Allpike, Bertie
402 Private Bertie Allpike - 11th Battalion AIF
Bertie Allpike was born in Fremantle on the 22nd October 1890 to Henry and Julia Allpike. He had several siblings; Hannah (1877), Ethel (1878), Henry (1880), Hilda (1881), William (1883), Ernest (1884), Effie (1887), Vivian (1889) and Percival (1898).
The family lived at 29 Wardie Street South Fremantle (now 14 Wardie) and were involved in the horse industry as his father and other family members were horse trainers. After leaving school Bertie took up an apprenticeship as a Harness Maker.
He also served in the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment of the Citizens Military Forces.
Bertie was working as a Harness Maker when he enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on the 14th August 1914 in Fremantle. He was accepted as fit for service by the medical officer Captain Brennan (ex Fremantle Hospital) and was sent to the new camp being set up at Helena Vale called Blackboy Hill Camp.
Captain Brennan had recorded Bertie's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 8 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 10 Stone;
Chest Measurement - 36 & 1/2 inches tall;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown.
Distinctive marks - tattoo on left forearm.
Bertie was assigned to "D" Company of the newly forming 11th Battalion AIF. He trained with his battalion in WA until the end of October 1914. They then received their orders to depart and so packed up camp at Blackboy Hill and entrained for Fremantle where they boarded the transport ship HMAT “Ascanius” on the 31st October 1914. The ship then moored in Gage Roads and departed on the 2nd November 1914. The ships Ascanius and Medic departing from Fremantle then met the rest of the convoy which had come from Albany and sailed with them to Egypt.
After arriving in Egypt in early December 1914 the men were disembarked and sent to camp at Mena near Cairo. The eight Companies were now changed into four companies with e result that Bertie was now a member of "B" Company of the 11th Battalion. He also took part in the famous photo of the 11th Battalion on the pyramid.
The 11th Battalion remained in Egypt until early March 1915 when they were shipped off to Lemnos Island, off the coast of Turkey. A further six weeks training took place here in preparation for a landing on the Turkish coast.
As part of the 3rd Brigade the 11th Battalion had been chosen to make the initial assault. In the evening of the 24th April the transport ships left Lemnos and made their way to Gallipoli.
The 11th Battalion landed early in the morning of April 25th at what is now known as North Beach. Bertie and the men made their way inland up the ridge between Plugges Plateau and Russel’s Top. The fighting was confusing and vicious as the Turks and Australians tried to get the high ground. During the first day's action Bertie was wounded by shrapnel in the chest, back and hand.
He was given rudimentary first aid on the Beach at Anzac and was then taken back aboard the transport ship which ended up taking Bertie back to Egypt. He was then admitted to the 15th General Hospital in Alexandria. On the 16th May 1915 Bertie was then shipped for further treatment in England.
After being disembarked in England Bertie was entrained for Manchester where he was admitted to the 2nd Western General Hospital. Bertie remained there till 11th September 1915 when he was sent to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield.
Due to the state of his wounds the medical authorities decided that Bertie would take no further part in the war so arranged for him to be returned to Australia.
On the 8th October 1915 Bertie boarded the transport ship Suevic and set sail for home, reaching Albany on the 19th November 1915. Bertie and the other returned wounded soldiers were then entrained for Perth.
On his return home Bertie was given a medical check up at No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle and due to his wounds was granted a pension of 39 pounds per annum. He was officially discharged from the AIF on the 4th April 1916.
(Pictured below the three Allpike brothers that served, Bertie, Ernest and Henry)
He returned home to 29 Wardie Street South Fremantle (now 14 Wardie) and resumed his career as a harness maker/saddler.
On the 8th March 1920 his brother Henry Allpike died from war causes and has a war grave in Karrakatta Cemetery.
Bertie married Elsie May Winfield in Fremantle in 1920 and a son called Bert was born in 1920, followed by Elsie in 1922 and Violet in 1925.
His father Henry Allpike died in Fremantle in 1921.
In 1922 Bertie and Elsie moved to Arthur Road in Hamilton Hill and he was now working as a Commercial Traveller.
This continued through to the 1930's and in 1937 moved to Naval Base Road in what was then South Fremantle but is now in Hamilton Hill. He was working as a market gardener/farmer.
During World War Two Bertie offered his services, enlisting on the 10th May 1940 at Swan Barracks in Perth. (W237055) He was assigned as a Cook to the Detention Barracks in Fremantle. He served from 1940 to 1944 and during this time was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
He was discharged in 1944 and was able to return home to Naval Base.
His children Bert, Elsie and Violet also served in World War Two. Bert (WX7064) served with the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion and was captured by the Japanese in Java. Fortunately he survived his POW experience with the Japanese and returned home in October 1945.
Elsie Allpike (WF45917) served with the AWAS and specifically as the 3rd Australian Corps Artillery School at Northam. During her service Elise also was at the Artillery Barracks in Fremantle, Swan Barracks in Perth, Bushmead and Nungarin. She was discharged in 1945.
Violet Allpike (WF45916) also served with the Australian Women's Army Service from 1942 to 1944, serving mainly at Narrogin, Northam and Fremantle.
By the late 1940's Bertie and Elsie were living at Hope Valley Road Naval Base, where Bertie was working at a market garden. This continued through the 1950's but in the 1960's they returned to South Fremantle, residing at 3 Seaview St Beaconsfield.
In 1967 Bertie wrote to the army authorities for his Gallipoli medallion.
Bertie Allpike died on 24th July 1973 in Beaconsfield aged 84. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.