D Battery, 58 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
William George Bartlett was born in the Cotswold village of Winson, Gloucestershire in 1886, the eldest child of Frank and Mary Bartlett. In February 1913 he married Laura Lydia Oatley at Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire and emigrated to Australia soon after, having gained permission of the army authorities as he was a Reservist.
William had originally enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) in 1906, agreeing to serve for twelve years, three with the colours and nine in reserve.
Following the outbreak of war, he was recalled from Australia and rejoined the RFA in December 1914 and was sent to join the BEF in France in March 1915. His wife returned to the UK with him.
He served on the Western Front until 23 July 1917 and was awarded the Military Medal. On that day he suffered gun shot wounds to the head and a fractured spine and ended up in No 14 Stationery Hospital, Wimereux. His wounds were severe and he was eventually re-patriated to Tooting Hill Hospital, south London on 7 October 1918, where he died, aged 32, on 19 October 1918 from septicaemia and a fractured spine.
Driver William George Bartlett MM is buried in a private grave at Quenington (St Swithin) Cemetery.
William’s wife was repatriated to Sydney, Australia at the end of 1919 as the widow of an Imperial Reservist.