Bryant, Ernest Edward
No.302 – Private Ernest Edward Bryant – 44th Battalion AIF
Ernest Edward Bryant was born in Ulcombe, Kent England in 1898 to William & Maria Bryant. He had one older sibling named Alice. In 1911 the family were still living in Kent at Finn Farm Cottage Ashford. It is unknown what date he came to Australia, but he and his sister Alice were brought out by his mother, who was residing at Thompson Rd North Fremantle. There is a listing for an Ernest E Bryant on a ship in 1915 bound for Fremantle, Australia, and also listed is an Alice Bryant so it seems certain this is him. He is then listed as 16 years old.
Upon arrival William attended a local Fremantle school for a short time and became a part of the 86A Senior Cadets. Ernest tried to enlist when he was under age, but when he turned 18 he went to the recruitment office and offered his services. As he was under 21 years of age he needed the consent of his parents to enlist and his mother had signed the necessary forms. The medical examiner found Ernest to be 5 feet 6 inches, weight of 113 lbs; chest measurement of 33-36 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.
Assigned to B Company of the 44th Battalion Ernest was given the regimental number 302. The 44th Battalion trained in the metropolitan area of Perth until they embarked from Fremantle on the H.M.A.T. “Suevic” on the 6th June 1916. The battalion arrived at Plymouth England on the 21st July 1917 and the men were marched out to Lark Hill Camp on the Salisbury Plains. They trained here till late November 1916 when a few weeks prior to departure Ernest was admitted to Hospital with tonsillitis. However he soon returned to his unit and they embarked for France on the 25th November 1916. Just after reaching France Ernest reported sick with influenza but had rejoined the 44th on 7th December 1916. On the 10th he was readmitted to hospital but had rejoined the 44th a few days later.
Christmas was spent in the trenches around Armentieres and on the 19th January 1917 he was admitted to hospital with scabies, returning to the 44th on 4th February 1917. Ernest must have been getting tired of going to hospital as he again was admitted sick, this time with a septic hand, on the 27th February 1917. He was sent to hospital on the French coast at Boulogne and his hand was deemed serious enough for evacuation to England. He was admitted to Grayling-Well War Hospital on the 10th March 1917. Ernest soon recovered and was granted a period of furlough from 21st April to 7th May 1917 after which he would report to training camp at Perham Downs. On the 22nd May he left Southampton for France, and marched into the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Le Havre. Ernest joined the 44th Battalion at Messines on the 10th June 1917.
The 44th had just been through the Messines battles so numbers were quite low though they were still used to hold the newly captured territory. Two weeks after returning, Ernest was killed by shellfire. There are seemingly no eyewitness reports to his death and the only burial details were reported were that he was buried about 200 yards north of crossroads 2500 yards ENE of Messines & 2000 yards NW of Warneton. After the war his resting place was not found and he is thus commemorated on the Menin gate Memorial in Ypres.
His mother would receive a pension of 40/- per fortnight.