwich and sent to France. There was no issue from the marriage.
William, who was 5 feet 5 inches tall and a farm carter, enlisted at Dunfield, near Fairford on 1 January 1906 when he was 18¼ years and three days later joined 4 Depot Royal Field Artillery (RFA) at Newport, Monmouth. The term was 12 years, three with the colours, and nine in reserve. He later transferred to 141 Battery RFA and Section B. During his service of 12 years 292 days he served at home (1 January 1906 to 11 March 1915; and 7 to 19 October 1918), in France (19 March 1915 to 6 October 1918) and an unknown spell in Ireland as he was admitted to Cahir hospital 31 August to 12 September 1917 with scabies.
He was wounded in action on 23 July 1917, suffered gun shot wounds to the head and a fractured spine, and spent time in military hospitals in Wimereux and Boulogne. On 30 August 1918 his wife received a telegram advising her that William was dangerously ill at 14 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, France (British RAMC Hospital). He was returned to UK on 7 October 1918 and transferred to Tooting hospital. His Regiment and Service were given as Royal Field Artillery, ‘D’ Battery, 58th Brigade.
William died, aged 32 years at 1400 hours on 19 October 1918 at Tooting Hill Hospital, Church Lane, Tooting, London SW17 due to a fractured spine caused by gunshot wounds during warfare and septicaemia. William’s mother pre-deceased him in September 1918 in Cirencester.
He is buried in a private grave in the South East section of Quenington (St Swithin) Cemetery. The inscription on his memorial reads: In Loving Remembrance Of Driver William Bartlett M.M. RFA Died of Wounds Received in Action, Oct 19th 1918, aged 32 Faithful Till The End.
William is commemorated on the Quenington War Memorial situated in Quenington cemetery and visible to the right of the photograph above.
Other family members buried at Quenington include William’s parents, and brothers Algie, Bertie (Albert), and Joe (Joseph).
In addition to the British, Victory, and 1915 Star medals he was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for bravery on the Western Front on 28 January 1918.
Four of William’s brothers, Alfred, Charles, Henry and Algey served in the Great War and survived.
His wife was repatriated to Sydney Australia at the end of 1919 as the widow of an Imperial Reservist.
Researched by Baden Russell August 2015