Cusack, Bernard

Private Bernard Cusack MM - 16th Battalion

The majority of the Cusack’s arrived in Western Australia in 1900 on the ship Paroo, having previously lived in Scone NSW. On arrival they initially took up residence in Katanning but soon moved to Fremantle where they took up residence at 185 Holland Street. (In the 1930s the street was re-numbered and the residence became, and remains, 110 Holland Street.)  

Robert and Anne Cusack had seventeen children in all, though only 13 lived past infancy.

Their eldest son was Edward Patrick Cusack who had preceded his family to WA and he initially lived in the South West where he was employed in forestry work. He joined the police force for several years and then took up farming in Narembeen near Wandering.

Joe and Luke Cusack also joined him there though Luke would return to live in Fremantle.

At this stage, in 1912, Robert, Matthew, Luke and Bernie were still all living at home in Holland Street.

Bernard enlisted into the AIF on 2 August 1915. He was a cabinet maker by trade and had spent five years in an apprenticeship. Bernie also had previous military experience, being a member of the 86A Cadets based in Fremantle.

He was given a medical examination and was found to be physically fit. The doctor recorded Bernie's attributes as: 5 feet 8 inches; 129lbs; chest measurement of 32 – 35 inches; dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. Bernie also put his age up to 21 when he was in fact only 18.

Upon his successful enlistment Bernie was sent to Blackboy Hill camp where he was initially assigned to No.21 Depot Company. On 23 August 1915 he was transferred to the 1st Depot Battalion though he only spent four days with this group before he was transferred into the 11th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion. Bernie trained with this group in WA for the next two months and towards the end of October their embarkation orders arrived.

The group entrained from Bellevue to Fremantle where they boarded HMAT Benalla on 1 November 1915.The sea journey to Egypt took just over three weeks and Bernard arrived there towards the end of the month. He would have been expecting to be sent on to Gallipoli though by the time he arrived in Egypt, the decision had been made to evacuate the peninsula so Bernie’s reinforcement group were retrained in Egypt. Bernard spent the next few months as a member of the 4th Training Battalion. On 7 March 1916 he was transferred into the 16th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir camp.

The 16th Battalion remained in Egypt until early June 1916 when they boarded a troopship and sailed for France. After arriving at Marseilles the soldiers were entrained north. They soon had their first experiences of front line conditions near Armentieres but after a short period they were transferred to the Somme front. Bernard and the 16th Battalion went into action near Pozieres in early August 1916. On 10 August Bernie was wounded during an attack by a bayonet through the ankle. After treatment at a Field Ambulance, Bernie was was sent to the 12th General Hospital at Rouen. He spent the next nine days there and on 20 August 1916 he was transferred to hospital in England. Upon arrival in England Bernard was sent to Graylinwell war hospital in Chichester. Bernie spent the next few weeks there and on 13 September he was released, fully fit and was transferred to the 4th Training Battalion.

On 22 September Bernie returned to France and was marched into the 4th Australian Division Base Depot. He spent another few weeks here, eventually returning to the 16th Battalion on 16 October 1916. The Australians were to spend the next few months in the Somme sector undergoing the coldest French winter in decades. Many men were evacuated sick during this period and on 5 January 1917 Bernie fell ill and was sent to the 4th Field Ambulance at Allonville where he was diagnosed with mumps. He was then transferred to the 25th Stationary Hospital and remained here for the next few weeks. On 28 January he was transferred to the Base Depot Camp, eventually re-joining the 16th Battalion on 17 February 1917.

Over the next several months Bernie fought in several engagements, most notably at Bullecourt in April 1917 when the 16th Battalion suffered severe casualties in breaching the Hindenburg Line and at Messines Belgium in June 1917. On 24 July 1917 Bernie was appointed Lance Corporal and on 27 August to Corporal. Bernie served at the Third Battle of Ypres in September 1917 but on 1 October 1917 he was given a break from front line service when he was transferred to England for a period of duty with the 4th Training battalion. Over the next eight months Bernie served in various training camps on the Salisbury Plains.

On 1 June 1918 Bernie returned to France and re-joined the 16th Battalion on 12 June 1918. He served with his unit at the successful battle at Hamel on 4 July 1918 and on 8 August he took part in the successful advance referred to as the Battle of Amiens. From 8 August to September 18 the 16th Battalion were hardly out of the line, as the Germans were continually pushed back. During the successful action in the 16th Battalion’s last fight of the war on 18 September, Bernie was recommended for a gallantry award due to his bravery. The recommendation reads: 

"Is brought to notice for his outstanding gallantry on 17 September 1918, in an attack on Le Verguier, near St Quentin. During the advance he encountered and sustained casualties from an enemy machine gun. He quickly led a party against the enemy strong post and personally bombed and silenced two guns, capturing or killing the crews. His devotion to duty and personal example to his men was of the highest order.”

This award of the Military Medal was announced on 30 October 1918 and was published in the London Gazette on 17 June 1919.

After the 16th Battalion was relieved from the front on 20 September 1918, they were sent for a rest near the French coast. They were about to return to the front when the Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918. Four days later Bernie was promoted to Sergeant. After the Armistice the Australians were sent to what had been German occupied Belgium where they spent Christmas 1918 and saw in the New Year of 1919. On 30 January 1919 Bernie was returned to England where he waited for a berth on a transport ship home. On 7 April 1919 he was given a berth on a ship and sailed back to WA and just under two months later he arrived home.

Bernie was given a medical examination at No.8 AGH in South Terrace Fremantle and he was discharged from the AIF on 6 July 1919.

On 18 January 1921 he married Lou Clarke at St John’s Church in Fremantle and a daughter Joy was born in 1922.

Bernie Cusack later opened his own cabinet making business in Mt Hawthorn. He died in 1969 and is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.