Ernest James Brandon Bettenay

Ernest James Brandon Bettenay

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1897
Place of Birth	Canning Mills, Western Australia
Death	1968
Place of Death	Brisbane, Queensland
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 6 months
Description	5' 5" (1.65m) tall ; 111lbs 50.349 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Motor mechanic
Religion	Methodist
Address	Lodge road, Eagle Junction, Queensland
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Jane Elizabeth Bettenay (nee Peglar)
Military Information
Reg Number	373
Date of Enlistment	6 Jan 1916
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	4th Division Cyclist Company, 2nd reinforcement, transferred to 1st Aust Ammunition Sub Park, transferred to 1st Div Motor Transport Company
Date of Embarkation	1 May 1916 ‒ ?? Jun 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray
Date of Return	4 Jul 1919 ‒ 20 Aug 1919
Ship Returned On	HMT Norman
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Unknown
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Father was Matthew Bettenay. Ernie's address on enlistment was Goondiwindi, and the letter of permission signed by his parents gave him leave to join the Queensland Expeditionary Force.

War Service

Enlisted in Warwick and on entering camp at Enoggera he was assigned to the 11h Depot Company until he was posted to the 8th reinforcement draft for the 31st Battalion. Made an allotment of 2 shillings (20 cents) per day to his mother. While with the Depot Company, on 17 Mar 1916 he was granted 2 days leave and 12 hours travel time to attend to business at home.

On arrival in Egypt he was found to be surplus to the battalion's needs and was transferred as a reinforcement to the 4th Division Cyclist Company.

He travelled from Alexandria to Marseilles on board the HMT Tunisian, leaving Alexandria on 10 Jul 1916, disembarking at Marseilles on 17 Jul 1916.. In France he was transferred to 1st Anzac Corps Ammunition Park on 1 Oct 1916. On 14 Dec 1916 he was mustered as a Driver Motor Transport, and 9 days later he was seen by the 5th Field Ambulance and treated for a cold.

Transferred to the 1st Division Mechanical Transport Company on 19 Mar 1918, he was appointed Lance Corporal on 7 Oct 1918, and acted as Temporary Corporal from 14 Nov 1918 to 18 Apr 1919.

Immediately after the Armistice, Ernie took leave in Nice in southern France from 23 Nov until 12 Dec 1918. Suffering with scabies, on 7 Feb 1919 he was seen by the 3rd Field Ambulance, treated and sent to the Rest Station. On 11 Feb 1919 he was transferred to the 2nd Field Ambulance, and discharged to duty on 17 Feb 1919. On 18 Apr 1919 he was seen again by the 2nd Field Ambulance, treated for furunculosis (deep infection of hair follicles) on his scrotum and referred to the 20th Casualty Clearing Station before being placed on Ambulance Train No. 1 on 24 Apr 1919 for the 14th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux. On 1 May 1919 Ernest was evacuated to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in England. Discharged by them on 19 May 1919, he was granted furlough until 2 Jun 1919, after which he was processed for return to Australia where he was discharged by the 1st Military District on 6 Oct 1919.

Roll Of Honour - List No. 466. Ill T/Cpl Ern. Jas. Brandon Bettenay, Eagle Junction.

Post War

Married in 1922 to Janet Winning Storrie.

Electoral Roll entries - 1919 in Lodge road, Eagle Junction, a mechanic; 1925 - 1954 in Cook street, Yeronga; 1958 - 1968 retired at 52 Petrel avenue, Mermaid Beach Qld.

The Courier Mail 17 Dec 1952 announced the engagement of daughter Joy to William Shirley.

Notes

Ernest was born in Canning Mills.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial