Bradley, Benjamin
No.3015 – Private Benjamin Bradley – 25th Machine Gun Company AIF
Benjamin Bradley was born in Fremantle WA to Benjamin Thomas and Alice Marie Bradley in 1897. He had several siblings with Jack (born 1900), Neta (1902 and who died the same year), Thomas (1905) Neta (1908), Annie (1911) and Eva (1911). The family lived in Silas Street East Fremantle and Ben was educated at the nearby Fremantle Boys School. During his school years Ben served in the 86A Militia Cadets and continued to serve in the Naval Reserve after leaving school.
After leaving school Ben became an apprentice Carpenter, learning the trade under his father. As Ben was only 18 when he enlisted into the AIF he needed the consent of his parents. On the 18th September 1916 this consent was given and Ben was passed as fit for service in the AIF.
The medical examiner found Ben to be 18 years and 8 months old; height of 6 feet 0 inches; weight of 12 stone; chest measurement of 36-39 inches; fresh complexion; grey eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.
Ben was initially assigned to No.86 Depot for 5 days before on the 9th October 1916, being allotted to the 23rd Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. For an unknown reason Ben was pulled out of this group and sent to No.22 Depot. Ben was to spend the rest of 1916 at No.22 Depot and was given the rank of Corporal. In January 1917 Ben was allotted to the 7th reinforcements to the 44th Battalion with the rank of Acting Corporal and the regimental number 3015.
This reinforcement group embarked at Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. “Miltiades” on the 29th January 1917, arriving at Devonport England on the 27th March 1917. Upon arrival the men were marched into the AIF Details Camp at Fovant on the Salisbury Plain. Three weeks were spent in this camp and then Ben was marched into the 11th Training Battalion at Durrington and reverted to the rank of Private. Ben was sent to Hospital in Fargo on the 7th May 1917 with a Pyrexia of Unknown Origin but had returned to Base by the 15th May. Another month was spent at the 11th Training Battalion Camp in preparation for a move to join the 44th Battalion in France. However before he could join the 44th on the 10th June 1917 Ben was chosen to join the Machine Gun Corps Details Camp at Grantham.
Ben would spend the next two months at the Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham and it was decided to form a Machine Gun Company for each division to complement the machine gun companies that were already attached to each Brigade. Therefore the new Machine Gun Companies would be the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th & 25th Machine Gun Companies. The 21st would be attached to the 1st Division, 22nd to the 2nd Division etc. and so Ben was formed into the complement of the 25th Machine Gun Company AIF which formed part of the 5th Division AIF.
On the 7th September 1917 the unit proceeded to France and upon arrival at Le Harve were sent up to the Battlefields of Belgium where the Australians were to soon take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. The 5th Division AIF were in action quite soon after Ben’s arrival and would help capture Polygon Wood. On the 25th September 1917, Ben was one of a carrying party that was carrying ammunition to the Gun positions when he received a direct hit from a German shell. Despite attempts at medical aid by his mates, Ben died soon after being hit.
There are conflicting reports of his burial as it was reported that his mates buried him on the spot, but his brother Jack Bradley of the 12th Battalion later told his mother that he found Ben’s body and buried him. After the war Ben’s grave apparently could not be located but a notation in his service record states that a picture of his grave was sent to a Mr. Couch in Benalong NSW. This however may be an error from the Defence Department who controlled the records.
Ben Bradley is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ieper on the panel for Australian Machine Gunners. Ben’s brother Jack returned home safely after the war after serving with the 12th Battalion AIF. Jack had actually enlisted into the AIF on the 7th July 1915 when he was 15 years old. He was put into the 9th Reinforcements to the 12th Battalion and served in France and Belgium during 1916 and 1917. After his brother was killed, Jack was found to still be underage and was returned to Australian in February 1918. He enlisted again in October 1918 but was discharged due to the Armistice being signed. Jack would go on to serve with the RAAF in WW2 and lived until 1991.
Jack and Ben Bradley